Personality, Adjustment Style and Academic Stress in First Year Medical Students

Authors

  • Rajmohan Velayudhan MES Medical College Perinthalmanna Kerala http://orcid.org/0000-0002-5468-2305
  • Sheela Sivan Professor and Head Department of Anatomy MES Medical College Perinthalmanna
  • Nimitha K Jayan Junior Resident Department of Psychiatry MES Medical College Perinthalmanna
  • TM Raghuram Professor and Head Department of Psychiatry MES Medical College Perinthalmanna

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.30834/KJP.29.1.2016.82

Abstract

Background: Medical students especially in the first year of their academic life are under extreme stress.

Methods: Study was conducted on 76 first year medical students. They were given a semi-structured questionnaire to collect socio-demographic data. They were subsequently administered the Big Five Inventory scale to assess personality dimensions, the Academic Stress Scale and the Adjustment Style Inventory. The data were analysed with chi-square test, independent-sample T test, and Pearson’s correlation.

Results: The personality dimensions, academic stress and coping scores showed no difference among both sexes. The academic stress score showed a negative correlation with coping scale (p=0.019). Students with high scores on agreeableness and conscientious reported significantly lesser academic stress (p=0.24 and 0.01). Students with a high score on the neuroticism dimension reported significantly more stress (p=0.005). The dimensions agreeableness and conscientious positively correlated with the coping score (p= 0.005 and p<0.001) and neuroticism negatively correlated with coping (p=0.05). Students with higher scores on agreeableness and conscientious showed significantly less scores on negative coping styles (p<0.001 and p<0.001) while those with neuroticism showed significantly more negative coping (p=0.036).

Conclusion: Agreeableness and conscientiousness were associated with lesser negative coping and students having neuroticism had more negative coping skills.

Author Biography

Rajmohan Velayudhan, MES Medical College Perinthalmanna Kerala

Associate Professor

Department of Psychiatry

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Published

28-10-2016

How to Cite

Velayudhan, R., S. Sivan, N. K. Jayan, and T. Raghuram. “Personality, Adjustment Style and Academic Stress in First Year Medical Students”. Kerala Journal of Psychiatry, vol. 29, no. 1, Oct. 2016, pp. 19-24, doi:10.30834/KJP.29.1.2016.82.

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Section

Research Report