PERSONALITY TRAITS AND STRESS LEVELS AMONG SENIOR DENTAL STUDENTS: EVIDENCE FROM MALAYSIA AND SINGAPORE

This study aimed to evaluate the association between dental students’
personality traits and stress levels in relation to dental education programs among
senior dental students in University Malaya (UM) in Malaysia and National University
of Singapore (NUS). A cross-sectional survey using a self-administered
questionnaire was conducted on UM and NUS senior dental students. The questionnaire
comprised items on demographic background, the Big Five Inventory
Personality Traits (BFIPT) test and a modified Dental Environment Stress (DES)
scale. Rasch analysis was used to convert raw data to interval scores. Analyses
were done by t-test, Pearson correlation, and Hierarchical regression statistics.
The response rate was 100% (UM=132, NUS=76). Personality trait Agreeableness
(mean=0.30) was significantly more prevalent among UM than NUS students
(mean=0.15, p=0.016). In NUS, Neuroticism (mean=0.36) was significantly more
prevalent than in UM (mean=0.14, p=0.002). The DES mean score was higher
among NUS (mean=0.23) than UM students (mean=0.07). In UM, Neuroticism
was significantly correlated with stress levels (r=0.338, p<0.001). In NUS, these
were Neuroticism (r=0.278, p=0.015), Agreeableness (r=0.250, p=0.029) and Conscientiousness
(r=-0.242, p=0.035) personality traits. The correlation was strongest
for personality trait Neuroticism in both schools. Hierarchical regression analysis
showed that gender and Neuroticism were significant predictors for students’
stress levels (p<0.05) with the latter exerting a bigger effect size (R2=0.18) than
gender (R2=004). This study showed that gender and Neuroticism personality
trait were significant predictors for stress levels among selected groups of dental
students in Southeast Asia. Information on students’ personality may be useful in
new students’ intake, stress management counseling and future program reviews.