Extrovert/Introvert Mental Health
Aloura Craig, Chad Everett, Brianna Razo, Desiree Sanchez, Summer Terzich, and Spencer Taylor
Abstract
The Covid-19 pandemic has impacted the daily lives of
the general population significantly. It is well established
that everyone handles hardship differently, including those
who are introverts and extroverts. It is also well established
the pandemic has negatively affected millions in terms of
their mental health. This study aims to determine how the
pandemic has affected people differently in terms of their
mental health. More specifically, this study aims to
determine if being an extrovert or introvert has an affect
on the ways in which they are handling the pandemic in
terms of their mental health. To test the hypothesis that
introverts handle the pandemic better than introverts in
terms of mental health, an online survey was distributed
using convenience sampling.The results showed a small
effect in the opposite than hypothesized: extroverts were
associated with higher stress levels than introverts. On this
basis, the concept of mental health should be taken into
consideration while facing hardship, no matter a person's
personality type.
Keywords: Introvert, Extrovert, PTSD, Anxiety, Covid-
19
).
Introudction
Nino Makhashvili et al. (2020) investigated concern about
COVID-19 and its association with symptoms of mental disorders
in the Republic of Georgia. High levels of mental disorders were
recorded, and they were strongly associated with increased
concern about COVID-19. (Makhashvili et at., 2020). A non-
probabilistic sampling design was used. The study consisted of
the general population in Georgia 18 years and above using a
cross-sectional internet-based survey. The specific objectives were
to examine: (i) the frequency and perceived burden of COVID-19
related concerns; (ii) how concerns about COVID-19 may
influence levels of mental disorder symptoms; (iii) what factors
are associated with these concerns; and (iv) what individual
coping strategies are used to respond to these concerns and how
they may influence levels of mental disorder symptoms.
(Makhashvili et al., 2020). The findings on the major causes of
concern related to COVID-19 indicated the most frequent major
causes of concern were related to infecting loved ones and others
with COVID-19, uncertainty about duration and risks of COVID-
19, income loss, restricted contract with family and friends, being
socially isolated, being at home, and restrictions on daily
activities. (Makhashvili et al., 2020).
Qureshi et al. (2020) investigated the frequency of post
traumatic stress disorder, stress, anxiety and depression amongst
the general population that has been quarantined in public
quarantines. A cross-sectional questionnaire based observational
study was used. It involved all the individuals admitted in the
quarantine for a period of 2 months at Balochistan’s Central
Quarantine facility. A total of 730 participants. The study
concluded that while quarantine is being implemented as an
effective and proven way to prevent spread of COVID-19, it does
come with a psychological impact which includes PTSD,
depression, anxiety and stress on the quarantined individuals.
(Qureshi et al., 2020). The prevalence of PTSD, depression and
anxiety in quarantined individuals has been seen to greatly vary
from country to country. Studies correlated age to PTSD,
showing that individuals ages 18-39 show the highest amount of
PTSD like symptoms. Education was also correlated showing the
more education an individual had, the less likely they were to
develop PTSD like symptoms.
Mt. San Jacinto College: Psychology 124
The COVID-19 pandemic has opened numerous different discussions
regarding people’s frequency of post traumatic stress disorder, stress, anxiety
and depression amongst the general population that has been quarantined in
public quarantines (Qureshi et al., 2020). This present study explored how
introverts and extroverts vary in their general mental health and contentment
during the COVID-19 pandemic. Based on (Carvahlo et al., 2020) people who
presented extroverted qualities were more likely to have a harder time handling
the pandemic, which is consistent with the present hypothesis. In the present
study it is expected that all respondents will report high levels of stress due to the
pandemic. Although extroverts––more so than introverts would report a lower
degree of stress. The theory that extroverts have more difficulty with mental
health than introverts was drawn from the presumption that introverts possess
preexisting conditions for coping with the kind of solitude and confinement
brought on because of the pandemic. (Carvahlo et al., 2020)
Methods
The main tool that was developed to gain the statistics
for the study was through a google survey. After a quick
note of consent, the survey was broken down into three
different sections of questions. These sections consisted of
general personality and feelings to build a foundation for
the participant, personality and feelings during recent
times in the pandemic to help measure out the
differences, and demographic questions to further sort
out the participants. The experimental study is based on
16 questions in the first section as well as 11 questions in
the second part of the survey that randomly correspond
to the levels of contentment between introverts and
extroverts. The measuring for each question was used
with a likert scale of 1-6 (1= Strongly Disagree ; 6 =
Strongly Agree) .
