Gender-stratified associations between resilience dimensions and big five personality traits among emerging adult college students in India.
- 1Assistant Professor, Department of Psychology, Acharya Narendra Dev Nagar Nigam Mahila Mahavidyalaya, Kanpur Affiliated with C.S.J.M. University, Kanpur, 208012, India. [email protected].
- 2M.A. Student, Department of Psychology, Acharya Narendra Dev Nagar Nigam Mahila Mahavidyalaya, Kanpur Affiliated with C.S.J.M. University, Kanpur, 208012, India.
- 3Research Scholar, Department of Psychology, Acharya Narendra Dev Nagar Nigam Mahila Mahavidyalaya, Kanpur Affiliated with C.S.J.M. University, Kanpur, 208012, India.
Abstract
Background
Emerging adulthood is a developmental stage marked by identity exploration, psychosocial transitions, and heightened vulnerability to stress. Resilience and personality traits are important for adaptive functioning during this period; however, limited research has examined their multidimensional associations in Indian emerging adults, particularly in relation to how these traits influence coping strategies and overall mental health outcomes during this critical developmental stage.Objective
This study examined the relationships between multidimensional resilience and Big Five personality traits among emerging adult college students, with a focus on gender differences in resilience and personality dimensions.Methods
A descriptive cross-sectional correlational design was used with 335 college students (170 females, 165 males) aged 20-25 years from Kanpur Nagar, India. Participants were selected using disproportionate stratified random sampling. Personality traits were assessed using the Big Five Inventory-10 (BFI-10), and resilience was measured using the Multidimensional Scale of Resilience-Hindi (MDRS-H). Data were analysed using descriptive statistics, independent-samples t-tests, Pearson's correlations, and regression analysis.Results
Significant gender differences were observed across several resilience dimensions and personality traits. Females scored higher on internal locus of control, forgiveness, sociability, and agreeableness, whereas males scored higher on emotional maturity, extraversion, neuroticism, openness to experience, total personality, and overall resilience. Gender-stratified analyses indicated distinct associations between resilience dimensions and personality traits among males and females. Total resilience was positively associated with overall personality traits in both genders. Among females, assertiveness was positively associated with extraversion, sociability was negatively associated with neuroticism, and hardiness was positively associated with openness to experience. Among males, self-acceptance, humour, and assertiveness were associated with extraversion; forgiveness and emotional maturity were associated with agreeableness; and self-acceptance was associated with openness to experience. Effect sizes were modest.Conclusion
Resilience dimensions were selectively associated with personality traits, and these associations varied across gender. Although some gender differences were observed in specific resilience dimensions and personality traits, the findings emphasise the multidimensional nature of resilience and personality during emerging adulthood. The study highlights the importance of culturally contextualised approaches to understanding psychological adaptation and supports the need for longitudinal research to further examine developmental patterns linking resilience and personality.
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BibTeX
@article{verma2026genderstratified,
title = {{Gender-stratified associations between resilience dimensions and big five personality traits among emerging adult college students in India.}},
author = {Shikha Verma and Nikita Singh and Ritika Bajpai and Indu Singh},
journal = {Discover mental health},
year = {2026},
month = jul,
doi = {10.1007/s44192-026-00542-0},
url = {https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42905340},
note = {CC BY-NC-ND},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Gender-stratified associations between resilience dimensions and big five personality traits among emerging adult college students in India.
AU - Shikha Verma
AU - Nikita Singh
AU - Ritika Bajpai
AU - Indu Singh
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/07/01
JO - Discover mental health
DO - 10.1007/s44192-026-00542-0
UR - https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42905340
AB - Background Emerging adulthood is a developmental stage marked by identity exploration, psychosocial transitions, and heightened vulnerability to stress. Resilience and personality traits are important for adaptive functioning during this period; however, limited research has examined their multidimensional associations in Indian emerging adults, particularly in relation to how these traits influence coping strategies and overall mental health outcomes during this critical developmental stage.Objective This study examined the relationships between multidimensional resilience and Big Five personality traits among emerging adult college students, with a focus on gender differences in resilience and personality dimensions.Methods A descriptive cross-sectional correlational design was used with 335 college students (170 females, 165 males) aged 20-25 years from Kanpur Nagar, India. Participants were selected using disproportionate stratified random sampling. Personality traits were assessed using the Big Five Inventory-10 (BFI-10), and resilience was measured using the Multidimensional Scale of Resilience-Hindi (MDRS-H). Data were analysed using descriptive statistics, independent-samples t-tests, Pearson's correlations, and regression analysis.Results Significant gender differences were observed across several resilience dimensions and personality traits. Females scored higher on internal locus of control, forgiveness, sociability, and agreeableness, whereas males scored higher on emotional maturity, extraversion, neuroticism, openness to experience, total personality, and overall resilience. Gender-stratified analyses indicated distinct associations between resilience dimensions and personality traits among males and females. Total resilience was positively associated with overall personality traits in both genders. Among females, assertiveness was positively associated with extraversion, sociability was negatively associated with neuroticism, and hardiness was positively associated with openness to experience. Among males, self-acceptance, humour, and assertiveness were associated with extraversion; forgiveness and emotional maturity were associated with agreeableness; and self-acceptance was associated with openness to experience. Effect sizes were modest.Conclusion Resilience dimensions were selectively associated with personality traits, and these associations varied across gender. Although some gender differences were observed in specific resilience dimensions and personality traits, the findings emphasise the multidimensional nature of resilience and personality during emerging adulthood. The study highlights the importance of culturally contextualised approaches to understanding psychological adaptation and supports the need for longitudinal research to further examine developmental patterns linking resilience and personality.
SN - 2731-4383
ER -