Positive Personality Research Articles

The Happy and Hopeful NCAA Division I Athlete: Predicting Well-Being and Ill-Being in Elite Student-Athletes Who Participate in Sport

ABSTRACT The role of hope and happiness in accounting for mental health, both well-being (viz. life satisfaction & flourishing) and ill-being (depressive symptoms & suicidal ideation), using a cross-sectional design, was examined in a diverse sample of 140 elite student-athletes (88 female & 52 male NCAA Division I athletes, representing 16 different varsity sports, M age = 20.0) who completed a battery of self-report measures. Results from conducting a series of hierarchical regression analyses, controlling for demographic factors and perceived sport performance (individual & team), indicated hope and happiness (as a positive personality set) accounted for additional unique variance in all indices of well-being and ill-being. However, although happiness emerged as a significant statistical predictor of all indices of well-being and ill-being, hope only emerged as a significant statistical predictor across indices of well-being. Importantly, the inclusion of the Hope × Happiness interaction term consistently added further incremental validity to the prediction of additional unique variance in all indices of mental health in student-athletes. However, evidence for the doubling-up hypothesis was only found in predicting indices of well-being, not ill-being. Taken together, the present findings provide strong evidence for the importance of integrating positive individual differences variables for understanding mental health in elite student-athletes.

Balancing Tradition and Modernity: The Brand Personality of Santiniketan as a Tourist Destination

The present case study rigorously investigates the brand personality of Santiniketan, a prominent tourism destination in West Bengal, India. This research aims to explore the dominant personality dimensions that define Santiniketan’s identity and to examine potential differences in perceptions between tourists who have visited the town and those who have not. Santiniketan’s unique identity, rooted in its cultural heritage, customs and the legacy of Rabindranath Tagore, is communicated through diverse marketing campaigns and promotions. A strong and positive brand personality can set a destination apart, providing a significant competitive advantage and facilitating increased visitation rates. To evaluate Santiniketan’s brand personality, traditionally associated with peace, tranquillity and spirituality, while exploring additional dimensions such as sustainability and environmental consciousness, this study used the rigorous Destination Personality Scale by Kumar and Nayak (2018, Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Research, 42, 1, 3–25). The study employed a mixed-method approach, combining qualitative and quantitative tools, to gather data from 97 respondents through focus group interviews and surveys. Participants aged 18–70 were divided into those who had visited Santiniketan and those who had not but were knowledgeable about the destination. The findings indicate that courteousness, conformity, creativity and tranquillity significantly influence tourists’ perceptions of Santiniketan, with notable differences between visitors and non-visitors. This research contributes to the literature on destination branding by comprehensively understanding Santiniketan’s brand personality, emphasizing its cultural attributes and rich heritage as critical factors in its success as a popular tourist destination. The insights gained can assist destination marketers in aligning their strategies to enhance tourists’ perceptions and increase visitation rates. This study addresses the gap in academic inquiry into Santiniketan’s brand personality, offering valuable implications for developing and promoting similar cultural heritage destinations.

Internal communication from a happiness management perspective: state-of-the-art and theoretical construction of a guide for its development

ObjectiveThis study aims to conduct a literature review and meta-analysis on the use of Happiness Management strategies in internal communication. The objective was to extract theoretical constructs of dimensions and indicators for the development of a guide for its application, validated by a panel of experts.MethodsA systematic literature review and meta-analysis was performed under the protocol of the PRISMA Extension Guide of articles indexed in the Scopus database (2019–2024). The total number of extracted documents (n = 479) was screened based on the inclusion criteria, and the sample was delimited by 49 studies. Subsequently, after reading and analyzing the research, the dimensions and indicators of internal communication from a Happiness Management perspective were clustered. This guide was submitted to a panel of 13 experts who determined the reliability and validity of the construct and content using the Content Validity Index (CVI).ResultsThe dimensions and indicators emerging from the literature were validated with an average (X¯\\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$$\\overline{\\mathrm X}$$\\end{document}) of 3.36/4, achieving a level of inter-judge agreement (CVI) of 0.86, an excellent agreement of 86%, and an average score of 2.90/4 (high). The guide was composed of 9 dimensions of internal communication: Attitudes of the leader, employer or supervisor, Climate and communication policies, Feedback and recognition, Organizational environment and structures, Peer and informal communication, Organizational culture and business perspective, Employee-organization relationship, Communication media and platforms, and Employee attitudes, which brought together 103 variables. These dimensions were then reorganized into the three macro-dimensions of the Happiness Management philosophy: (1) active construction of a healthy work environment and well-being, (2) formation of employees’ positive personality, and (3) active emotional experience during the working day to build the internal communication development guide from the Happiness Management perspective.ConclusionsIntegrating Happiness Management into internal communication can significantly enhance employee well-being and organizational effectiveness. The validated framework provides a detailed guide for aligning internal communication strategies with the Happiness Management principles.

