Personality as a predictor of adherence to public health measures for controlling COVID-19 viral spread: The mediating roles of problem drinking and pandemic-related distress

Nonadherence to the public health guidelines implemented in response to COVID-19 is concerningly common, with some research implicating personality as a contributing factor. Thus, there is a need to examine the mechanisms behind personality-nonadherence associations. We examined the associations between a four-factor risk model of personality and nonadherence to COVID-19 guidelines during the initial 30-days of the lockdown. Results indicated that in 400 Canadians, a majority reported they were Caucasian (67.7%), that they were not a parent (70.9%), and that they were working from home (56.9%). Individuals higher in impulsivity left home more frequently for non-essential reasons, due to greater problem drinking. Elevated sensation seeking and hopelessness did not predict higher nonadherence. In contrast, higher anxiety sensitivity resulted in greater adherence, explained by higher levels of COVID-related distress. Acknowledging such factors may target adherence to mandates as well as psychological distress.