A Systematic Review and Taxonomy of Neuroticism Interventions for the General Public

Many people worldwide want to be less neurotic, and targeted interventions can elicit these desired changes. However, many prior interventions relied on a heterogenous mix of strategies––often chosen ad hoc or derived from varied theoretical perspectives––leaving the change mechanisms of neuroticism and of effective interventions unclear. To guide theory development and inform intervention design, we first detailed a multidimensional theoretical personality framework that can support future intervention research. Second, we systematically reviewed literature on nonclinical interventions for neuroticism and related constructs (k = 99 articles). We used the multidimensional framework to code information from studies, provide an overview of this literature, and identify limitations. Third, using the coded information, we developed a theoretically informed taxonomy of 19 intervention strategies for neuroticism-related constructs. The Taxonomy of Neuroticism Strategies (TONS) organizes intervention components focal to theorized personality change processes, serves as an interactive tool for intervention design, and offers a systematic framework to test change mechanisms. Fourth, we used three personality change theories to conceptually validate the taxonomy. Overall, by integrating prior empirical and theoretical research, we hope for TONS to offer a common language to guide future study designs and systematically test the mechanisms and consequences of intentional neuroticism change.