Reply to Takefuji “Methodological limitations of linear parametric analysis in biological research: A critical review of NEO-Five personality traits and sleep characteristics study”
Published in Sleep Medicine Reviews, 2025
Ran Wang, Zexuan Mu, Xiao Li, Forrest Tin Wai Cheung, Ngan Yin Chan, Joey Wing Yan Chan, Yun Kwok Wing, Shirley Xin Li
Abstract
In a commentary, Takefuji discussed the potential limitations of employing linear parametric methods in analyzing biomedical data and drew a link to our systematic review and meta-analysis which synthesized the existing evidence on the association between personality traits and sleep characteristics. In our meta-analytic review, the findings indicated that poor sleep quality was associated with different NEO-five personality dimensions, including lower levels of openness, conscientiousness, extraversion, and agreeableness and a higher level of neuroticism. In addition, shorter sleep duration was found to be associated with a higher degree of neuroticism. While we appreciate Takefuji’s insight and acknowledge that linear parametric methods may oversimplify other non-linear relationships, we believe that their impact on our results regarding the association between personality traits and sleep characteristics is limited. In addition, we recognize the challenges inherent in implementing Takefuji’s suggested statistical approaches in the context of meta-analyses and welcome further discussion on advancing methodologies in this field.
Recommended citation: Wang, R., Mu, Z., Li, X., Cheung, F. T. W., Chan, N. Y., Chan, J. W. Y., ... & Li, S. X. (2025). Reply to Takefuji" Methodological limitations of linear parametric analysis in biological research: A critical review of NEO-Five personality traits and sleep characteristics study". Sleep medicine reviews, 81, 102095.
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