Do many hands make light work? The role of romantic partners and close relationships in posttraumatic growth.

Our relationships are an important resource for health and well-being in times of need, often buffering the negative effects of stressful situations. Recent research has expanded on these buffering effects, exploring the role of close others in the experience of posttraumatic growth (PTG), or positive personality change that occurs after someone has experienced trauma. In the current review, we examine how much of a role partners play in PTG for individuals, summarizing the existing evidence suggesting that partners can influence the experience of PTG. Additionally, we examine which partner traits or behaviors may facilitate this growth for individuals, discussing relationship-relevant mechanisms, facilitators, and suppressors of PTG. Finally, and perhaps most importantly, we also discuss the quality of existing evidence for the influence of social relationships on PTG, how can we improve the quality of future research, and what is needed for a comprehensive examination of partner-influenced PTG. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Situational and personality factors of students’ adaptation preparedness

Introduction. The relevance of studying situational and personality factors of students’ adaptation preparedness is conditioned by the growing uncertainty of the future and the increasingly stressful conditions of social life. The study of adaptation preparedness factors is conditioned by the demand for psychological and pedagogical support of students at different stages of professionalisation at the university. The aim of the study is to identify the situational and personality factors of students’ adaptation preparedness and their correlation with regard for the significance, uncertainty and stressfulness of situations in the higher education environment. Materials and methods. The survey involved a number of higher education organisations of Saratov and its administrative region, Volgograd and Moscow (n=385) and was based on the following diagnostic toolkit: M.V. Grigoriev’s method of diagnosing adaptation preparedness of a personality, A.V. Zverkov’s and E.V. Eidman’s test-questionnaire “Study of volitional self-regulation”, V.I. Morosanova’s questionnaire “Self-regulation behaviour style – SBS-98”, as well as the author’s questioning scales in the context of assessing the learning environment situational parameters with regard for the significance, stressfulness and uncertainty of situations in the educational environment. Data processing was carried out using the IBM SPSS Statistics 27 package and AMOS software. The statistical procedures included descriptive statistics calculations, Pearson’s correlation analysis, stepwise regression analysis, and moderation effect assessment procedure. Results. The students’ reported situations of greatest significance included lectures (3.81), practical classes (4.19), interaction with classmates having good relations with the respondent (4.40), and proper relations with the administration (4.01). Positive correlations were revealed between the adaptation preparedness indicators, the significance of situational factors and the pronouncement of personality-associated factors within the range of (0.103-0.631), as well as negative correlations between the adaptation preparedness components and independence within the range of (-0.126 – -0.225). The regression analysis revealed positive personality predictors of adaptive preparedness (perseverance (β= 0.223), flexibility (β= 0.281), modelling (β= 0.168), programming (β= 0.143) and self-control (β= 0.186)) and negative predictors represented by autonomy (β= -0.169). The significance of interaction with classmates having good relations with the respondent is a positive situational predictor (β= 0.198), while the negative predictors are represented by the stressfulness of practical classes (β= -0.168) and the significance of interaction with classmates negatively treating the respondent (β= -0.169). The subsequent moderation analysis of the interrelationship between assessing a situation (as significant, stressful and uncertain) and self-regulation revealed the pronounced level of personal self-regulation [β=0.521; R2=0.32] and marked assessment of situation uncertainty [β= -0.139; R2=0.02]. Conclusion. The obtained results may be of interest both for researchers exploring adaptation issues and practising psychologists providing support to students at a higher education organisation.