As further mentioned, the main way this study was
conducted was through a google form put out on social
media. When the participant wanted to take part in the
study, they would click the link that presented itself on
the facebook post and it would bring them into the
consent section of the study. After they consented to
participate in the study, the participants were able to
answer three sections of questions that dealt with overall
feelings, how one felt during the pandemic, and further
demographic questions. These responses were
appropriately reverse scored and transferred onto SPSS
where it was further modified to be fit for Ttest.
Design and Variables
Results from the survey were inserted in Google
Sheet to calculate the cut off scores. The cut off score for
IV was 55 and score for the DV was 30. The total
number of extroverts were 59 and 61 introverts. The
scores were set up into IBM SPSS to complete the T-test.
The means between the IV’s were compared using the
independent measures samples T-Test with an alpha
level of .05
This research was supported by Dr. Dan Peace and the Mt. San Jacinto Psychology Department
Participants
The survey had 119 participants. CThere were 64
people that were white (non-Hispanic), 39 were Latin, 4
were Asian/Pacific Islander, 2 were Mexican, 5 were
Hispanic, 2 were Native American, 1 Afraican
American, 1 Mexican American, and 1 were Dutch/
Indonesian/Chinese/Puerto Rican. The ages were
ranging from the youngest being 16 year olds to the
oldest being 71, 72 participants were 16-26, 12
participants were 27-37, 23 participants were 38-49, 10
participants were 50-60, and 2 participants were 61-71.
The survey had 82 females, 37 males, and 0 non-binary.
Figure 1. Frequencies For Ethnicity
Results
The Independent Measures T-Test revealed significant
differences in general mental health between those who are
extroverts and those who are introverts, t (-4.04) = 117, p < .
001. As illustrated in Figure 1, the analysis revealed that those
who are extroverts are struggling less (M = 35.5; SD = 9.7),
than introverts right now (M = 43.7; SD = 12.1).
extroverted respondents from the survey were found to
struggle less with stress and well-being than introverted
respondents
Figure 2. Introvert & Extrovert Means
Discussion
- The present research has examined the way introverts
and extroverts vary in their stress and general mental
health during the latter days of the COVID-19
pandemic. The hypothesis tested throughout this
research was that extroverts struggle more than
introverts with their mental health due to the
pandemic. However, extroverted respondents from the
survey were found to struggle less with stress and well-
being than introverted respondents.
- Although the hypothesis was not concentrated on
introverts and extroverts specifically, the predictions
made about general well-being and stress were
consistent with the results; introverts expressing more
stress than extroverts. (Qureshi et al., 2020).
- In essence, the results regarding introverts’ and
extroverts’ mental health are consistent with most
other research analyzing the two personality types
(Carvalho et. al., 2020).
- The only real limitations included the lack of random
sampling and random assignment, however, was
necessary for the criteria of the research objective.
- Future Research in regards to this topic may
investigate how introverts’ and extroverts’ mental
health once the pandemic is over.
- The implications we can draw from this are that
extraversion and introversion personality
characteristics are embedded enough not to deviate an
individual’s general well-being. All this information
has helped explain the way different people with
varying personality types are coping with increased
confinement due to the COVD-19 pandemic.
References
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Khan, T. A., Qureshi, M. M., Zahid, M. A., Hussain, E., Ashraf, M., & Channa, A. A.
(2020). The Burden of Quarantine on Mental Health Amidst Covid-19 Pandemic:
A Cross Sectional Study. Pakistan Armed Forces Medical Journal, S584–S589.
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Makhashvili, N., Javakhishvili, J. D., Sturua, L., Pilauri, K., Fuhr, D. C., & Roberts,
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