Psychological Resilience in Relation to Neuroticism among University Students with Varying Levels of Life Stress

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

قسم الصحة النفسية- کلية التربية- جامعة الأزهر.

Abstract

Psychological resilience is one of the variables that belongs to positive psychology, which aims to improve the mental health of individuals. The university stage includes many challenges, which some students may be unable to adapt to, so their level of neuroticism increases, and then becomes vulnerable to mental illness. The aim of the current research is to identify the relationship between psychological resilience and neuroticism among university students with varying levels of life stress (low/medium/high), in addition to identifying the differences in psychological resilience and neuroticism among research participants according to their gender (male/female). The number of participants in the research was 252 (172 males, 80 females), from Al-Azhar University students in the first year in the Faculties of Education and Human Studies at Tafahna Al-Ashraf, whose ages ranged between (18-19 years). The researcher used the psychological resilience scale (prepared by the first researcher), the Big Five Factors of Personality Scale (translated by: Badr Muhammad Al-Ansari, 1997), and the life stress scale (Zainab Mahmoud Shukair, 2003). The results showed a negative and statistically significant relationship between psychological resilience and neuroticism among university students with varying levels of life stress, and there are statistically significant differences in psychological resilience according to gender in favor of males, while there are statistically significant differences in neuroticism according to gender in favor of  female. These results indicate the importance of designing counseling programs aimed at improving the psychological resilience of university students in general.                                                                                           
 

Highlights

 

 

Keywords


 

