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Seasonal mood change and neuroticism: the same construct?
1Section on Biological Rhythms and the Adult OCD Research Unit, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, MD 20892-1390, USA.
Comprehensive Psychiatry
|December 1, 1999
Summary
Neuroticism and seasonality are distinct psychological constructs. Despite both being linked to the serotonin transporter gene polymorphism (5-HTTLPR), this study found no significant correlation between them in individuals with seasonal affective disorder.
Area of Science:
- Psychiatry
- Behavioral Genetics
- Clinical Psychology
Background:
- Neuroticism, a personality trait, is associated with the 5-HTTLPR gene polymorphism.
- Seasonality, characterized by seasonal mood and behavior changes, shares this genetic association.
- Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is a condition where seasonality manifests as major depressive disorder.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate if neuroticism and seasonality are equivalent psychological constructs.
- To examine the relationship between these two traits given their shared genetic link to 5-HTTLPR.
Main Methods:
- Administered the Seasonal Pattern Assessment Questionnaire (SPAQ) to measure seasonality.
- Utilized the Revised NEO Personality Inventory (NEO-PI-R) to assess neuroticism.
- Recruited 45 participants diagnosed with Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD).
Main Results:
- No statistically significant correlation was observed between neuroticism and seasonality.
- The findings indicate a lack of convergence between the two constructs in the study sample.
Conclusions:
- Neuroticism and seasonality are not the same construct.
- The 5-HTTLPR polymorphism is a genetic risk factor for both, but they represent distinct phenomena.