Personality traits and levels of anxiety and depression among martial artists: a cross-sectional study

BackgroundIn recent years, fighting arts (e.g., Karate, Judo, Jujitsu, Boxe) have gained broader attention due to their multiple benefits, involving both physical and psychological enhancements for practitioners. Despite that, studies revolving around specific psychological characteristics such as personality traits are scarce. This study explored potential connections between the personality traits of practitioners and the specific fighting art they engage in, and investigated levels of anxiety and depression in fighting artists.MethodsA web-based cross-sectional survey instrument was developed and disseminated across the entire Italian territory. Participants were eligible if adults (> 18 years old) engaged in any fighting arts for a minimum of one year, with no additional restrictions. The survey employed the Big Five Inventory (BFI) with 44 questions to explore personality traits using the OCEAN model, and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) to explore anxiety and depression levels.ResultsA total of 770 questionnaires were collected from July to September 2023. Participants were mainly men (M = 571, 74.5%; F = 199, 25.8%; mean age 45.2 ± 14.8), and most of the participants practised in the North of Italy (N = 493, 64.0%). The mean age of practice was 28.5 ± 14.9 years and the most practised fighting arts were Judo (N = 349, 45.3%), Karate (N = 272, 35.3%) and Jujitsu (N = 42, 5.5%). Personality traits were identified as openness, conscientiousness, extroversion, agreeableness, neuroticism and the results were as follows: O) 40.1 ± 6.30; C) 37.1 ± 5.78; E) 28.2 ± 5.64; A) 35.1 ± 5.08; N) 19,8 ± 5,51. Anxiety and depression scored respectively 5.93 ± 3.14 and 3.67 ± 2.74.ConclusionsFighting artists exhibit elevated levels of positive personality traits, such as openness, conscientiousness, extraversion, and agreeableness. Conversely, neuroticism tends to be lower among them. Moreover, anxiety and depression levels among fighting artists are lower than the Italian normative values. Fighting arts, particularly Karate and Judo, emerge as promising avenues for adults seeking innovative or complementary strategies to foster positive personality traits (e.g., openness, conscientiousness) while mitigating anxiety and depression. Future studies could explore other personality traits, including Machiavellianism, and explore additional psychological characteristics such as aggressiveness to provide a more comprehensive understanding.

Psychological empowerment and its relation to the personality traits of Saudi university students

This study explores the psychological empowerment of students at Prince Sattam bin Abdulaziz University and the differences by specialization and study level. It also attempts to identify if dimensions of psychological empowerment predict personality traits. The study followed a descriptive and correlational design and used two scales to collect data on the participants’ psychological empowerment and personality traits. The two scales were administered to a stratified random sample of 202 female students from Sattam bin Abdulaziz University. Means, standard deviations, the t-test for independent samples, and regression analysis were used to answer the research questions. The results revealed that the students had a high level of psychological empowerment. There were no statistically significant differences by study level in all dimensions of psychological empowerment, except human relations and the total score. The differences were in favor of the seventh-level students. Similarly, there were no statistically significant differences by specialization in all dimensions, except human relations and the total score. These differences were in favor of arts students. The regression analysis revealed that psychological empowerment, particularly the dimensions of goal internalization and human relations, could predict personality traits. It is recommended that psychological empowerment dimensions that contribute to positive personality traits be targeted in training and academic counseling services provided to students.

Exploring Individual Components of Sport Persistence in the Light of Gender, Education, and Level and Type of Sport.

Background/Objectives: Sport persistence can be coded as an indicator of sport performance and commitment, incorporating personality traits such as resilience, adaptive coping, and positive personality traits. Thus, athletes do not merely persist in sporting activities but are qualitatively committed to them. Methods: In the present research, we used a qualitative methodology to investigate the factors underlying sport persistence, using Bronfenbrenner's socio-ecological model. In total, 133 high school and college student-athletes were surveyed in a semi-structured interview study. We set the following research question: How do the factors involved in developing sport persistence vary across athletes' gender, level of study, and level and type of sport? Data were analyzed along the lines of grounded theory. ATLAS.ti and IBM SPSS 22.0 statistical software were used for the analysis. Results: Our analysis divided individual motivation into intrinsic (health promotion, habituation, becoming a competitive athlete, self-improvement, self-actualization, relaxation, and sport enjoyment) and extrinsic motivation (family-related motivation, coach, social relationships, competition, livelihood, recognition). The cross-tabulation analysis revealed that contrary to the general trend, no significant differences can be experienced in the core motivational patterns contributing to sport persistence. However, significant differences could be detected concerning the level of education, level of sporting activity, and type of sport. Conclusions: Our findings not only shed light on the unique factors underlying sport persistence, but also challenge the trends observed in traditional sport motivation analyses. This insight could potentially revolutionize how we approach youth sport promotion and physical activity among young people, making our research highly relevant and impactful.

