# The Personality Trait That Indicates Depression Risk Neuroticism is the strongest risk factor for depression and anxiety. - **Source:** [PsyBlog](https://www.spring.org.uk) - **Published:** 2026-07-13 - **Topic:** [People & Culture](https://brifing.si/c/people) - **Original article:** - **On Brifing:** https://brifing.si/s/6bdc1dce-8228-4b98-9ce7-a8055761b1f5 ## What is Neuroticism? Neuroticism is the tendency to frequently experience negative emotions such as fear, guilt, shame, sadness, and anger. This personality trait is one of the strongest risk factors for depression and anxiety. Neurotic individuals can easily become anxious even in non-threatening situations. ## The Goal of the Study The study aimed to understand the role of neuroticism in the development of anxiety and depression. Researchers observed that neurotic individuals experienced anxiety even when there was no threat, through an experiment conducted on adolescents. These findings explain how neuroticism contributes to pervasive anxiety. ## Details of the Experiment In the study involving 132 adolescents, participants were told they would receive mild electric shocks at specific moments. The results showed that neurotic individuals experienced more anxiety even when they knew no shock was coming. This highlights how neuroticism leads to unnecessary anxiety. ## The Relationship Between Anxiety and Depression Researchers noted that anxiety and depression often co-occur. The study focused on understanding the common and unique aspects of these two conditions. The prevalence of anxiety and mood disorders was particularly notable in the 16-19 age group. ## Participants' Condition At the start of the study, more than 20% of participants had a current or past anxiety disorder, and 30% had a mood disorder. These findings underscore how common such disorders are among adolescents. ## Conclusion and Significance The study confirmed that neuroticism is a significant risk factor for depression and anxiety. However, traits like high conscientiousness and extraversion were found to have a protective effect on neurotic individuals. These findings are crucial for understanding the impact of personality traits on mental health. ## Sources covering this story - https://www.spring.org.uk/2026/07/personality-trait-dep.php — --- _Summary written by Brifing from the original reporting. Copyright in the original article belongs to its publisher; read the full piece at the link above._