Volume 5, Issue 1 (February 2026)
Health Science Monitor 2026, 5(1): 55-61 |
Back to browse issues page
Download citation:
BibTeX | RIS | EndNote | Medlars | ProCite | Reference Manager | RefWorks
Send citation to:
BibTeX | RIS | EndNote | Medlars | ProCite | Reference Manager | RefWorks
Send citation to:
Beigzadeh A, Seyed Askari S M. The Relationship Between Personality Dimensions and Psychological Distress Among Nurses in Private Hospitals: A Cross-Sectional Study in Kerman City, Iran, in 2020-2022. Health Science Monitor 2026; 5 (1) :55-61
URL: http://hsm.umsu.ac.ir/article-1-242-en.html
URL: http://hsm.umsu.ac.ir/article-1-242-en.html
e Research Center, Institute of Neuropharmacology, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran
Abstract: (24 Views)
Background Psychological distress can significantly impair emotional functioning and affect multiple domains of daily life. The high prevalence of mental health challenges and psychological distress has important implications for individual, familial, social, and organizational functioning, particularly within the nursing profession. Nurses are routinely exposed to substantial occupational stressors and emotional demands. This study aimed to examine the relationship between personality dimensions and psychological distress among nurses working in private hospitals in Kerman.
Methods This cross-sectional study used a descriptive correlational design. Data collection was conducted over approximately 1.5 years, from late 2020 to 2022, with delays attributable to COVID-19 health protocol restrictions. The study population included all nurses employed in private hospitals in Kerman (n=232). Based on Morgan’s sampling table, 142 nurses were selected using a simple random sampling method. Data were collected through in-person questionnaire administration during work shifts. Psychological distress was assessed using the Oxford Liverpool Inventory of Feelings and Experiences (O-LIFE, 14 items), and personality traits were measured using Goldberg’s Big Five Personality Questionnaire (50 items). Statistical analyses were performed using SPSS software, version 26. Associations were examined using Spearman correlation coefficients and multiple regression analysis.
Results Of the participants, 88 (61.97%) were female and 54 (38.03%) were male. The mean (SD) age was 39.8 (8.6) years for female nurses and 41.5 (5.2) years for male nurses. Significant associations were observed between psychological distress and all five personality dimensions. Psychological distress was positively correlated with neuroticism (r=0.250, p<0.001) and openness to experience (r=0.308, p<0.001), and negatively correlated with extraversion (r=−0.234, p<0.001), agreeableness (r=−0.251, p<0.001), and conscientiousness (r=−0.522, p<0.001). Multiple regression analysis showed that these personality traits collectively explained 43% of the variance in psychological distress (R²=0.43, F=19.26, p<0.001).
Conclusion This study demonstrated significant associations between personality traits and psychological distress among nurses. The findings highlight the importance of assessing personality characteristics to identify individuals at increased risk of psychological distress. The results also support the development of targeted interventions focusing on strengthening self-efficacy, psychological resilience, and coping strategies to reduce psychological distress in nursing populations.
Methods This cross-sectional study used a descriptive correlational design. Data collection was conducted over approximately 1.5 years, from late 2020 to 2022, with delays attributable to COVID-19 health protocol restrictions. The study population included all nurses employed in private hospitals in Kerman (n=232). Based on Morgan’s sampling table, 142 nurses were selected using a simple random sampling method. Data were collected through in-person questionnaire administration during work shifts. Psychological distress was assessed using the Oxford Liverpool Inventory of Feelings and Experiences (O-LIFE, 14 items), and personality traits were measured using Goldberg’s Big Five Personality Questionnaire (50 items). Statistical analyses were performed using SPSS software, version 26. Associations were examined using Spearman correlation coefficients and multiple regression analysis.
Results Of the participants, 88 (61.97%) were female and 54 (38.03%) were male. The mean (SD) age was 39.8 (8.6) years for female nurses and 41.5 (5.2) years for male nurses. Significant associations were observed between psychological distress and all five personality dimensions. Psychological distress was positively correlated with neuroticism (r=0.250, p<0.001) and openness to experience (r=0.308, p<0.001), and negatively correlated with extraversion (r=−0.234, p<0.001), agreeableness (r=−0.251, p<0.001), and conscientiousness (r=−0.522, p<0.001). Multiple regression analysis showed that these personality traits collectively explained 43% of the variance in psychological distress (R²=0.43, F=19.26, p<0.001).
Conclusion This study demonstrated significant associations between personality traits and psychological distress among nurses. The findings highlight the importance of assessing personality characteristics to identify individuals at increased risk of psychological distress. The results also support the development of targeted interventions focusing on strengthening self-efficacy, psychological resilience, and coping strategies to reduce psychological distress in nursing populations.