Study on the event-related potential in recognition of emotional words between typical “five-state personality”

Objective: To explore the event-related potential (ERP) differences of people with typical traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) “five-state personality” in the task of judging the emotional attributes (positive, neutral, and negative) of Chinese words. Methods: The “five-state personality test” was applied to screen the typical TCM “five-state personality”, and three groups were established including positive personality, negative personality, and atypical personality. The differences of electroencephalogram (EEG) components in the task of judging the emotional attributes of Chinese words were collected using ERPs. The 3 personality groups ×3 words with emotional attributes were analyzed by two-way analysis of variance (ANOVA). Results: The N1 and P300 components were induced successfully. The analysis on the mean values of corresponding electrodes in left frontal lobe, right frontal lobe, frontal lobe and parietal lobe showed that in the typical negative personality group, the absolute value of N1 amplitude was smaller in the prefrontal and frontal lobes, and the latency was shorter in the left frontal lobe, while in the typical positive personality group, the absolute value of N1 amplitude was larger in the left frontal lobe. In the prefrontal and frontal lobes, the N1 peak absolute value of negative words was higher and the latency was longer, and the N1 latency of neutral words was shorter. The N1 latency of positive words was shorter in the parietal lobe. In the right frontal and frontal lobes, the P300 peak of negative words was higher and the latency was longer, while the latency of positive words was longer in the parietal lobe. In addition, there was some interaction between personality groups and emotional attributes of words. Conclusion: When people with typical “five-state personality” judge the emotional attributes of words, the absolute value of N1 amplitude in left prefrontal lobe of typical positive personality group is high, while that of typical negative personality group was small and the latency is short. The P300 latency of negative words is longer in the right frontal and frontal lobes, and that of positive words is longer in the parietal lobes, with more significant difference in the positive personality group.

THE IMPACT OF THE WAR-INDUCED, UNSTABLE LIVING CONDITIONS ON PERSONALITY’S MENTAL HEALTH

The purpose of the article. Our work examines the psychological features of the main types of destructive ways of responding to unstable living conditions and their impact on one’s mental health and personal efficiency. The growing number of people facing unstable life conditions and those needing effective psychological strategies to overcome stress and crises are the basis of our study's relevance. The majority of the trauma studies in the field of psychology are devoted to studying the impact of the most common short-term trauma, but the conditions we find ourselves in recently are forcing people to adjust to uncertainty and the traumatizing events that happen to have no visible ending point. The adjustment to long-term trauma means that one comes to realize that there’s no point in postponing life until after the trauma, but rather learning to live one’s life to the fullest and grab every possible opportunity for self-actualization. It is well known that one’s reactions to stressful and unstable situations can be constructive or destructive. The paper aims to identify and analyze the main types of destructive reactions, such as somatization, distress, depression, and anxiety, as well as to study their impact on personal traits that correspond with personal growth and self-actualization. Research methods. We applied the following methods to meet the research tasks: psychological testing, analysis of psychological literature, and statistical methods of data processing, which enable a deeper understanding of the ways the mechanisms of destructive responses to unstable living conditions are formed. Results. The paper examines theoretical approaches to understanding destructive behavioral patterns and their application in psychological assistance. We were able to prove the suggestion that destructive ways of responding, such as anxiety, distress, depression, and somatization complicate the process of self-actualization significantly, reducing the level of personal growth and self-knowledge. We also offer recommendations on the optional techniques for reducing the impact of destructive reactions and supporting positive personality development for psychological assistance and mental health protection. Conclusions. The study results can be effective for psychology practitioners, psychotherapists, and other mental health professionals. They can also become the basis for further scientific research in stress management psychology and psychotherapy. As such, some of the results were presented at the round table “Mental health during the war: challenges and perspectives”. Keywords: distress, unstable living conditions, self-development, self-actualization, influence

Factors Influencing Special Education Career Choices: Interplay of Personality Traits and Identity Statuses

