Dark Tetrad Personality during COVID-19: An Overview of Psycho-somatic Therapies for Managing Mental Health Response (original) (raw)
Related papers
Personality dimensions and disorders and coping with the COVID-19 pandemic
Current Opinion in Psychiatry, 2021
Purpose of review The COVID-19 pandemic has tested people's coping and resilience. This article reviews research and scholarly work aiming to shed more light on personality-based factors that account for adjustment to the pandemic situation. Recent findings Most studies relied on a cross-sectional design and were conducted using personality dimensions based on the Big Five personality model. Findings suggest that high levels of neuroticism constitute a risk for pandemic-induced distress and poor overall coping. People with prominent extraversion, conscientiousness or agreeableness have generally demonstrated a good adjustment to the pandemic, including compliance with containment and mitigation measures imposed by the authorities to limit the spread of COVID-19. A few studies of individuals with borderline personality disorder identified social isolation as the most destabilising factor for them. Poor compliance with containment and mitigation measures has been strongly associated with various antisocial personality traits. Summary Personality-based factors account for some individual differences in coping with both COVID-19-related threat and distress and requirements to comply with containment and mitigation measures. Better understanding of these factors could contribute to a more effective adjustment to the challenges of future public health crises.
Personality Disorders in Time of Pandemic
Current Psychiatry Reports
Purpose of Review We report evidence on the negative psychological effects of pandemics in people with personality disorders (PDs) and on the role of personality pathology in compliance with mitigation-related behaviors. Considering the paucity of studies, after a description of the main features of PDs, on the basis of the current literature on pandemic and quarantine mental health impact, we trace some clinical hypotheses. Recent Findings Paranoid traits and detachment (cluster A) might lead to worse psychological outcomes. Cluster B patients may show more intense stress-related reactions and react strongly to social distancing, especially considering borderline personality disorder. Cluster C patients might be particularly prone to anxiety and stress due to fear of contagion and may be less flexible in adaptation to new routines. Evidence on compliance with mitigation measures is mixed, with lower compliance in cluster B patients and higher in cluster C ones. Summary We suggest t...
Emotional and Behavioural responses to Covid-19: Explanations from Three Key Models of Personality
Hogrefe, 2021
This review appraises evidence for the role of personality in Covid-19 related emotions and behaviours. Three key models of personality are considered: the Five factor Model, HEXACO model and Reinforcement Sensitivity Theory. In line with personality research more generally, most studies focus on the Five-Factor model. Key findings are that neuroticism is most associated with poor mental health, and extraversion is associated with a reluctance to socially isolate. Conscientiousness predicts compliance with safety guidelines, but also with fewer prosocial behaviours, particularly stockpiling. Research within the HEXACO framework largely confirms these findings, especially for emotionality and mental health. The additional HEXACO Honesty-humility factor is found to be associated with prosocial views and abstention from panic buying. Studies based on the Reinforcement Sensitivity Theory of personality indicate the presence of emotional conflict as people wish to stay safe, whilst also maintaining a sense of normality. Behavioural compliance is driven by activation in the Fight-Flight-Freeze System (FFFS; fear-related) and the Behavioural Inhibition System (BIS; anxiety-related). The Behavioural Approach System (BAS) is implicated in approach-driven behaviours such as avoiding infection. These findings have implications for health communications and post-pandemic support.
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 2021
The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic forced everyone to comply with rules of a sanitary regime and social distancing on a daily basis. The aim of our research was to assess the differences in the levels of Dark Triad traits between people who obeyed and disobeyed the pandemic restrictions. Additionally, we considered the possible correlation between the Dark Triad and the intensity of symptoms of depression and anxiety. A total of 604 Polish participants, whose average age was 28.95 ± 11.27 years, completed an online survey which measured Dark Triad traits using the Polish version of the Dirty Dozen test. Anxiety and depression were assessed using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). The results revealed a possible relationship between personality traits and compliance with pandemic restrictions. Individuals with higher levels of psychopathy tended to disobey newly introduced rules. On the other hand, a higher level of subclinical narcissism might have contributed to a...
