Defining Protective Resilience: The 85% Threshold for Personality Development and Mental Health Risk Reduction

Background: Effective primary prevention strategies can help mitigate rising global suicide rates. This study investigates the relationship between resilience, measured by the Predictive 6 Factor Resilience Model (PR6), and the Big Five personality traits, measured by the IPIP-NEO-120, to identify how resilience training can benefit mental health and personality development.Method: The study involved n = 2044 participants (61.1% female) who completed PR6 and IPIP-NEO-120 assessments. The PR6 assesses six domains of resilience, while the IPIP-NEO-120 measures the Big Five personality traits and 30 sub-factors. Data were analyzed using regression analysis, correlation, and effect size determination.Results: Significant correlations were found between PR6 resilience and the Big Five personality traits. Higher resilience scores were associated with a 2.9-fold reduction in Neuroticism, 52% higher Conscientiousness and 65% higher Extraversion. Notably, increases in resilience were linked to a 5.6-fold reduction in depression, a 4.2-fold reduction in anxiety, and a 5.9-fold reduction in emotional vulnerability. A PR6 score threshold of 85% was identified where participants exhibited marked improvements in personality traits and mental health protection, providing a practical target for protective resilience.Conclusion: Higher resilience is found to have significant positive relationships with personality traits, reducing Neuroticism and increasing Conscientiousness and Extraversion. Given a modern understanding of personality traits as changeable, this suggests resilience training could be a viable approach for mental health prevention and personality development, with substantial preventative implications for depression, anxiety, vulnerability, and improving overall well-being, particularly at PR6 = 85%.