Big five personality traits and lifestyle: a cross-sectional study in brazilian undergraduate students

Abstract

Lifestyle psychiatry focuses on interventions targeting modifiable behaviors and has emerged as a key approach to promoting mental health. Personality traits are associated with a broad range of health-related behaviors. However, few studies have examined their relationship with lifestyle as a multidimensional construct, particularly among undergraduate students. This study aimed to investigate the associations between Big Five personality traits and overall lifestyle patterns in a large undergraduate sample. We conducted a web-based cross-sectional study among undergraduate students from two higher education institutions in Brazil. Lifestyle was assessed using the University Self-report Multidimensional Inventory of Lifestyle Evaluation (U-SMILE). Personality traits were measured with the Big Five Inventory–44 (BFI-44). Associations were examined using multiple linear regression models adjusted for age, gender, race/ethnicity, sexual orientation, field of study, household income, and employment status. A total of 2037 students completed the survey. Participants were similarly distributed across the two institutions. The mean age was 25.1 years (SD = 8.5; median = 22). Most were female (72.5%). Lifestyle scores were linearly transformed to a 0-100 scale and personality traits to z-scores. Higher extraversion (β = 1.95, 95% CI 1.35 to 2.55), agreeableness (β = 0.59, 95% CI 0.07 to 1.12), and openness (β = 1.04, 95% CI 0.47 to 1.61) were associated with higher lifestyle scores, whereas neuroticism was associated with lower scores (β = −1.89, 95% CI − 2.37 to − 1.40); conscientiousness was not significantly associated (β = −0.36, 95% CI − 0.88 to 0.17). Gender was not associated with lifestyle, whereas age, race/ethnicity, sexual orientation, household income, and employment status were. In this large sample of university students, Big Five personality traits, particularly extraversion and neuroticism, were independently associated with global lifestyle behaviors. These findings contribute to a better understanding of how personality traits relate to health-related behaviors. Whether more personalized lifestyle interventions could enhance effectiveness of mental health promotion in university settings remains to be tested.