Cognition, Brain, Behavior. An interdisciplinary journal
Previous studies have demonstrated the psychological impact of stressful events related to an infectious disease outbreak. This impact may be moderated by the perception of risk and individual differences in personality. The aim of this study was to analyze the effects of the personality profiles and mental health on the perceived risk (being infected, getting hospitalized, and dying from COVID-19) and on preventive behaviors (wash your hands, stay at home, maintain social distance, touch your face, and mask use). A total sample of 126 Argentine adults, both genders, participated and filled in the Revised NEO Personality Inventory (NEO PI-R), the Symptom Checklist-90 (SCL-90) scale, a sociodemographic questionnaire, and COVID-19 estimates regarding risk perception and preventive behaviors. Results show that people with undercontrolled personality profile and high interpersonal sensitivity overestimated their probability of getting infected, hospitalization, and dying from COVID-19. ...
Personality and Individual Differences
Dark Triad traits (psychopathy, narcissism) are associated with nonadherence to COVID-19 prevention measures such as social distancing and wearing face masks, although the psychological mechanisms underpinning this relationship remain unclear. In contrast, high threat-sensitivity may motivate compliance, and maybe seen in relation to vulnerable dark traits (secondary psychopathy, vulnerable narcissism and borderline personality disorder). The relationship between vulnerable dark traits and COVID-19 prevention behaviour has not been examined. During April 2021, participants (n = 263) completed an online psychometric study assessing engagement with COVID-19 prevention behaviour, traditional DT traits (primary psychopathy; grandiose narcissism) and vulnerable DT traits. Potential indirect effects were fear of COVID-19, perceived coronavirus severity, belief in COVID-19 conspiracy theories and altruism. Model of path analysis identified predictors of engagement in disease prevention behaviour. Primary psychopathy, grandiose narcissism, secondary psychopathy and BPD were associated with less COVID-19 prevention behaviour, with an indirect effect of reduced coronavirus severity. Grandiose narcissism and BPD were also motivated by COVID-19 conspiracy theories, and increased prevention behaviour when fear of COVID-19 was higher. No direct or indirect effects were observed for vulnerable narcissism. The current study is the first to elucidate psychological mechanisms linking vulnerable dark traits with COVID-19 prevention behaviour.
BMC Psychiatry, 2022
Background Several risk factors for anxious-depressive symptomatology during the COVID-19 pandemic have been established. However, few studies have examined the relationship between personality traits, hardiness, and such symptomatology during the pandemic. These constructs might serve as risk-and/or protective factors for such mental distress through the pandemic. Methods A sample of 5783 Norwegians responded to a survey at two time points within the first year of the pandemic. The first data collection was in April 2020 (T1) and the second in December 2020 (T2). Measures included the Ten-Item Personality-Inventory, the Revised Norwegian Dispositional Resilience Scale, and the Patient Health Questionnaire Anxiety and Depression Scale. Analyses were performed using Pearson's correlations, multiple linear regression, and a moderation analysis. Results Anxious-depressive symptomatology in early phases (T1) of the pandemic was the strongest predictor for the presence of such symptomatology 9 months after the outbreak (T2). Personality and hardiness correlated significantly with mental distress at T1 and T2. Personality traits explained 5% variance in symptoms when controlling for age, gender, solitary living, negative economic impact, and mental distress at baseline. Higher neuroticism predicted higher mental distress, whereas higher conscientiousness and extraversion predicted less mental distress. Hardiness did not explain variance in outcome beyond personality traits. Hardiness did not significantly moderate the relationship between neuroticism and mental distress. Conclusion Individuals with high levels of neuroticism had greater difficulties adapting to the circumstances of the COVID-19 pandemic and were more prone to mental distress. Contrastingly, higher conscientiousness and extraversion may have served as protective factors for mental distress during the pandemic. The current findings might aid identification of vulnerable individuals and groups. Consequently, preventive interventions could be offered to those who need it the most.
