Personality traits and mental health care utilization: Longitudinal findings from the MIDUS

Underutilization of mental health services is prevalent in the U.S., and an understanding of utilization patterns can inform interventions to enhance treatment use. The current study investigated longitudinal associations between changes in mental health care utilization (MHCU) and Big Five personality traits. Data included three waves (4,658 adult participants) of the Midlife Development in the United States (MIDUS) study. 1,632 par-ticipants provided data at all three waves. Second-order latent growth curve models showed that MHCU level predicted an increase in emotional stability, and emotional stability level predicted a decrease in MHCU. In-creases in emotional stability, extraversion, and conscientiousness predicted decreases in MHCU. These results indicate that personality is associated with MHCU over time and may inform interventions to increase MHCU.

Automated summary

This study investigated the relationship between mental health care utilization and Big Five personality traits. The results showed that the level of mental health care utilization predicted an increase in emotional stability, while the level of emotional stability predicted a decrease in mental health care utilization. Furthermore, increases in emotional stability, extraversion, and conscientiousness also predicted decreases in mental health care utilization.