Relationship between big five personality traits academic performance and academic stress among postgraduate students in Pakistan

Abstract

Over the years, increased academic stress has been experienced among postgraduate students of Higher Education Institutions (HEIs). It is evident that this academic stress often results in lower academic performance. Despite other factors like academic environment, workload and peer expectations student’s personality traits also play an important role in the level of perceived stress among postgraduate students of HEIs. It has been observed that the level of academic stress among postgraduate students varies according to their personality traits. However, there are limited empirical evidences available to confirm this claim. Therefore, the study aimed to firstly investigate the relationship of personality traits with academic stress of postgraduate students in Pakistan HEIs, and the relationship of personality traits with academic performance among them. The current study also investigated the mediating role of academic stress on this relationship among the postgraduate students of HEIs. Quantitative research design was used in the study with data collected from a proportionate random sampling of 384 postgraduate students enrolled in Pakistan’s HEIs. Furthermore, the data was analyzed descriptively using SPSS before applying Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) using SMARTPLS 3.0. The results of the study indicate that the personality trait neuroticism is positively and significantly associated with academic stress while personality trait openness is significant but negatively associated with academic stress. At the same time, personality traits extraversion and openness are positively related with academic performance while personality trait neuroticism is negatively associated with academic performance. Similarly, academic stress mediates the relationship of personality traits conscientiousness, neuroticism, agreeableness and extraversion with academic performance. Based on the findings of the study, it is recommended that the HEIs focus on postgraduate students personality development along with academic development in order to improve their performance and skills by using students profiling to help them do better in their academics. However, the study was limited to HEIs students. In order to enrich the result, wider and larger population is recommended.