 
Ahmed Mohamed Abdel Khaleq. (2016). personality psychology. Cairo: Anglo-Egyptian Library.
Amal Saleh bin Ghashir, Fathia Belaid Al-Atrash and Salma Ahmed Al-Talib. (2017). Psychological stress and its relationship to the academic achievement of the students of the classroom teacher department at the Faculty of Education, Misurata University. The Scientific Journal of the College of Education - Misurata University, 3(8), 203-237.
Anwar Hammouda Al-Banna. (2008). Stressful life situations and their relationship to sleep and wakefulness disorders among Al-Aqsa University students in Gaza governorate of both married and unmarried sexes. Journal of the Islamic University of Psychological Research, 16(2), 585-630.
Tamer Shawky Ibrahim. (2014). Psychological resilience and its relationship to psychological stress, psychological hardness, and hope among a sample of university students. The Egyptian Journal of Psychological Studies, 24 (85), 137-200.
Juma Sayed Youssef. (2007). Stress management. Cairo: Center for the Development of Graduate Studies, Research and Engineering Sciences, Faculty of Engineering, Cairo University.
Zainab Mahmoud Shukair. (2003). Stressful life situations scale. Cairo: The Egyptian Renaissance Library.
Salah El-Din Mohamed Abu Nahia. (2016). Life pressures and methods of coping with university students: a comparative civilized study. Egyptian General Book Authority, 29 (110), 121-142.
Mohamed Abdel-Zaher Al-Tayeb and Sayed Ahmed Al-Bahas. (2009). Mental health and positive psychology. Cairo: The Egyptian Renaissance Library.
المراجع الأجنبية
(APA) American Psychological Association, (2014). The road to resilience, 750, First Street, NE, Washington DC.
Alkatheri, A. M., Bustami, R. T., Albekairy, A. M., Alanizi, A. H., Alnafesah, R., Almodaimegh, H., ... & Qandil, A. M. (2020). Quality of life and stress level among health professions students. Health Professions Education, 6(2), 201-210.‏
Anbumalar, C., Dorathy, A. P., Jaswanti, V. P., Priya, D., & Reniangelin, D. (2017). Gender differences in perceived stress levels and coping strategies among college students. The International Journal of Indian Psychology, 4(4), 22-33.‏
Beiter, R., Nash, R., McCrady, M., Rhoades, D., Linscomb, M., Clarahan, M., & Sammut, S. (2015). The prevalence and correlates of depression, anxiety, and stress in a sample of college students. Journal of affective disorders, 173, 90-96.‏
Bhargava, D & Trivedi, H. (2018). A study of causes of stress and stress management among youth. IRA-International Journal of Management & Social Sciences, 11(03), 108-117.‏
Brooks, S., Amlot, R., Rubin, G. J., & Greenberg, N. (2020). Psychological resilience and post-traumatic growth in disaster-exposed organisations: overview of the literature. BMJ Mil Health, 166(1), 52-56.‏
Cetin, N., Yeloglu, H.O., & Basim, H.N. (2015). The role of big five on predicting the resilience: A canonical relation analysis. Turkish Journal of Psychology, 30(75), 81-95 ‏
Chang, W. H., Cheng, S. H., Sun, Z. J., Lee, I. H., Lee, C. T., Chen, K. C., ... & Yang, Y. C. (2015). The psychosocial indicators related to neuroticism in both sexes: A study of incoming university students. The Kaohsiung journal of medical sciences, 31(4), 208-214.‏
Clarkson, M., Heads, G., Hodgson, D., & Probst, H. (2019). Does the intervention of mindfulness reduce levels of burnout and compassion fatigue and increase resilience in pre-registration students? A pilot study. Radiography, 25(1), 4-9.
Colman, A. (2009). Dictionary of Psychology. New York: Oxford University Press.
Connor, K. M., & Davidson, J. R. (2003). Development of a new resilience scale: The Connor‐Davidson resilience scale (CD‐RISC). Depression and anxiety, 18(2), 76-82.‏
Dantzer, R., Cohen, S., Russo, S. J., & Dinan, T. G. (2018). Resilience and immunity. Brain, behavior, and immunity, 74, 28-42.‏
Djudiyah, M. S., Harding, D., & Sumantri, S. (2016, February). Gender Differences in Neuroticism on College Students. In Dalam Asean Conference. 2nd Psychology & Humanity. Psychology Forum UMM.‏
Duan, Z., Wang, Y., Tao, Y., Bower, J. L., Yu, R., Wang, S., … Chen, R. (2019). Relationship between trait neuroticism and suicidal ideation among postpartum women in China: Testing a mediation model. Journal of Affective Disorders, 256, 532–535.
Ercan, H. (2017). The Relationship between resilience and the Big Five personality traits in emerging adulthood. Eurasian Journal of Educational Research, 17(70), 83-103.‏
Eysenck, H. J. (1983). Psychophysiology and Personality: Extraversion, Neuroticism and Psychoticism. Individual Differences and Psychopathology, 13–30. doi:10.1016/b978-0-12-273903-3.50007-9
Fayombo, G. (2010). The relationship between personality traits and psychological resilience among the Caribbean adolescents. International Journal of Psychological Studies. 2(2), 105- 116.
