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Personality correlates of outpatient mental health service utilization

Findings from the U.S. national comorbidity survey

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Abstract

Objective

The present paper investigated the relationships between several personality constructs and the use of outpatient mental health services.

Methods

Respondents were from the National Comorbidity Survey (NCS) Part II data set and included those with a past-year mood, anxiety, alcohol/substance use disorder (n=1750). Bivariate logistic regressions were used to examine associations between participants’ self-reports of personality traits and outpatient mental health service utilization. Similar multivariate analyses were used to investigate these associations after adjusting for sociodemographic variables and the presence of psychiatric disorders and their comorbidity.

Results

The bivariate and multivariate analyses revealed significant positive associations between outpatient mental health service utilization and both Powerful Others Locus of Control and Self-criticism.

Conclusions

These findings suggest that personality traits may play a role in treatment seeking behaviors for mental health problems over and above the presence of psychiatric disorders alone. The assessment of relevant personality constructs has the potential to inform and improve treatment outreach efforts.

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Notes

  1. All the previously significant demographic and diagnostic variables presented in Table 1 remained significant in the multivariate analyses, with the exception of the 35–44 age category.

  2. In light of the significant association between Powerful Others Locus of Control and help-seeking, the sole reliance on self-report must be stressed as a limitation of the current study. Future research with other key informants (e.g., spouse, family members) could shed further light on how much service utilization was determined by self versus others.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology, Acadia University, Wolfville, NS, B4P 2R6, Canada

    Lachlan A. McWilliams PhD, Brian J. Cox PhD, Murray W. Enns MD & Ian P. Clara MA

Authors
  1. Lachlan A. McWilliams PhD
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  2. Brian J. Cox PhD
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  3. Murray W. Enns MD
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  4. Ian P. Clara MA
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Lachlan A. McWilliams PhD.

Additional information

Preparation of this manuscript was supported by an operating grant from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) awarded to Drs. Cox and Enns. Dr. Cox is supported by the Canadian Research Chairs Program and the Foundation for Innovation. During the preparation of this manuscript, Lachlan McWilliams was supported by a Doctoral fellowship awarded by the Health Sciences Centre Foundation. The NCS was sponsored by the U.S. National Institute of Mental Health, the U.S. National Institute on Drug Abuse, and the W.T. Grant Foundation.

Appendix

Appendix

Items in the personality variables

Self-Criticism

  • There is a considerable difference between how I am now and how I would like to be.

  • I wish I could have more respect for myself.

  • At times I think I am no good at all.

  • Sometimes I think I have an inferiority complex.

  • Many times I feel helpless.

  • I dwell on my mistakes more than I should.

Powerful others

  • I feel like what happens in my life is mostly determined by powerful others.

  • My life is chiefly controlled by powerful others.

Internal Locus of Control

  • My hard work usually pays off.

  • When I get what I want, it is usually because I worked hard for it.

  • When things don’t go the way I want them to, that just makes me work even harder.

  • Hard work has really helped me to get ahead in life.

  • In the past, even when things got really tough, I never lost sight of my goals.

  • When I make plans, I almost always make them work.

  • I am usually able to protect my own interests.

Chance Locus of Control

  • When I get what I want, it is usually because I am lucky.

  • I believe that chance or luck plays an important role in my life.

  • Often, there is no way I can protect myself from bad luck.

  • It is not always wise for me to plan too far ahead because many things turn out to be a matter of good or bad fortune.

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McWilliams, L.A., Cox, B.J., Enns, M.W. et al. Personality correlates of outpatient mental health service utilization. Soc Psychiat Epidemiol 41, 357–363 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00127-006-0040-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00127-006-0040-8

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