Role of psychological acceptance between personality and happiness

The present study examined the role of psychological acceptance in the relationship between neuroticism, extraversion and happiness. 216 adults from a Chinese society ranging in age from 18 to 30 years (M = 19.7, SD = 1.48) completed the Acceptance and Action Questionnaire, The Chinese version of the EPQ (CEPQ), and the Chinese People Happiness Scale (CPHS). As predicted, psychological acceptance had a significant negative correlation with neuroticism (p < .01) and a significant positive correlation with extraversion (p < .01) and with happiness (p < .01). In the linear mediation models, psychological acceptance was found to partially mediate the relationship between neuroticism and happiness (beta = -.34, p < .01). Psychological acceptance was found to partially mediate the relationship between extraversion and happiness (beta = .19, p < .01). The non-linear mediation model analyses also support both neuroticism and extraversion on happiness are mediated by psychological acceptance. Accordingly, these results suggest that the effects of neuroticism and extraversion on happiness can be at least partially accounted for by psychological acceptance. These findings imply that interventions aimed at enhancing psychological acceptance as a way to improve happiness is a good strategy.