Fikretoglu, D., & McCreary, D. R. (2012). Psychological resilience: A brief review of definitions, and key theoretical, conceptual, and methodological issues (Technical Report 2012-012). Toronto, Ontario, Canada: Defense R&D.‏
Frølund Pedersen, H., Frostholm, L., Søndergaard Jensen, J., Ørnbøl, E., & Schröder, A. (2016). Neuroticism and maladaptive coping in patients with functional somatic syndromes. British journal of health psychology, 21(4), 917-936.‏
Froutan, R., Mazlom, R., Malekzadeh, J., & Mirhaghi, A. (2018). Relationship between resilience and personality traits in paramedics. International Journal of Emergency Services, 7(1), 4-12.‏
Galante, J., Dufour, G., Benton, A., Howarth, E., Vainre, M., Croudace, T. J., ... & Jones, P. B. (2016). Protocol for the Mindful Student Study: a randomised controlled trial of the provision of a mindfulness intervention to support university students' well-being and resilience to stress. BMJ open, 6(11), 1-8.‏
Gao, T., Xiang, Y. T., Zhang, H., Zhang, Z., & Mei, S. (2017). Neuroticism and quality of life: Multiple mediating effects of smartphone addiction and depression. Psychiatry Research, 258, 457-461.
Garmezy, N., Masten, A. S., & Tellegen, A. (1984). The study of stress and competence in children: A building block for developmental psychopathology. Child development, 55(1), 97-111.‏
Geslani, G. P., & Gaebelein, C. J. (2013). Perceived stress, stressors, and mental distress among doctor of pharmacy students. Social Behavior and Personality: an international journal, 41(9), 1457-1468.‏
Herrero, R., Mira, A., Cormo, G., Etchemendy, E., Baños, R., García-Palacios, A., ... & Görlich, D. (2019). An Internet based intervention for improving resilience and coping strategies in university students: Study protocol for a randomized controlled trial. Internet interventions, 16, 43-51.‏
Hirano, M. (2011). A Study of the Classification of Resilience Factors: Development of the Bidimensional Resilience Scale (BRS). Japanese Journal of Personality, 19(2), 94-106.‏
Hong, F., Tarullo, A. R., Mercurio, A. E., Liu, S., Cai, Q., & Malley-Morrison, K. (2018). Childhood maltreatment and perceived stress in young adults: The role of emotion regulation strategies, self-efficacy, and resilience. Child abuse & neglect, 86, 136.
Hou, X. L., Wang, H. Z., Guo, C., Gaskin, J., Rost, D. H., & Wang, J. L. (2017). Psychological resilience can help combat the effect of stress on problematic social networking site usage. Personality and Individual Differences, 109, 61-66.‏
Hutchinson, J. G & Williams, P. G. (2007). Neuroticism, daily hassles, and depressive symptoms: An examination of moderating and mediating effects. Personality and Individual Differences, 42(7), 1367-1378.‏
Iimura, S., & Taku, K. (2018). Gender Differences in Relationship Between Resilience and Big Five Personality Traits in Japanese Adolescents. Psychological reports, 121(5) 920–931.‏
Ionescu, D. (2017). Psychological well-being state and satisfaction of basic psychological needs as indicators of goal achievement-frantic role of neuroticism. Journal of Educational Sciences & Psychology, 7(2).‏
Javanmard, G. H., & Garegozlo, R. M. (2013). The study of relationship between marital satisfaction and personality characteristics in Iranian families. Procedia-social and behavioral sciences, 84, 396-399.‏‏
Jowkar, B., Friborg, O., & Hjemdal, O. (2010). Cross cultural validation of the Resilience Scale for Adults (RSA) in Iran. Scandinavian Journal of Psychology, 51(5), 418-425.‏
Jung, Y. H., Ha, T. M., Oh, C. Y., Lee, U. S., Jang, J. H., Kim, J., ... & Kang, D. H. (2016). The effects of an online mind-body training program on stress, coping strategies, emotional intelligence, resilience and psychological state. PloS one, 11(8), 1-20.
Kelifa, M. O., Yang, Y., Herbert, C., He, Q., & Wang, P. (2020). Psychological resilience and current stressful events as potential mediators between adverse childhood experiences and depression among college students in Eritrea. Child Abuse & Neglect, 106, 104480. doi:10.1016/j.chiabu.2020.104480
Kivrak, A. O., & Akandere, M. (2019). Examinatıon of the resilience levels of women and men do sport in gyms. Turkish Journal of Sport and Exercise, 21(2), 223-228.‏
Lee-Winn, A. E., Townsend, L., Reinblatt, S. P., & Mendelson, T. (2016). Associations of neuroticism and impulsivity with binge eating in a nationally representative sample of adolescents in the United States. Personality and Individual Differences, 90, 66–72.
Liao, A., Walker, R., Carmody, T. J., Cooper, C., Shaw, M. A., Grannemann, B. D., ... & Dillon, D. G. (2019). Anxiety and anhedonia in depression: Associations with neuroticism and cognitive control. Journal of affective disorders, 245, 1070-1078.‏
Liu, Y., Wang, Z. H., & Li, Z. G. (2012). Affective mediators of the influence of neuroticism and resilience on life satisfaction. Personality and Individual Differences, 52(7), 833-838.‏
 
