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The Big Five Personality Traits as Predictors of Negative Emotional States in University Students in Taiwan

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  • Shih-Wei Yang

    (Department of Education, National Chiayi University, Chiayi City 600355, Taiwan
    Department of Styling and Cosmetology, Tainan University of Technology, Tainan City 710302, Taiwan)

  • Malcolm Koo

    (Graduate Institute of Long-Term Care, Tzu Chi University of Science and Technology, Hualien City 970302, Taiwan
    Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5T 3M7, Canada)

Abstract

Negative emotional states, such as stress, anxiety, and depression, are prevalent in university students. Personality traits have been shown to be associated with a wide range of behaviors in students, such as academic motivation, achievement, and social well-being. The aim of this study was to investigate the association between the Big Five personality traits and negative emotion states in university students in Taiwan. A cross-sectional study was conducted on 580 university students in Taiwan. Negative emotional states were evaluated using the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale-21 (DASS-21) and the Big Five personality traits were measured using the 48-item Big Five Inventory. A hierarchical linear regression analysis was used to assess the factors associated with DASS-21 scores. Neuroticism (standardized beta [std. β] = 0.45, p < 0.001) and openness (std. β = 0.12, p = 0.003) were significantly associated with DASS-21 scores, while agreeableness (std. β = −0.10, p = 0.007) was significantly and inversely associated with DASS-21 scores. Personality traits could be used to identify students at risk of negative emotional states and to undertake appropriate preventive strategies.

Suggested Citation

  • Shih-Wei Yang & Malcolm Koo, 2022. "The Big Five Personality Traits as Predictors of Negative Emotional States in University Students in Taiwan," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(24), pages 1-10, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:19:y:2022:i:24:p:16468-:d:997272
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    References listed on IDEAS

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