<p style="text-align:justify">Recent research has identified factors influencing the choice of a special education career; however, it has not thoroughly examined their connection with personality traits and identity status. Thus, the present study was designed to explore how different personality traits and identity statuses correlate with the motives and perceptions associated with the choice to teach in special education. The study involved 209 pre-service special education teachers. The NEO-Five Factor Inventory was used to measure the Big 5 personality traits. The Ego Identity Process Questionnaire assessed identity commitment and exploration. The Factors Influencing Teaching Choice Scale was used to evaluate motivations and perceptions about teaching. Regarding the factors that influenced the decision to pursue a career in special education, intrinsic value, shaping children’s future, social equity, making social contributions, working with children, task demands, and job satisfaction were highly rated. Additionally, extraversion, openness to experience, conscientiousness, and identity statuses were identified as positive predictors for certain factors influencing the choice of a teaching career in special education. Finally, the study identified two distinct groups of students: "Identity Achievers" characterized by high positive personality traits, and identity commitment, and "Identity Explorers" characterized by lower positive personality traits and higher identity exploration. Differences were observed between the groups in their motives and perceptions concerning teaching in special education. In conclusion, this study highlights the relationships between personality, identity status, and career decision factors, offering insights into the factors that influence this critical career decision among future special educators. Directions for future research are discussed.</p>

Satisfaction questionnaire survey after surgical orthodontic treatment in patients with jaw deformities

ObjectiveSurgical orthodontic treatment leads to morphological, functional and psychological changes in patients with jaw deformities. For the evaluation of outcomes of surgical orthodontic treatment from the patient's point of view, a questionnaire survey was performed after treatment and factors affecting patient satisfaction were examined. MethodsA survey by mailing questionnaires that each consisted of 30 items was conducted in 250 patients with jaw deformities who underwent orthognathic surgery in our department during the period from January 2015 to December 2020. Eighty-four patients responded (response rate of 34.0%). The patients who responded included 24 males and 60 females. The mean age at the time of surgery was 26 years. ResultsFifty-four patients complained of morphological abnormalities such as facial appearance and malocclusion, and 30 patients complained of functional disturbances such as masticatory disabilities. Eighty-two patients were satisfied with the outcome of surgery, but there were two patients with postoperative paresthesia and residual facial asymmetry who were not satisfied with the outcome. Improvements were observed in mastication and pronunciation in 74 and 46 patients, respectively. Psychologically, 26 patients showed positive personality changes postoperatively. Thirty-three patients had TMJ symptoms before surgery, and the symptoms were resolved after surgery in 24 of those patients. Two patients developed snoring during sleep after surgery. ConclusionsThis survey showed that most patients with jaw deformities were satisfied with the results of surgical orthodontic treatment.

The Path Towards Personal Growth in Spousal Caregiving

Caregiver support is necessary for many long-term ill or disabled people to enable them to live at home. However, the impact of this care relationship on the caregiver is still partly unknown. This article focuses on the process of achieving personal growth in spousal caregiving. The aim of our study was to conduct an integrative literature review to describe the aspects associated with achieving personal growth as well as to analyze the relationship between the aspects involved. The thematic analysis method was used with inductive content classification to modify the themes. The analysis highlighted three main aspect categories connected with achieving personal growth: the means, coping styles, and personal or caregiving resources. In addition, the path from adversities and challenges towards personal growth and positive experiences in spousal caregiving was revealed by analyzing the relationship between the identified aspects. We found that the means, based on social support and self-care, help caregivers to adopt positive coping strategies, reframing, and resilience, which are associated with achieving personal growth. Also, personal or caregiving resources, such as meaningful caring experiences, religiosity, and spirituality, hope, positive personality characteristics, family functioning, and disease severity of the care recipient, were associated with achieving growth. Finally, our findings suggest that it is important to further study the path towards personal growth in spousal caregiving and to find the best possible ways to support caregivers in difficult moments and periods of caregiving.

Building Bridges: Exploring Support Systems of Justice-Involved Individuals

Having access to a person who encourages prosocial behavior and discourages antisocial behavior for justice-involved individuals is a key factor in the reentry process. The gender-responsive literature suggests that social support is an especially salient factor for justice-involved women. However, limited research has examined positive support person’s willingness to become involved in the reentry process. Using a sample of 179 justice-involved men and women enrolled in a reentry program designed to train support persons in rehabilitative skills, the current study aims to examine the willingness of support persons of justice-involved individuals to attend a reentry program. The findings demonstrated that less than half of justice-involved individuals had support persons participate in the program. Furthermore, women were significantly less likely to have support persons attend the reentry program than men. The implications of these findings for reentry and the gender-responsive framework are discussed.

