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Abstract

Using data from the Netherlands Study of Depression and Anxiety, we examined among 1322 participants with a DSM–IV diagnosis of depression or anxiety: (i) whether positive and negative life events influence 1–year course of anxiety and depressive symptoms; (ii) whether personality traits (neuroticism and extraversion) predict symptom course and moderate the impact of life events on symptom course; and (iii) whether life events mediate relationships of neuroticism and extraversion with symptom course. Negative life events were predictive of both anxiety and depressive symptoms, while positive life events predicted the course of depressive symptoms only. Personality traits had significant predictive and moderating effects on symptom course, though these effects were rather small. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Keywords

neuroticism extraversion life events anxiety depression

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Personality,Life Events and the Course of Anxiety and Depression

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