Keywords: Cross-Sectional Studies, Hospitals, Iran, Nurses, Personality, Private, Psychological, Stress
Type of Study: Research Article |
Subject:
General
Received: 2025/05/31 | Accepted: 2026/02/3 | Published: 2026/02/11
Received: 2025/05/31 | Accepted: 2026/02/3 | Published: 2026/02/11
References
1. Labrague LJ, De los Santos JAA. COVID‐19 anxiety among front‐line nurses: Predictive role of organisational support, personal resilience and social support. J Nurs Manag. 2020;28(7):1653-61. [DOI:10.1111/jonm.13121] [PMID] [PMCID]
2. Foster K, Shochet I, Shakespeare-Finch J, Maybery D, Bui MV, Gordon I, et al. Promoting resilience in mental health nurses: A partially clustered randomised controlled trial. Int J Nurs Stud. 2024;159:104865. [DOI] [PMID]
3. Goudarzian AH, Nikbakht Nasrabadi A, Sharif-Nia H, Farhadi B, Navab E. Exploring the concept and management strategies of caring stress among clinical nurses: a scoping review. Front Psychiatry. 2024;15:1337938. [DOI] [PMID] [PMCID]
4. Dubazana SE. Experiences of Emergency Department Nurses with Occupational Stress and their Coping Mechanisms at Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic Hospital: University of Johannesburg (South Africa); 2022. [Google Scholar]
5. Seyed Askari SM, Kamyabi M, Beigzadeh A, Narimisa F. The relationship between personality features and psychosocial distress among nurses of Shafa hospital in Kerman. Iranian Journal of Psychiatric Nursing. 2018;5(6):53-60. [DOI]
6. Sangwan N. Exploring the big five theory: Unveiling the dynamics and dimensions of personality. Sports Science & Health Advances. 2023;1(2):73-7. [DOI]
7. Pilch I, Wardawy P, Probierz E. The predictors of adaptive and maladaptive coping behavior during the COVID-19 pandemic: The Protection Motivation Theory and the Big Five personality traits. PLoS One. 2021;16(10):e0258606. [DOI] [PMID] [PMCID]
8. Salmani B, HASANI J, ARIANNA KE. Evaluating the role of personality traits (Consciousness, agreeableness and sensation seeking) in risky behaviors. 2014. [Google Scholar]
9. Anglim J, Horwood S, Smillie LD, Marrero RJ, Wood JK. Predicting psychological and subjective well-being from personality: A meta-analysis. Psychol Bull. 2020;146(4):279. [DOI] [PMID] [PMCID]
10. Mangal S, Mangal S. COGNITIVE PSYCHOLOGY: PHI Learning Pvt. Ltd.; 2024. [DOI]
11. Folkman S, Moskowitz JT. Coping: Pitfalls and promise. Annu Rev Psychol. 2004;55(1):745-74. [DOI] [PMID]
12. Soto CJ, Jackson JJ. Five-factor model of personality. Journal of Research in Personality. 2013;42:1285-302. [DOI]
13. Goldberg LR. The structure of phenotypic personality traits. Am Psychol. 1993;48(1):26. [DOI] [PMID]
14. Teixeira S, Ferré-Grau C, Canut TL, Pires R, Carvalho JC, Ribeiro I, et al. Positive mental health in university students and its relations with psychological vulnerability, mental health literacy, and sociodemographic characteristics: a descriptive correlational study. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2022;19(6):3185. [DOI] [PMID] [PMCID]
15. Costa PT. The revised NEO personality Inventory (NEO PI-R) professional manual. (No Title). 1992. [Google Scholar]
16. Moor C, Zimprich D, Schmitt M, Kliegel M. Personality, aging self-perceptions, and subjective health: A mediation model. Int J Aging Hum Dev. 2006;63(3):241-57. [DOI] [PMID]
17. Hajizadeh A, Kakemam E, Arab-Zozani M, Najafpoor Z, Dargahi H, Saeidpour J. Turnover intention among nurses in Iranian hospitals: a systematic review and meta-analysis. BMC Nurs. 2025;24(1):166. [DOI] [PMID] [PMCID]
18. Adib-Hajbaghery M, Khamechian M, Alavi NM. Nurses' perception of occupational stress and its influencing factors: A qualitative study. Iran J Nurs Midwifery Res. 2012;17(5):352-9. [DOI]
19. Gow AJ, Whiteman MC, Pattie A, Deary IJ. Goldberg's 'IPIP'Big-Five factor markers: Internal consistency and concurrent validation in Scotland. Pers Individ Dif. 2005;39(2):317-29. [DOI]
20. Mason O, Claridge G. The Oxford-Liverpool Inventory of Feelings and Experiences (O-LIFE): further description and extended norms. Schizophr Res. 2006;82(2-3):203-11. [DOI] [PMID]
21. Yaghoubi H, Mohammadzadeh A. Validation of the Oxford-Liverpool inventory of feelings and experiences (O-LIFE) questionnaire. Zahedan Journal of Research in Medical Sciences. 2012;14(9). [Google Scholar]
22. Claridge G, Broks P. Schizotypy and hemisphere function-I: Theoretical considerations and the measurement of schizotypy. Personality and Individual Differences. 1984;5(6):633-48. [DOI]
23. Babakus E, Yavas U, Ashill NJ. The role of customer orientation as a moderator of the job demand-burnout-performance relationship: A surface-level trait perspective. Journal of retailing. 2009;85(4):480-92. [DOI]
24. Goodwin RD, Friedman HS. Health status and the five-factor personality traits in a nationally representative sample. J Health Psychol. 2006;11(5):643-54. [DOI] [PMID]
25. Wood AM, Joseph S, Maltby J. Gratitude predicts psychological well-being above the Big Five facets. Pers Individ Dif. 2009;46(4):443-7. [DOI]
26. Swickert RJ, Hittner JB, Foster A. Big Five traits interact to predict perceived social support. Pers Individ Dif. 2010;48(6):736-41. [DOI]
27. Costa PT, McCrae RR. The revised neo personality inventory (neo-pi-r). The SAGE handbook of personality theory and assessment. 2008;2(2):179-98. [DOI]
Send email to the article author
| Rights and permissions | |
 |
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License. |
Contact Information
Address: Urmia University of Medical Sciences, Jahad Ave., Urmia, I.R. Iran.
Post code: 57147-83734. P.O. Box. 1138
Email: healthsciencemonitor
gmail.com
hsmumsu.ac.ir
Tel / Fax: +984431937415/+984432240642