High abundance of butyrate-producing bacteria in the naso-oropharynx of SARS-CoV-2-infected persons in an African population: implications for low disease severity

BackgroundThe association of the oral microbiome with SARS-CoV-2 infections and disease progression has been documented in European, Asian, and American populations but not in Africa.MethodsWe conducted a study in Ghana to evaluate and compare the naso-oropharyngeal microbiome in SARS-CoV-2-infected and uninfected persons before (pre-vaccine) and after vaccine availability (post-vaccine) in the country. 16S rRNA V3-V4 variable region was sequenced and analysed from DNA extracted from naso-oropharyngeal swabs.ResultsConsidering only the infection status, infected and uninfected groups had no difference in their within-group diversity and was evident in the study population pre- and post-vaccine availability. The introduction of vaccines reduced the diversity of the naso-oropharyngeal microbiome particularly among SARS-CoV-2 positive persons and, vaccinated individuals (both infected and uninfected) had higher microbial diversity compared to their unvaccinated counterparts. SARS-CoV-2-positive and -negative individuals were largely compositionally similar varying by 4–7% but considering vaccination*infection statuses, the genetic distance increased to 12% (P = 0.003) and was mainly influenced by vaccination. Common among the pre- and post-vaccine samples, Atopobium and Finegoldia were abundant in infected and uninfected individuals, respectively. Bacteria belonging to major butyrate-producing phyla, Bacillota (particularly class Clostridia) and Bacteroidota showed increased abundance more strikingly in infected individuals before vaccines were available. They reduced significantly after vaccines were introduced into the country with Fusobacterium and Lachnoanaerobaculum being the only common bacteria between pre-vaccine infected persons and vaccinated individuals, suggesting that natural infection and vaccination correlate with high abundance of short-chain fatty acids.ConclusionOur results show, in an African cohort, the abundance of bacteria taxa known for their protective pathophysiological processes, especially during infection, suggesting that this population is protected against severe COVID-19. The immune-related roles of the members of Bacillota and Bacteroidota that were found associated with infection and vaccination require further studies, and how these may be linked to ethnicity, diet and age. We also recommend expansion of microbiome–disease association studies across Africa to identify possible bacterial-mediated therapeutics for emerging infections.

Did I Meet My Expectations? Exploring Whether Teen College Expectations Predict Degree Attainment and Mental Health

The purpose of this study was to investigate the predictive power of teen college expectations on future degree attainment and mental health outcomes. It also explores the role of personality traits in this process. The data are from a sample of 8,984 U.S. residents who participated in the National Longitudinal Study of Youth – 1997 Cohort (NLSY97). Teens reported on their college expectations through self-reported measures in 1997 or 2001. In subsequent surveys (2008 onward), participants reported on their degree attainment, mental health, and personality traits. Individuals with high college expectations compared to individuals with low college expectations had a more positive personality trait profile and better mental health outcomes. When comparing people who met their expectations with people who did not meet their expectations, there were few differences in mental health. There were no significant interactions between college expectations and degree attainment, controlling for ability, socioeconomic status, and gender.

Do You Know When You Will Retire? Exploring Relationships Between Personality Traits, Retirement Expectations, and Well-Being

The current study explored the retirement process and examined the relationships between retirement expectations, personality traits, and psychological well-being. The study used data from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth – 1979 Cohort (NLSY79). From 2014 to 2020, participants reported the likelihood of working full-time at age 62 and age 65. Compared to people who expected to work full-time at age 62, people who expected to retire had a more negative personality profile (higher neuroticism, lower extraversion, agreeableness, conscientiousness, and openness). These differences were smaller at age 65, but they showed a similar pattern. Changes in expectations over time related to both personality traits and psychological well-being. Specifically, if people increased their likelihood of working full-time after age 62, it was correlated with positive personality traits (e.g., lower neuroticism); likewise, increased likelihood of working full-time after age 62 and 65 was related to better psychological well-being (e.g., higher life satisfaction).

