High intelligence is not associated with a greater propensity for mental health disorders
Abstract Background Studies reporting that highly intelligent individuals have more mental health disorders often have sampling bias, no or inadequate control groups, or insufficient sample size. We addressed these caveats by examining the difference in the prevalence of mental health disorders be...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Cambridge University Press
2023-01-01
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| Series: | European Psychiatry |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S0924933822023434/type/journal_article |
| _version_ | 1811156359489519616 |
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| author | Camille Michèle Williams Hugo Peyre Ghislaine Labouret Judicael Fassaya Adoración Guzmán García Nicolas Gauvrit Franck Ramus |
| author_facet | Camille Michèle Williams Hugo Peyre Ghislaine Labouret Judicael Fassaya Adoración Guzmán García Nicolas Gauvrit Franck Ramus |
| author_sort | Camille Michèle Williams |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description |
Abstract
Background
Studies reporting that highly intelligent individuals have more mental health disorders often have sampling bias, no or inadequate control groups, or insufficient sample size. We addressed these caveats by examining the difference in the prevalence of mental health disorders between individuals with high and average general intelligence (g-factor) in the UK Biobank.
Methods
Participants with g-factor scores standardized relative to the same-age UK population, were divided into two groups: a high g-factor group (g-factor 2 SD above the UK mean; N = 16,137) and an average g-factor group (g-factor within 2 SD of the UK mean; N = 236,273). Using self-report questionnaires and medical diagnoses, we examined group differences in the prevalence of 32 phenotypes, including mental health disorders, trauma, allergies, and other traits.
Results
High and average g-factor groups differed across 15/32 phenotypes and did not depend on sex and/or age. Individuals with high g-factors had less general anxiety (odds ratio [OR] = 0.69, 95% CI [0.64;0.74]) and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD; OR = 0.67, 95 %CI [0.61;0.74]), were less neurotic (β = −0.12, 95% CI [−0.15;−0.10]), less socially isolated (OR = 0.85, 95% CI [0.80;0.90]), and were less likely to have experienced childhood stressors and abuse, adulthood stressors, or catastrophic trauma (OR = 0.69–0.90). However, they generally had more allergies (e.g., eczema; OR = 1.13–1.33).
Conclusions
The present study provides robust evidence that highly intelligent individuals do not have more mental health disorders than the average population. High intelligence even appears as a protective factor for general anxiety and PTSD.
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| first_indexed | 2024-04-10T04:50:13Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-2c6db9d80ee74ca4be4183539447db85 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 0924-9338 1778-3585 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-10T04:50:13Z |
| publishDate | 2023-01-01 |
| publisher | Cambridge University Press |
| record_format | Article |
| series | European Psychiatry |
| spelling | doaj.art-2c6db9d80ee74ca4be4183539447db852023-03-09T12:33:48ZengCambridge University PressEuropean Psychiatry0924-93381778-35852023-01-016610.1192/j.eurpsy.2022.2343High intelligence is not associated with a greater propensity for mental health disordersCamille Michèle Williams0https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1471-6566Hugo Peyre1https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8757-0783Ghislaine Labouret2https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7285-5540Judicael Fassaya3https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1960-0287Adoración Guzmán García4https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7170-5348Nicolas Gauvrit5https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3248-9368Franck Ramus6https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1122-5913Laboratoire de Sciences Cognitives et Psycholinguistique, Département d’Études Cognitives, École Normale Supérieure, EHESS, CNRS, PSL University, 75005 Paris, FranceLaboratoire de Sciences Cognitives et Psycholinguistique, Département d’Études Cognitives, École Normale Supérieure, EHESS, CNRS, PSL University, 75005 Paris, France INSERM UMR 1141, Paris Diderot University, Paris, France Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Robert Debré Hospital, APHP, Paris, FranceLaboratoire de Sciences Cognitives et Psycholinguistique, Département d’Études Cognitives, École Normale Supérieure, EHESS, CNRS, PSL University, 75005 Paris, FranceLaboratoire de Sciences Cognitives et Psycholinguistique, Département d’Études Cognitives, École Normale Supérieure, EHESS, CNRS, PSL University, 75005 Paris, FranceLaboratoire de Sciences Cognitives et Psycholinguistique, Département d’Études Cognitives, École Normale Supérieure, EHESS, CNRS, PSL University, 75005 Paris, FranceHuman and Artificial Cognition Lab, Ecole Pratique des Hautes Etudes, Paris, FranceLaboratoire de Sciences Cognitives et Psycholinguistique, Département d’Études Cognitives, École Normale Supérieure, EHESS, CNRS, PSL University, 75005 Paris, France Abstract Background Studies reporting that highly intelligent individuals have more mental health disorders often have sampling bias, no or inadequate control groups, or insufficient sample size. We addressed these caveats by examining the difference in the prevalence of mental health disorders between individuals with high and average general intelligence (g-factor) in the UK Biobank. Methods Participants with g-factor scores standardized relative to the same-age UK population, were divided into two groups: a high g-factor group (g-factor 2 SD above the UK mean; N = 16,137) and an average g-factor group (g-factor within 2 SD of the UK mean; N = 236,273). Using self-report questionnaires and medical diagnoses, we examined group differences in the prevalence of 32 phenotypes, including mental health disorders, trauma, allergies, and other traits. Results High and average g-factor groups differed across 15/32 phenotypes and did not depend on sex and/or age. Individuals with high g-factors had less general anxiety (odds ratio [OR] = 0.69, 95% CI [0.64;0.74]) and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD; OR = 0.67, 95 %CI [0.61;0.74]), were less neurotic (β = −0.12, 95% CI [−0.15;−0.10]), less socially isolated (OR = 0.85, 95% CI [0.80;0.90]), and were less likely to have experienced childhood stressors and abuse, adulthood stressors, or catastrophic trauma (OR = 0.69–0.90). However, they generally had more allergies (e.g., eczema; OR = 1.13–1.33). Conclusions The present study provides robust evidence that highly intelligent individuals do not have more mental health disorders than the average population. High intelligence even appears as a protective factor for general anxiety and PTSD. https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S0924933822023434/type/journal_articleAllergiesanxietyintelligencepost-traumatic stress disorderpsychopathology |
| spellingShingle | Camille Michèle Williams Hugo Peyre Ghislaine Labouret Judicael Fassaya Adoración Guzmán García Nicolas Gauvrit Franck Ramus High intelligence is not associated with a greater propensity for mental health disorders European Psychiatry Allergies anxiety intelligence post-traumatic stress disorder psychopathology |
| title | High intelligence is not associated with a greater propensity for mental health disorders |
| title_full | High intelligence is not associated with a greater propensity for mental health disorders |
| title_fullStr | High intelligence is not associated with a greater propensity for mental health disorders |
| title_full_unstemmed | High intelligence is not associated with a greater propensity for mental health disorders |
| title_short | High intelligence is not associated with a greater propensity for mental health disorders |
| title_sort | high intelligence is not associated with a greater propensity for mental health disorders |
| topic | Allergies anxiety intelligence post-traumatic stress disorder psychopathology |
| url | https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S0924933822023434/type/journal_article |
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