title: Neuroticism and stress: the role of displacement behavior.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Neuroticism is linked with an impaired ability to cope with stress and is an important risk factor for stress-related disorders. Hence, there is interest in exploring the behavioral correlates of neuroticism and how such behaviors may moderate the link between neuroticism and the response to stress. Displacement behavior - activity such as face touching and scratching - is important to investigate in this respect, as recent studies indicate that such behavior is linked to negative emotional states and has an important stress coping function. Here, we explored the relationship between neuroticism, displacement behavior, and stress in a healthy population of men.
  
  
  METHODS
  This was a cross-sectional, quasiexperimentally controlled study.
  
  
  METHODS
  We assessed participants' levels of neuroticism, and then during a Trier Social Stress Test quantified displacement behavior, physiological, and cognitive indices of the stress response; after the test we measured the self-reported experience of stress.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Displacement behavior was negatively correlated with self-reported experience, physiological, and cognitive measures of stress and moderated the relationships between neuroticism, self-reported experience, and cognitive index of stress.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results suggest displacement behavior plays an important role in shaping the link between neuroticism and the response to stress.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Psychology , Roehampton University , London , UK.
authors.forename: Changiz
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Mohiyeddini
authors.forename: Stephanie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bauer
authors.forename: Stuart
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Semple
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000523:psychology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004208:Displacement, Psychological; D006339:Heart Rate; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D000075384:Neuroticism; D010555:Personality Inventory; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology*; D064232:Visual Analog Scale; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: cognitive performance; displacement behavior; heart rate; moderation analysis; neuroticism; stress