Personality as predictor of mental health and happiness in the East and West

Abstract

Despite increasing interest in the psychology of happiness, there have been fewcross-cultural studies on personality correlates of happiness. This study examines personality (EPQ) and demographic correlates of happiness and mental health in Britain, China (Hong Kong)and Japan among comparable groups. Compared to similar groups in China and Japan, Britishparticipants reported higher levels of happiness, mental health and extraversion. However, therewere fewer than chance sex differences on the various measures. Correlational analysis in all three countries showed extraversion to be a major correlate of happiness (r=0.50), whileneuroticism was shown to be a correlate of mental health (r=0.65). Regressionsperformed separately for happiness and mental health showed a remarkably similar pattern acrossthe three cultures, with personality accounting for around 20% of the common variance.