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The Interplay of Personality Traits and Psychological Well-Being: Insights from a Study of Italian Undergraduates

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  • Graziella Orrù

    (Department of Surgical, Medical, Molecular & Critical Area Pathology, University of Pisa, via Savi, 10, 56126 Pisa, Italy)

  • Andrea Piarulli

    (Department of Surgical, Medical, Molecular & Critical Area Pathology, University of Pisa, via Savi, 10, 56126 Pisa, Italy)

  • Ciro Conversano

    (Department of Surgical, Medical, Molecular & Critical Area Pathology, University of Pisa, via Savi, 10, 56126 Pisa, Italy)

  • Giovanna Grenno

    (Department of Surgical, Medical, Molecular & Critical Area Pathology, University of Pisa, via Savi, 10, 56126 Pisa, Italy)

  • Angelo Gemignani

    (Department of Surgical, Medical, Molecular & Critical Area Pathology, University of Pisa, via Savi, 10, 56126 Pisa, Italy)

Abstract

Objectives: The mental health and well-being of university students are crucial areas of research due to their significant impact on academic success, personal development, and overall life satisfaction. Since previous research consistently shows that the stress related to academic challenges can significantly affect mental health, the study aims to examine the relationship between personality traits, locus of control, and psychological well-being outcomes. Methods: In the present study, 67 Italian undergraduate students (19.45 ± 1.62 years) were evaluated to assess the connections between personality traits, locus of control, and key psychological outcomes including depression, anxiety, sleep disturbances, and subjective memory complaints. Results: The analyses of the collected variables revealed a strong interrelationship between stress, anxiety, depression, and insomnia, contributing to a general construct termed psychological well-being disturbances (PWBD). When considering the Big Five personality traits, a significant positive association with internal control and mindfulness levels was observed both for extraversion and conscientiousness, while neuroticism was associated with increased external control and subjective memory complaints. Conclusions: These findings highlight the importance of understanding personality traits in shaping psychological well-being and coping mechanisms among students. Educational institutions should consider incorporating personality-based approaches into their support systems, as fostering traits linked to better psychological well-being, such as extraversion, conscientiousness, and agreeableness, may help mitigate the negative impact of stress and anxiety commonly experienced in academic settings.

Suggested Citation

  • Graziella Orrù & Andrea Piarulli & Ciro Conversano & Giovanna Grenno & Angelo Gemignani, 2025. "The Interplay of Personality Traits and Psychological Well-Being: Insights from a Study of Italian Undergraduates," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 22(2), pages 1-15, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:22:y:2025:i:2:p:132-:d:1572151
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Enrique Ramón-Arbués & Vicente Gea-Caballero & José Manuel Granada-López & Raúl Juárez-Vela & Begoña Pellicer-García & Isabel Antón-Solanas, 2020. "The Prevalence of Depression, Anxiety and Stress and Their Associated Factors in College Students," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(19), pages 1-15, September.
    2. Henry Kaiser, 1970. "A second generation little jiffy," Psychometrika, Springer;The Psychometric Society, vol. 35(4), pages 401-415, December.
    3. Mariagrazia Di Giuseppe & Graziella Orrù & Angelo Gemignani & Rebecca Ciacchini & Mario Miniati & Ciro Conversano, 2022. "Mindfulness and Defense Mechanisms as Explicit and Implicit Emotion Regulation Strategies against Psychological Distress during Massive Catastrophic Events," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(19), pages 1-10, October.
    4. Krause, Neal & Stryker, Sheldon, 1984. "Stress and well-being: The buffering role of locus of control beliefs," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 18(9), pages 783-790, January.
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