Stress Test: Grade F

A study from the University of Cambridge in the U.K. has identified Rhode Island as one of the most "stressed-out" states in the U.S. Titled "The Geography of Personality," the study attempts to determine how the personalities of Americans often differ according to the state in which they live. Rhode Islanders ranked second in the category of "neuroticism," described in the findings as "a personality trait normally associated with high levels of stress, anxiety and impulsive behavior." Here's the cultural profile, according to the report:

The impact of neuroticism is particularly strong in relation to public health. Exercise is less popular and life-expectancy lower. There is a comparatively high mortality rate due to heart disease and cancer. In states with a high-level neuroticism rating, people are less likely to go out or spend time with friends. Entertainment and the arts tend not to flourish in these states.

Strange. Those last two sentences don't seem to fit a state that is half-beach, half-bar, and crawling with artists. A place where everybody knows everybody, and anybody, even a nobody, can be somebody. (We've said it before and we'll say it again: If Kevin Bacon were a Rhode Islander, he'd only need two degrees of separation.) It has also been widely reported that there are more artists per capita in Rhode Island than any other state. (Then again, perhaps that confirms the findings. Nobody actually buys art here. If a majority of those polled were starving artists, it would explain the pessimism.)

Maybe it's a size thing. Research showed that the most stressed-out state is West Virginia. On the other hand, if you're looking for Zen and the Art of Stress-Free, Life Cycle Maintenance, the British scholars offer a simple solution: Move to Utah.