An investigation of the Relationship Between Personality Dimensions and Stress Coping Styles

Abstract

Purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between personality dimensions and coping styles with stress. Method was correlation study in which 300 students (150 girls, 150 boys) were selected from Malayer University. An extensive analysis was performed to assess the kind of association exist among five personality factors personality (neuroticism, extraversion, openness, agreeableness and conscientiousness) and three coping strategies (problem-focused, positive emotional-focused and negative emotional-focused). All participants were asked to complete the NEO-FFI personality inventory and the Tehran Coping Styles Scale (TCSS). Results indicated that Neuroticism was negatively correlated with positive emotional-focused coping style and was positively correlated with negative emotional-focused coping style in female students, while it was positively correlated with negative emotional-focused coping styles in male students. Extraversion was positively correlated with problem-focused and positive emotional-focused coping style in both male and female students. Openness was positively correlated with problem- focused coping styles in female students. Agreeableness was positively correlated with problem-focused and positive emotional- focused coping styles and negatively correlated with negative emotional-focused coping style in male, while it was positively correlated with problem- focused coping style and negatively correlated with negative emotional-focused coping style in female students. Conscientiousness were positively correlated with problem-focused coping style and negatively correlated with negative emotional-focused coping style in both male and female students. Discussin: personality dimensions were associated with coping strategies.