The Effect of Neuroticism on Symptom Report: A Signal-Detection Model

Abstract

Self-report is a crucial part of psychological assessment, but the reliability and validity of self-report measures can be threatened by individual differences in item interpretation and response. Individuals higher in trait neuroticism were hypothesized to use a lower threshold to determine whether a given experience qualifies as symptomatic when completing self-report measures. This study investigated signal-detection processes to explain the association between trait neuroticism and overreport of psychological symptoms. A nondiagnosed sample of 280 college students were asked to determine the caseness of 34 target and foil vignettes, 22 of which describe negative, potentially symptomatic experiences. The main hypothesis was not supported by study findings. Exploratory findings and future directions are discussed.

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