The genetic background of the associations between sense of coherence and mental health, self-esteem and personality

Abstract

Purpose Sense of coherence (SOC) represents coping and can be considered an essential component of mental health. SOC correlates with mental health and personality, but the background of these associations is poorly understood. We analyzed the role of genetic factors behind the associations of SOC with mental health, self-esteem and personality using genetic twin modeling and polygenic scores (PGS). Methods Information on SOC (13-item Orientation of Life Questionnaire), four mental health indicators, self-esteem and personality (NEO Five Factor Inventory Questionnaire) was collected from 1295 Finnish twins at 20–27 years of age. Results In men and women, SOC correlated negatively with depression, alexithymia, schizotypal personality and overall mental health problems and positively with self-esteem. For personality factors, neuroticism was associated with weaker SOC and extraversion, agreeableness and conscientiousness with stronger SOC. All these psychological traits were influenced by genetic factors with heritability estimates ranging from 19 to 66%. Genetic and environmental factors explained these associations, but the genetic correlations were generally stronger. The PGS of major depressive disorder was associated with weaker, and the PGS of general risk tolerance with stronger SOC in men, whereas in women the PGS of subjective well-being was associated with stronger SOC and the PGSs of depression and neuroticism with weaker SOC. Conclusion Our results indicate that a substantial proportion of genetic variation in SOC is shared with mental health, self-esteem and personality indicators. This suggests that the correlations between these traits reflect a common neurobiological background rather than merely the influence of external stressors.

Genetic Variants Associated With Resilience in Human and Animal Studies

“…Sense of coherence, referring to a consistent but dynamic feeling of confidence, defined as the belief that life is comprehensive, manageable and meaningful, was operationalised as a resilience phenotype in three studies ( 121 – 123 ). The first GWA analysis recently conducted for SOC yielded a significant association, rs74920024 on chromosome 2 ( 282 ). The association locus is close to Glycerol-3-Phosphate Dehydrogenase 2 ( GPD2) , a gene encoding a protein that localizes to the inner mitochondrial membrane and is responsible for the conversion of glycerol-3-phosphate to dihydroxyacetone phosphate.…”

The role of dispositional reinforcement sensitivity and self-esteem in social interaction anxiety and social phobia

“…It has been proposed that social anxiety is related to variability in the sensitivity of affective brain-behavioral systems that mediate personality (Kimbrel, 2008). Indicators of personality, self-esteem, and mental health share a substantial proportion of genetic variation (Silventoinen et al, 2022). The present study examines the strength of the relationships between biologically defined personality constructs, self-esteem, and social anxiety.…”

The relationship of climate change awareness and psychopathology in persons with pre-existing mental health diagnoses

“…Furthermore, when assessing PSYCA, personality factors and ontological beliefs seem to have a greater influence than demographical factors like gender, age, or social group (34). Personality factors that are known to be associated with mental health impairments in general, such as the level of structural integration (35), attachment style (36), and sense of coherence (37), might therefore also be of interest when trying to understand PSYCA. While a substantive body of research on the interplay of personality factors and pro-environmental behavior or climate change denial exists (38,39), the authors found no conclusive literature on the relationship of personality factors and PSYCA.…”