An individual's personality, especially how strongly they react to uncertainty, may help indicate how vulnerable they are to prolonged mental distress during a major crisis, according to a new USC-led study.
An analysis of several years of nationally representative U.S. data found that people scoring higher in neuroticism experienced larger and more persistent increases in anxiety and depression symptoms during the COVID-19 pandemic than people scoring lower in the trait, said lead author Marco Angrisani , senior economist at the USC Center for Economic and Social Research (CESR) and associate professor (research) of economics at the USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences .
"There is a wide variety of mental health responses to large-scale societal stressors," Angrisani said. "Our study shows that personality traits, and neuroticism in particular, play a role in shaping heterogeneous responses in a major crisis across individuals and could therefore inform better targeted interventions."
The study appeared in PLOS ONE on Oct. 7, 2026.
The 'Big 5' personality traits
The researchers followed 4,030 U.S. adults using data from the Understanding America Study , a nationally representative internet panel managed by CESR. The analysis included more than 100,000 survey responses collected from 2019 through early 2024, allowing researchers to compare mental health before, during and after the pandemic.
The study examined five broad personality characteristics:
- Neuroticism: A tendency to experience worry, emotional sensitivity and stronger reactions to stress or uncertainty.
- Extraversion: A tendency to be outgoing, energetic and motivated by social interaction.
- Openness: Curiosity about new ideas and experiences, along with a willingness to consider change.
- Agreeableness: A tendency to be cooperative, trusting and concerned about social harmony.
- Conscientiousness: A tendency to be organized, dependable, self-disciplined and goal-oriented.
These characteristics occur on a continuum. Everyone has some degree of each, and a high or low score does not constitute a disorder.
Distress not equally distributed
In the study, mental distress was measured with the PHQ-4, a brief questionnaire assessing symptoms of anxiety and depression. A score of six or higher indicates moderate-to-severe symptoms, though it is not itself a clinical diagnosis.
During the pandemic, increases in the probability of moderate or severe distress were approximately 11 to 20 percentage points greater among participants who scored in the highest 25% for neuroticism versus those in the lowest quarter. The association persisted across young, middle-aged and older adults and remained evident into the post-pandemic observation period.
Participants higher in neuroticism also perceived greater health and financial risks, adopted more protective behaviors and reported exercising and relaxing less frequently while consuming more alcohol. Measurements of extraversion, openness and agreeableness showed weaker or inconsistent associations, while conscientiousness appeared modestly protective, particularly among adults aged 60 and older.
Predicting mental health needs in a crisis
The findings could help clinicians and emergency planners recognize who may need closer follow-up after disasters, public-health emergencies or other prolonged disruptions. Public information campaigns could also be tested to ensure they inform people without unnecessarily increasing distress among those who are more vulnerable to it. Importantly, personality should be just one part of a broader risk assessment, alongside symptoms, previous mental-health conditions, and social circumstances, not a label or an automatic trigger for treatment, Angrisani explained.
However, neuroticism is a risk factor, not a diagnosis or a determinant of an individual's mental health status. In the paper, the authors advocate for monitoring and stepped care: following people over time and offering treatments such as cognitive behavioral therapy or emotion-regulation training when significant, persistent symptoms emerge, rather than treating people solely because of a personality score.
Because the study was observational, it identifies associations and cannot prove that personality, especially neuroticism, caused distress. All personality and mental distress measures were self-reported, and the findings may not generalize beyond the United States, Angrisani cautioned. Still, the results suggest that crisis communication emphasizing practical, controllable actions — combined with accessible mental-health support — could help protect psychologically vulnerable groups, he said.
About the study
Angrisani's co-authors include Wändi Bruine de Bruin, Provost Professor of Public Policy, Psychology, and Behavioral Science at the USC Schaeffer Institute for Public Policy & Government Service as well as Vincenzo Atella of the University of Rome Tor Vergata and Joanna Kopinska of Sapienza University of Rome (Italy). The study was funded by the National Institute on Aging (grant U01AG077280 to Angrisani).
