Perceived Stress, Neuroticism, and Sleep Quality: A Correlational Study Among First-Year College Students

Background: This study focuses on the link between neuroticism, perceived stress, and sleep quality among first-year college students, with an emphasis on the psychological changes needed during the transition from high school to college. Method: For the study a total of 300 students (148 men and 152 females) aged 18 to 19 were recruited from the Delhi-NCR area using convenience sampling, and the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), the Sleep Quality Scale (SQS), and the Neuroticism subscale of the NEO Five-Factor Inventory (NEO-FFI) were used for data collection. The data were evaluated using Pearson’s correlation coefficient in SPSS Version 20. Results: The study identified a considerable positive link between perceived stress and neuroticism, a moderately significant connection between perceived stress and poor sleep quality, and a modest but substantial positive connection was discovered between neuroticism and sleep quality, indicating a mild effect of personality on sleep disruptions. Female students reported much greater levels of neuroticism and felt stress than their male peers. Conclusion: The findings emphasize the psychological difficulties encountered during this transitional period and the importance of implementing targeted strategies particularly for female students who may be more vulnerable to these challenges.