IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jtourh/v3y2022i4p50-815d926620.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

State Neuroticism at Home and in Fiji: The Positive Effects of Having a Holiday to Reset Mind and Brain

Author

Listed:
  • Pauline A. Hendriksen

    (Division of Pharmacology, Utrecht Institute for Pharmaceutical Sciences, Utrecht University, Universiteitsweg 99, 3584 CG Utrecht, The Netherlands)

  • Lizanne Arnoldy

    (Centre for Human Psychopharmacology, Swinburne University, Melbourne, VIC 3122, Australia)

  • Joris C. Verster

    (Division of Pharmacology, Utrecht Institute for Pharmaceutical Sciences, Utrecht University, Universiteitsweg 99, 3584 CG Utrecht, The Netherlands
    Centre for Human Psychopharmacology, Swinburne University, Melbourne, VIC 3122, Australia)

Abstract

Neuroticism, i.e., the disposition to experiencing feelings of emotional distress, including anxiety, depression, and anger, is often considered a relatively stable and fundamental personality characteristic (trait neuroticism). However, the level of neuroticism can also vary within individuals (state neuroticism), depending on external factors such as life events and work stress. The aim of the current study was to examine to what extent having a holiday can reduce state neuroticism. A survey was conducted among n = 213 young adults who were on holiday in Fiji (mean ± SD age of 24.5 ± 4.3, 46.9% women). In addition to demographics, they completed the neuroticism scale of the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire—revised Short Scale (EPQ-RSS). Compared to at home, a significant reduction ( p < 0.001) in neuroticism was reported when they were on holiday (mean ± SD of 4.5 ± 3.0 versus 2.1 ± 2.3, respectively). The effect was seen in both men and women. Women had significantly higher neuroticism ratings than men, both at home (mean ± SD of 5.4 ± 2.9 versus 3.6 ± 2.9, respectively, p < 0.001) and on holiday (mean ± SD of 2.5 ± 2.4 versus 1.6 ± 2.0, respectively, p < 0.001). No significant differences were seen between individuals with a job at home or students. The correlation between neuroticism at home and the difference rating in neuroticism (‘at home’—‘in Fiji’ assessment) was highly significant (r = 0.68, p < 0.001). In conclusion, having a holiday was associated with significantly reduced levels of neuroticism. Those with the highest levels of neuroticism at home benefited the most from having a holiday.