Chiara Rossi , 2021
Coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19) has had a strong psychological impact on the Italian population. Italy was heavily affected by the virus before other countries in Europe, experiencing the highest number of deaths. Unknown symptoms in the early stages of the pandemic and the absence of clear transmission links affected people's wellbeing. Individual personality differences played a key role in perceived psychological wellbeing during the pandemic. The present exploratory study sought to evaluate the impact of COVID-19 on psychological health and identify how psychological wellbeing is influenced by personality traits. A total of 2103 participants (64% female and 36% male) completed an online survey that included the Psychological General Wellbeing Index (PGWBI), the Italian Short Personality Inventory (ITAPI), and a general questionnaire. Descriptive statistics and hierarchical regressions were performed using SPSS 25.0 (IBM Corp., Armonk, NY, USA) (. The findings showed poor psychological wellbeing in the Italian population. Young people reported the lowest scores. Vulnerability traits negatively influenced some PGWBI domains, such as the total score (β = −0.62), anxiety (β = −0.55), depression (β = −0.46), positivity and wellbeing (β = −0.51), vitality (β = −0.45), general health (β = −0.12), and self-control (β = −0.52). On the other hand, dynamism traits positively affected vitality (β = 0.12) and positivity and wellbeing (β = 0.14). In other words, personality factors related to vulnerability in particular created risk, whereas dynamism offered protection. The results highlight how COVID-19 helped to trigger anxious and depressive states. People feel helpless and vulnerable when facing new, unexpected conditions caused by the virus. These findings may assist mental healthcare professionals in safeguarding psychological wellbeing during emergencies such as the pandemic.
COVID-19 Pandemic, Personality and Geriatric Population: Proposed Pragmatism
2021
Elderly people are the most sensitive and delicate part of society who must bear the major burn of disruptive social behavior of human being amidst the 2019 coronavirus infectious disease (COVID-19) pandemic. Our aim was (1) to find out the root of disruption of societal integrity and self-centeredness by analyzing spokes of HEXACO; 2) to delineate its possible relationship with the formation of Neuroticism and eventually Psychopathy, and 3) to search for the potential ways to get rid of this darkness. Human civilization is experiencing unique psychosocial problems through emerging COVID 19. Depression, panic buying, herd behavior, yellow journalism, "infodemic" spreading through social media, immense sufferings of marginalized people, children and elderly, a surge of addictive behavior, racism, domestic violence, rape, divorce, financial constraints, and stigmatization, all possibly stem from a constellation of different negative human behaviors which probably originate from negative deflection of components of HEXACO model of personality towards the genesis of the dark triad. COVID-19 and surge of the dark triad in form of Neuroticism, Narcissism and Machiavellianism are causing major mental health threat. Cultivations and practice of positive emotions and triumph of honesty, humility and humanity are utmost desirable to save Earth and its habitants from the cruel claws of this pandemic.
The Influence of Personality, Resilience, and Alexithymia on Mental Health During COVID-19 Pandemic
Frontiers in Psychology
Following the COVID-19 pandemic, many countries worldwide have put lockdowns in place to prevent the virus from spreading. Evidence shows that lockdown measures can affect mental health; it is, therefore, important to identify the psychological characteristics making individuals more vulnerable. The present study aimed, first, to identify, through a cluster analysis, the psychological attributes that characterize individuals with similar psychological responses to the COVID-19 home confinement; second, to investigate whether different psychological characteristics, such as personality traits, alexithymia, and resilience, specifically influence anxiety, stress, and depression, depending on the scope of the confinement. We analyzed data from 393 participants who completed an online survey on their experiences during two different phases of the Italian lockdown, characterized by more or less strict measures of confinement. Two clusters were identified which included participants report...