Depression (Neuroticism facet)

The Depression facet captures sadness and low mood as baseline personality tendencies — not clinical depression. It's the strongest Big Five predictor of depressive disorders (r=0.50-0.60).

Characteristics: tendency to feel sad, pessimism, lack of joy in activities, and negative self-evaluation. This facet tends toward introspection — it's not always visible to others.

Importantly, low Openness + high Depression creates a particularly challenging profile: stuck in negative thoughts without creative outlets. High Openness + high Depression often manifests as artistic/creative sensitivity.

CBT specifically targets this facet by challenging negative thought patterns.