PERSONALITY TRAITS AND MENTAL HEALTH; THE MODERATING ROLE OF STRESS AMONG CIVIL SERVANTS IN NASARAWA STATE, NORTH CENTRAL, NIGERIA

Abstract

ABSTRACT

This study examined the relationship between personality traits and mental health among civil servants, with particular emphasis on the moderating role of stress. The increasing prevalence of workplace stress and mental health challenges within public service institutions has generated growing concern regarding employees’ psychological well-being and organizational productivity. The study adopted a quantitative research design using a survey method to investigate how personality dimensions influence mental health outcomes among civil servants and whether stress significantly moderates this relationship. The population of the study comprised 436 civil servants drawn from selected public sector establishments. Participants had a mean age score of 1.970 and a standard deviation of 0.5061, indicating moderate variability within the age categories represented in the sample. Data were collected using standardized instruments measuring personality traits, perceived stress, and mental health indicators. PROCESS macro analysis was employed to analyze the data and test the study hypotheses. The findings revealed that personality traits significantly influenced the mental health of civil servants. Specifically, adaptive personality characteristics were associated with better psychological well-being, while maladaptive traits showed negative associations with mental health outcomes. Furthermore, stress was found to significantly moderate the relationship between personality traits and mental health, suggesting that high levels of stress weaken positive mental health outcomes even among individuals with favorable personality dispositions. The study concluded that stress plays a critical role in shaping the interaction between personality and mental health among civil servants. It therefore recommended the implementation of stress management programs, workplace counseling services, and organizational support systems aimed at improving employees’ psychological well-being and enhancing productivity within the public sector.

Keywords: Personality Traits, Mental Health, Stress, Moderation.