THE BIG-FIVE PERSONALITY FACTORS AS PREDICTORS OF OBSESSION-COMPULSION AMONG A SAMPLE OF UNIVERSITY STUDENTS FROM SUDAN

Abstract

The aim of the present study was to explore the associations between the Big-Five (B-F) personality factors and obsession-compulsion. A sample of Khartoum University students was recruited (N = 547). They responded to the Arabic Big-Five Personality Inventory and the Arabic Scale of Obsession-Compulsion-Revised. Results indicated that women obtained a significantly higher mean scores than did men on agreeableness, neuroticism, and extraversion, but the size effects were small. Obsession-compulsion was significantly and positively associated with neuroticism, agreeableness, openness, conscientiousness (in men), neuroticism, and agreeableness (in women). Principal components analysis extracted two high-loaded components in both sexes and labeled: “Stable personality”, and “Psychological disorder”. Regression analysis indicated that the predictors of obsession-compulsion were neuroticism, openness (in men, R2 = .18), neuroticism, conscientiousness, and openness (in women, R2 = .23). These results refer to the associations between the B-F and obsession compulsion, particularly neuroticism. In psychotherapy, the amelioration of neuroticism may reduce symptoms of obsession-compulsion.