Discriminating between Unmitigated Communion and Over-adaptation: From the Viewpoint of Correlation with Big Five

Unmitigated communion and over-adaptation both reflect other-oriented maladjustment, but they may differ in their underlying psychological mechanisms. This study examined their distinct associations with the Big Five traits among 183 Japanese adults. Correlational and hierarchical regression analyses revealed that over-adaptation was negatively associated with extraversion, whereas unmitigated communion showed no significant association. Additionally, unmitigated communion contributed to an increase in explanatory power for neuroticism beyond that of over-adaptation. These results suggest that the two constructs, though similar in their interpersonal orientation, are theoretically distinct and grounded in different psychological mechanisms. The findings contribute to clarifying personality-based maladaptive interpersonal tendencies.