EFL teachers' burnout in technology enhanced instructions setting: The role of personality traits and psychological capital

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused a great alteration in teaching methodologies by adding technology to the syllabi. Indeed, the integration of technology has presented significant opportunities for language teachers to adjust to the current situation. However, it gives rise to challenges and stressors that cause burnout. Beyond work-associated issues, burnout is believed to be influenced by various factors, and with the advent of the Positive Psychology (PP) approach, there has been a shift in understanding that negative emotional states experienced by individuals can be redirected toward a positive trajectory. This shift has spurred an increasing interest in investigating the value of teachers' Psychological Capital (PsyCap) in dealing with burnout. Furthermore, the study recognizes the significance of other personal factors, including individual differences and the personality of teachers. Therefore, the present study makes efforts to unravel the intricate relationships among personality traits, PsyCap, and burnout experienced by Chinese EFL teachers in the context of Technology-enhanced instructions (TEIs). To achieve this, a total of 550 Chinese EFL teachers currently engaged in TEI settings were selected, and they responded to three relevant questionnaires. Using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM), the study found that teachers' burnout was negatively associated with PsyCap and certain personality traits, specifically openness, extroversion, agreeableness, and conscientiousness. Conversely, an increase in neuroticism was found to be positively associated with higher levels of teachers' burnout. These results highlight the importance of enhancing PsyCap and fostering positive personality traits to mitigate burnout among EFL teachers in technology-enhanced instructional settings.

Evaluating factors affecting sexual abuse prevention education for primary school students according to the life skills approach

This comprehensive study delves into the intricate factors influencing sexual abuse prevention education for elementary school students, capturing insights from diverse stakeholders, including 423 students, 115 teachers, and 423 parents. Employing a Likert scale, the research evaluates various dimensions, shedding light on the nuanced dynamics that shape prevention programs. The results reveal that student-related factors, encompassing positive behavior, cognitive capacity, personality traits, and knowledge levels, received moderately positive mean scores. This underscores the significant contribution of inherent qualities and cognitive abilities of primary school students to the effectiveness of sexual abuse prevention education. Moving to family-related factors, parents’ extensive knowledge and understanding garnered a positive mean score of 2.91, signifying a favorable impact, while financial considerations received a slightly lower mean score of 2.92. Notably, parental educational methods and the inclination to delegate educational responsibilities to schools scored higher at 2.99 each, underscoring the influential role parents play in shaping their children's perspectives on sexual abuse prevention. Within the school environment, positive interactions between teachers and students stood out with a mean score of 2.97, emphasizing the pivotal role of supportive teacher-student relationships in facilitating effective sexual abuse prevention education. Societal factors exhibited varying influences, with local customs, culture, and social psychology receiving a mean score of 2.91, indicating a moderately positive impact. However, the development of the internet and information channels scored lower at 2.60, revealing potential challenges in adapting prevention education to the evolving landscape of online information dissemination. These nuanced findings contribute to a deeper understanding of the multifaceted factors shaping sexual abuse prevention education for elementary school students, providing a foundation for evidence-based interventions and policy decisions.

The Characteristics Of The Ideal Lecturer From The Female Students' Perspective And The Relationship Of These Characteristics With Student’s Motivation Towards Learning

This research aims to determine the characteristics of ideal lecturers at the College of Education for Girls (from a student's perspective) and the relationship between these characteristics and student motivation to learn. This research included three hypotheses and was applied to students at the College of Education for Girls - Tikrit University. Researchers relied on an ideal lecturer characteristics scale (from the student's perspective) and a learning motivation scale, both of which were developed electronically, using a correlational descriptive approach. The sample consisted of 190 students, and the sample was selected using a quasi-random method. Several statistical methods are used to process the results obtained by researchers. After obtaining and discussing the results, several conclusions were obtained which can be summarized as follows: Positive lecturer personality traits increase student-teacher interaction and make a significant contribution to the success of the educational process. Apart from that, students' motivation in studying the subjects they study is influenced by the personal qualities of their lecturers. The study resulted in a series of recommendations: (i) updating ongoing professional development courses for all lecturers to provide them with the psychological and educational foundation necessary to ensure that their interactions with students are based not only on academic merit and grades, but also on an understanding of personality student. (ii) diagnose students with high and low academic achievement motivation. Based on this diagnosis, lecturers must be able to adjust their teaching methods and interactions with students.