Reciprocal effects of neuroticism and life stress in adolescence

•Selection effects are evident between neuroticism and interpersonal chronic stress, total non-interpersonal episodic stress, and dependent non-interpersonal episodic stress.•Socialization effects are evident between total chronic stress, interpersonal chronic stress, non-interpersonal chronic stress, and dependent non-interpersonal episodic stress and neuroticism.•Life stress and neuroticism do not operate independently and can serve as key intervention targets for adolescents.