Lü, W., Wang, Z., Liu, Y., & Zhang, H. (2014). Resilience as a mediator between extraversion, neuroticism and happiness, PA and NA. Personality and Individual Differences, 63, 128-133.
Marthoenis, M., Meutia, I., Fathiariani, L., & Sofyan, H. (2018). Prevalence of depression and anxiety among college students living in a disaster-prone region. Alexandria journal of medicine, 54(4), 337-340.‏
Masood, A., Masud, Y., & Mazahir, S. (2016). Gender differences in resilience and psychological distress of patients with burns. Burns, 42(2), 300-306.‏
McCrae, R. R., & Costa Jr, P. T. (1992). Discriminant validity of NEO-PIR facet scales. Educational and Psychological Measurement, 52(1), 229-237.‏
McDonnell, S., & Semkovska, M. (2020). Resilience as Mediator between Extraversion, Neuroticism, and Depressive Symptoms in University Students. Journal of Positive Psychology and Wellbeing, 1-16.
Miljević-Riđički, R., & Brđanović, D. (2021). Psychological resilience and quality of life: Differences between primary school and music school students. Metodički ogledi: časopis za filozofiju odgoja, 28(1), 141-166.‏
Motorga, R. (2019). Personality and resilience in medical students. Studia Doctoralia, 10(2), 78-89.‏
Murray, L. E., & O'Neill, L. (2019). Neuroticism and extraversion mediate the relationship between having a sibling with developmental disabilities and anxiety and depression symptoms. Journal of Affective Disorders, 243, 232-240.‏
Mwangi, C. N., & Ireri, A. M. (2017). Gender differences in academic resilience and academic achievement among secondary school students in Kiambu County, Kenya. Psychological and Behavioural Science International Journal, 5(5), 1-7.‏
Olashore, A. A., Akanni, O. O., & Oderinde, K. O. (2021). Neuroticism, resilience, and social support: correlates of severe anxiety among hospital workers during the COVID-19 pandemic in Nigeria and Botswana. BMC Health Services Research, 21(1), 1-7. ‏
‏Onan, N., Karaca, S., & Unsal Barlas, G. (2019). Evaluation of a stress coping course for psychological resilience among a group of university nursing students. Perspectives in psychiatric care, 55(2), 233-238.‏
Prayag, G., Spector, S., Orchiston, C., & Chowdhury, M. (2020). Psychological resilience, organizational resilience and life satisfaction in tourism firms: Insights from the Canterbury earthquakes. Current Issues in Tourism, 23(10), 1216-1233.
Ran, L., Wang, W., Ai, M., Kong, Y., Chen, J., & Kuang, L. (2020). Psychological resilience, depression, anxiety, and somatization symptoms in response to COVID-19: A study of the general population in China at the peak of its epidemic. Social Science & Medicine, 262, 1- 6.‏
Richardson, G, E. (2002). The Meta-theory of Resilience and Resiliency. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 58(3), 307–321.
Robotham, D., & Julian, C. (2006). Stress and the higher education student: a critical review of the literature. Journal of Further and Higher Education, 30(2), 107–117.
Sambu, L. J., & Mhongo, S. (2019). Age and Gender in Relation to Resilience After the Experience of Trauma among Internally Displaced Persons (IDPS) in Kiambaa Village, Eldoret East Sub-County, Kenya. Journal of Psychology, 7(1), 31-40.‏
Sarubin, N., Wolf, M., Giegling, I., Hilbert, S., Naumann, F., Gutt, D., ... & Bühner, M. (2015). Neuroticism and extraversion as mediators between positive/negative life events and resilience. Personality and Individual Differences, 82, 193-198.‏
