A Study Examining the Relationship between Extraverted and Neurotic Personality Qualities and the Coping Strategies Used by College Students Under Academic Stress

The present study aspired to explore the interrelationship between neuroticism and extraversion with coping mechanisms among college students with academic stress. It also intended to investigate the levels of academic stress and gender differences with regard to personality traits and coping style among college students. On administering the Academic stress inventory, NEO Five factor inventory-3 and Coping Orientation to Problem Experienced to a sample of 400 college students, the results revealed moderate academic stress levels among majority of college students. The findings also indicate that there exist significant gender differences in neuroticism, religious coping and restrain with females exhibiting higher mean values than their male counterpart. Findings also highlighted significant positive relationship between overall emotional focused coping with neuroticism and extraversion and overall problem focused coping with extraversion. Consistent with earlier studies, the results on the relationship between coping mechanisms and personality traits suggests that personality characteristics of an individual do influence coping strategies of college students. Hence, the findings have implications for policy making, education and training to bring about necessary changes among the students for their overall wellbeing.