A proposed model for explaınıng emotıonal reactıvıty in adults

The aim of this study is to propose a model to explain emotional reactivity levels in adults. According to the proposed model, personality traits (neuroticism, openness to experience, conscientiousness, extraversion, and agreeableness) affect emotional reactivity both directly and indirectly through psychological symptoms (depression, anxiety, and stress). The study included 503 participants aged 18 and older. Data were collected using a Demographic Information Form, the Emotional Reactivity Scale, and the Five-Factor Personality Inventory. Data analysis involved checking normality assumptions and outliers, followed by linearity and correlation analyses. Emotional reactivity was negatively correlated with extraversion, agreeableness, openness to experience, and conscientiousness, and positively correlated with neuroticism, stress, anxiety, and depression. The proposed model was tested using AMOS to assess model fit indices. After confirming acceptable fit, mediation analyses were conducted using the SPSS PROCESS macro. Results indicated that extraversion and agreeableness influenced emotional reactivity both directly and indirectly via depression, anxiety, and stress. Conscientiousness did not show a direct effect but had an indirect effect through the mediators. Openness to experience affected emotional reactivity both directly and indirectly through depression. Neuroticism had a positive impact on emotional reactivity both directly and through all mediators. Additionally, women, individuals receiving psychological support, and those with a psychological or psychiatric diagnosis had higher emotional reactivity levels. In conclusion, extraversion, conscientiousness, agreeableness, and openness to experience have a reducing effect on emotional reactivity, whereas neuroticism has a strong increasing effect. These findings highlight the significant role of personality traits and psychological symptoms in understanding emotional reactivity.