Shi, M., Wang, X., Bian, Y., & Wang, L. (2015). The mediating role of resilience in the relationship between stress and life satisfaction among Chinese medical students: a cross-sectional study. BMC medical education, 15(1), 1-7.‏‏
Slavish, D. C., Sliwinski, M. J., Smyth, J. M., Almeida, D. M., Lipton, R. B., Katz, M. J., & Graham-Engeland, J. E. (2018). Neuroticism, rumination, negative affect, and sleep: Examining between-and within-person associations. Personality and individual differences, 123, 217-222.‏
Smith, G. D., & Yang, F. (2017). Stress, resilience and psychological well-being in Chinese undergraduate nursing students. Nurse Education Today, 49, 90-95.‏
Soto, C. J., John, O. P., Gosling, S. D., & Potter, J. (2011). Age differences in personality traits from 10 to 65: Big Five domains and facets in a large cross-sectional sample. Journal of personality and social psychology, 100(2), 330- 342.‏
Tamannaeifar, M., & Shahmirzaei, S. (2019). Prediction of Academic Resilience Based on Coping Styles and Personality Traits. Practice in Clinical Psychology, 7(1), 1-10.‏
Tavousi, M. N. (2015). Dispositional effects on job stressors and job satisfaction: The role of core evaluations. Procedia-Social and Behavioral Sciences, 190, 61-68.
Thurston, I. B., Hardin, R., Kamody, R. C., Herbozo, S., & Kaufman, C. (2018). The moderating role of resilience on the relationship between perceived stress and binge eating symptoms among young adult women. Eating behaviors, 29, 114-119.‏
Van Eeden, W. A., van Hemert, A. M., Carlier, I. V. E., Penninx, B. W., Spinhoven, P., & Giltay, E. J. (2019). Neuroticism and chronicity as predictors of 9-year course of individual depressive symptoms. Journal of Affective Disorders, 252, 484–492.
Wang, D., Nan, J. K., & Zhang, R. (2017). Structured group sand-play to improve the resilience of college students: A pilot study. The Arts in Psychotherapy, 55, 186-194.
Wang, W., Xie, X., Wang, X., Lei, L., Hu, Q., & Jiang, S. (2019). Cyber bullying and depression among Chinese college students: A moderated mediation model of social anxiety and neuroticism. Journal of affective disorders, 256, 54-61.‏
Wei, L. (2019). Parenting Practices as Moderators of the Longitudinal Association from Neuroticism to Resilience during Adolescence. Ph. D. Thesis. Florida Atlantic University. USA.
Weisberg, Y. J., DeYoung, C. G., & Hirsh, J. B. (2011). Gender differences in personality across the ten aspects of the Big Five. Frontiers in psychology, 2(178), 1-11.‏
Williams, M., Coare, P., Marvell, R., Pollard, E., Houghton, A. M., & Anderson, J. (2015). Understanding provision for students with mental health problems and intensive support needs: Report to HEFCE by the Institute for Employment Studies (IES) and Researching Equity, Access and Partnership (REAP).‏ 1- 187. https://eprints.lancs.ac.uk/id/eprint/80492
Windle, G., Bennett, K. M., & Noyes, J. (2011). A methodological review of resilience measurement scales. Health and quality of life outcomes, 9(1), 1-18.‏
Yan, L. X., Yunus, W. M. A. W. M., & Mahmud, N. (2019). Big Five Personality and Eating Disorder Symptoms among Students in a Malaysian Public University: A Cross-Sectional Study. Indian Journal of Public Health Research & Development, 10(6), 1309-1314.‏
Yikealo, D., Tareke, W., & Karvinen, I. (2018). The level of stress among college students: A case in the college of education, Eritrea Institute of Technology. Open Science Journal, 3(4),    1- 18.