PERSONALITY FACTORS AND FORGIVENESS AS PREDICTORS OF PSYCHOLOGICAL WELL BEING AMONG UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS

Abstract

The study investigated personality factors and forgiveness as predictors of psychological well being among undergraduate students. A total of 284 participants comprising 144 females (51%) and 140 males (49%), within the age range of 19 to 26 years, (M=22.18; SD= 1.79). They were selected making use of simple random sampling techniques, from the population of undergraduate students from the Faculty of Management Sciences (N= 131; 46%) and Faculty of Education (N=153; 54%), Enugu State University of Science and technology (ESUT). A 44-items Big Five Inventory (Costa & McCrae, 1992); 18 items Heartland Forgiveness Scale (Thompson et al., 2005) and 18-item psychological wellbeing scale (Ryff, 1989) were used in the study. Correlational design was adopted while Hierarchical Multiple Regression result revealed that personality factors (Opennes, ? = .57, t = 8.43, at P > .01; Conscientiousness, ? = .39, t = 3.53, at P > .01; Agreeableness, ? = .21, t = 1.90, at P > .05; Neuroticism, ? = -.37, t = -8.01, at P > .01) significantly predicted psychological wellbeing. While Extraversion (? = .08, t = .70, at P < .05) did not significantly predict psychological wellbeing among undergraduate students. Also, forgiveness (self, ? = .26, t = 3.00, at P > .01); others (? = .36, t = 3.80, at P > .01); and situations (? = .37, t = 3.22, at P > .05) significantly predicted psychological wellbeing among undergraduate students. The findings were discussed in view of literature reviewed and recommendations were made.   Keywords: Personality, Forgiveness, Psychological wellbeing, Undergraduate, Students