PERSONALITY TRAITS AND STRESS AS PREDICTORS OF PSYCHOLOGICAL WELL-BEING AMONG STUDENTS IN SCHOOLS OF NURSING AND MIDWIFERY MAKURDI
Authors: Dzer, PhD Benjamin Terzungwe , Atsehe Josephine Iveren , Tomen, PhD Egbe Agu 
Published: May 2021

This study investigated personality traits and stress as predictors of psychological well-being among students in schools of nursing and midwifery, Makurdi. The study employed the ex post facto research design. The Big Five Personality traits Scale, Perceived Stress Scale, and Ryff’s Scale of psychological well-being were used to collect data from the participants. The participants constituted 25 (10.2%) males and 220 (89.8%) females with a mean age of 0.992. The study tested three hypotheses and each of the hypotheses tested six dimensions of Ryff’s psychological well-being using simple linear regression and multiple linear regressions. Result in hypothesis (1a) showed a significant outcome for conscientiousness, openness and neuroticism on psychological well-being (autonomy) [F (5,239) = 181.093, P < .001. Hypothesis (1b) likewise had a significant outcome for conscientiousness, openness and neuroticism on psychological well-being (environmental mastery) [F (5,329) = 44.720, P < .001. Hypothesis (1c) was accepted for conscientiousness, neuroticism and openness on psychological well-being (personal growth) [F (5, 237) = 71.964, P < .001. Hypothesis (1d) was confirmed for conscientiousness, neuroticism and openness on psychological well-being (positive relations with others) [F (5,239) = 77.131, P < .001. Hypothesis (1e) was accepted for all except extraversion on psychological well-being (purpose in life) [F (5,239) = 53.709, P < .001. Hypothesis (1f) was confirmed only for openness on psychological well-being (self-acceptance) [F (2,237) = 28.625 P < .001. Hypotheses (2a) to (2f) rejected the postulation of stress on all the dimensions of psychological well-being. Likewise, hypotheses (3a) to (3f) also rejected the joint predictions of personality traits and stress on psychological well-being among students. In conclusion, Personality traits significantly predicted psychological well-being of students in schools of nursing and midwifery, Makurdi. Particularly, conscientiousness, neuroticism and openness personality traits found to influence psychological well-being while extraversion and agreeableness were the lowest personality traits influencing psychological well-being among students. In the contrary, stress rather positively predicted student’s psychological well-being as against earlier postulation that stress will negatively and significantly influence psychological well-being among students. Based on the findings, that personality traits and stress did not jointly influence psychological well-being among students in schools of nursing and midwifery, Makurdi. It was recommended that, more empirical research be geared towards student nurses’/midwives’ psychological well-being owning to their different personality traits in the course of their professional program. More so, research should be focused on Ryff’s dimensions of psychological well-being since psychological well-being is not a single construct but multidimensional to assist student nurses/midwives gain optimal psychological well-being.