Suggested Citation

  • Pauline A. Hendriksen & Lizanne Arnoldy & Joris C. Verster, 2022. "State Neuroticism at Home and in Fiji: The Positive Effects of Having a Holiday to Reset Mind and Brain," Tourism and Hospitality, MDPI, vol. 3(4), pages 1-7, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jtourh:v:3:y:2022:i:4:p:50-815:d:926620
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2673-5768/3/4/50/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2673-5768/3/4/50/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Jonas Debusscher & Joeri Hofmans & Filip De Fruyt, 2014. "The Curvilinear Relationship between State Neuroticism and Momentary Task Performance," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 9(9), pages 1-16, September.
    2. Cornelia Blank & Katharina Gatterer & Veronika Leichtfried & Doris Pollhammer & Maria Mair-Raggautz & Stefan Duschek & Egon Humpeler & Wolfgang Schobersberger, 2018. "Short Vacation Improves Stress-Level and Well-Being in German-Speaking Middle-Managers—A Randomized Controlled Trial," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 15(1), pages 1-11, January.
    3. Jessica Bloom & Sabine Geurts & Michiel Kompier, 2013. "Vacation (after-) effects on employee health and well-being, and the role of vacation activities, experiences and sleep," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 14(2), pages 613-633, April.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Philipp Schlemmer & Cornelia Blank & Martin Schnitzer, 2019. "Does Physical Activity during Alpine Vacations Increase Tourists’ Well-Being?," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(10), pages 1-14, May.
    2. Zins, Andreas H. & Ponocny, Ivo, 2022. "On the importance of leisure travel for psychosocial wellbeing," Annals of Tourism Research, Elsevier, vol. 93(C).
    3. Joris C. Verster & Lizanne Arnoldy & Aurora J.A.E. van de Loo & Aletta D. Kraneveld & Johan Garssen & Andrew Scholey, 2021. "The Impact of Having a Holiday or Work in Fiji on Perceived Immune Fitness," Tourism and Hospitality, MDPI, vol. 2(1), pages 1-18, February.
    4. Proeschold-Bell, Rae Jean & Molokwu, Nneka Jebose & Keyes, Corey L.M. & Sohail, Malik Muhammad & Eagle, David E. & Parnell, Heather E. & Kinghorn, Warren A. & Amanya, Cyrilla & Vann, Vanroth & Madan, , 2019. "Caring and thriving: An international qualitative study of caregivers of orphaned and vulnerable children and strategies to sustain positive mental health," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 98(C), pages 143-153.
    5. Gill, Chelsea & Packer, Jan & Ballantyne, Roy, 2019. "Spiritual retreats as a restorative destination: Design factors facilitating restorative outcomes," Annals of Tourism Research, Elsevier, vol. 79(C).
    6. Kausel, Edgar E. & Culbertson, Satoris S. & Leiva, Pedro I. & Slaughter, Jerel E. & Jackson, Alexander T., 2015. "Too arrogant for their own good? Why and when narcissists dismiss advice," Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, Elsevier, vol. 131(C), pages 33-50.
    7. Gonzalo Díaz-Meneses & Miriam Estupinán-Ojeda, 2022. "The Outbreak of Digital Detox Motives and Their Public Health Implications for Holiday Destinations," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(3), pages 1-24, January.
    8. Thomas Hofmarcher, 2021. "The effect of paid vacation on health: evidence from Sweden," Journal of Population Economics, Springer;European Society for Population Economics, vol. 34(3), pages 929-967, July.
    9. Aiste Dirzyte & Aleksandras Patapas & Aidas Perminas, 2022. "Associations between Leisure Preferences, Mindfulness, Psychological Capital, and Life Satisfaction," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(7), pages 1-26, March.
    10. Lengyel, Attila, 2016. "Tourism, meditation, sustainability," APSTRACT: Applied Studies in Agribusiness and Commerce, AGRIMBA, vol. 10(1), pages 1-11, March.
    11. Ralf C. Buckley, 2022. "Sensory and Emotional Components in Tourist Memories of Wildlife Encounters: Intense, Detailed, and Long-Lasting Recollections of Individual Incidents," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(8), pages 1-12, April.
    12. Sabrina Zeike & Katherine Bradbury & Lara Lindert & Holger Pfaff, 2019. "Digital Leadership Skills and Associations with Psychological Well-Being," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(14), pages 1-12, July.
    13. José González & Almudena López-López & Miriam Alonso-Fernández & Noelia Ciudad & Borja Matías-Pompa & Bernardo Moreno-Jiménez, 2014. "Fatigue as Moderator of the Relationship Between Personality and the Affective Dimensions of Well-Being," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 15(6), pages 1363-1376, December.
    14. Daniel Badulescu & Ramona Simut & Ciprian Simut & Andrei-Vlad Badulescu, 2022. "Tourism at the Crossroads between Well-Being, Public Health and the Environment: Panel Data Evidence from the European Union," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(19), pages 1-22, September.
    15. Juan A. Marin-Garcia & Tomas Bonavia & Josep-Maria Losilla, 2020. "Changes in the Association between European Workers’ Employment Conditions and Employee Well-Being in 2005, 2010 and 2015," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(3), pages 1-22, February.
    16. Kirillova, Ksenia & Wang, Dan, 2016. "Smartphone (dis)connectedness and vacation recovery," Annals of Tourism Research, Elsevier, vol. 61(C), pages 157-169.
    17. Miyakawa, Erika & Pearce, Philip L. & Oguchi, Takashi, 2022. "Savoring tourism: Exploring basic processes," Annals of Tourism Research, Elsevier, vol. 97(C).
    18. Randle, Melanie & Zhang, Ye & Dolnicar, Sara, 2019. "The changing importance of vacations: Proposing a theoretical explanation for the changing contribution of vacations to people’s quality of life," Annals of Tourism Research, Elsevier, vol. 77(C), pages 154-157.
    19. Pengfei Wang & Xiang Wei & Diancheng Hu & Fang Meng, 2022. "Does Leisure Contribute to the Improvement of Individual Job Performance? A Field Tracking Study Based on the Chinese Manufacturing Industry," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(11), pages 1-17, May.
    20. Lin, Zhibin & Chen, Ye & Filieri, Raffaele, 2017. "Resident-tourist value co-creation: The role of residents' perceived tourism impacts and life satisfaction," Tourism Management, Elsevier, vol. 61(C), pages 436-442.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jtourh:v:3:y:2022:i:4:p:50-815:d:926620. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.