Abstract
RELATIONS BETWEEN BİG FİVE PERSONALITY TRAITS, COPING WITH STRESS AND DEPRESSION: SAMPLE OF GAZI FACULTY OF EDUCATION
The objective of this study is to determine the relations between personality traits, coping with stress and depression levels of university students. A total of 419 students (248 female, 171 male) studying at Gazi Faculty of Education were included in the study. Adjective-Based Personality Test, Test for Attitudes of Coping with Stress and Beck Depression Test that were based on the 5 Factor Personality Theory were applied to students and the data were analyzed by using canonical correlation and multiple regression analyses. Relations between the attitudes of coping with stress and personality traits were embraced in 4 canonical correlations. As a result of the study, it was determined that as active planning, seeking outside help, escape abstraction (emotional-operational), escape abstraction (biochemical) increased in the set of stress variables in the first canonical correlation; extroversion, openness to experience, tendermindedness and responsibility increased and emotional imbalance decreased. Findings acquired regarding the relations between 5 Factor Personality Traits and depression are as follows: Examining the dual correlations between predicting variables and predicted variables; we determined a positively moderate correlation between the depression level and Emotional Imbalance, which is among 5 Factor Personality Traits, and a negatively moderate correlation with Extroversion. Besides, there was a negatively lower but significant relation between depression and Openness to Experience, Tendermindedness and Responsibility, which are among 5 Factor Personality Traits.
Keywords
University student, personality, coping with stress, depression.