Neuroticism, life events and mental health: evidence for person-environment correlation

Abstract

BackgroundThere is some evidence that genetic effects on the likelihood of experiencing stressful life events (SLEs) are mediated by heritable traits such as cognitive ability (CA) and neuroticism (N).AimsTo examine whether the association between CA, N and mental ill-health is driven in part by a predisposition to experience depressogenic SLEs.MethodChildhood measures of N and CA were available in a birth cohort of 5362 individuals. At ages 36 and 43 years, mental state and occurrence of SLEs in the previous year were assessed. Using a path-analytic approach, models with and without a hypothesised influence of N and CA on the occurrence of SLEs were compared.ResultsThe fit of the model with childhood N having a direct influence on SLEs was good with χ2=5.72, d.f.=4, P=0.22 at age 36 years and χ2=3.50, d.f.=5, P=0.62 at age 43. The fit of the model was significantly worse without this path at both ages (36 years: χ2=42,5, d.f.=1, P<0.001; 43 years χ2=15.3 d.f.=1, P<0.001). No consistent differences were seen in comparisons of models with CA.ConclusionsThe results are congruent with the suggestion that genetic effects on SLEs are mediated by personal characteristics. Part of the well-established association between N and minor psychiatric disorder may be mediated by an indirect effect of N on the likelihood of experiencing SLEs.