Background: Personality traits, defined as an organized set of relatively stable and enduring characteristics that distinguish one individual from others, can influence anxiety levels.Objectives: Given the role and importance of personality traits and anxiety among students, the present study aimed to determine the relationship between personality traits and state-trait anxiety in students at Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences in Yazd City, Iran.Methods: This study employed a correlational, cross-sectional design. The study population consisted of ۳۸۹ students selected through proportional stratified sampling from various faculties. Data were collected using two standard questionnaires. To assess participants' personality profiles, the Bass Questionnaire was utilized, which measures dimensions such as fair-mindedness, bravery, and introversion. Anxiety levels were evaluated using the STAI (State-Trait Anxiety Inventory), encompassing both state and trait anxiety subscales. Data analysis was performed using SPSS۲۶, utilizing descriptive statistics (mean and standard deviation). To examine the relationships between personality dimensions and anxiety levels, Spearman's rank correlation coefficient was employed, as the data did not meet the assumptions of normality.Results: The mean scores for personality traits and state-trait anxiety were ۷۴.۶۷ ± ۱۱.۱۳ and ۱۱۳.۷۴ ± ۱۱.۶۱, respectively. A significant correlation was observed only between the overall mean score of personality traits and gender (P = ۰.۰۲۱) and marital status (P = ۰.۰۱۹). Students' personality traits leaned more towards being conscientious, exhibiting fairness, and a tendency to respect the rights of others.
Trait anxiety was more evident than state anxiety among students. Regarding state and trait anxiety, the mean scores indicated moderate to high levels of both manifested and hidden anxiety. In general, a significant negative relationship was observed between state-trait anxiety and personality traits (r = −۰.۱۵۸, P = ۰.۰۰۲).Conclusion: Personality traits can play a significant role in the onset and severity of anxiety in students. Therefore, identifying the personality type of each student using personality typing tests, which can determine the appropriate type of counseling for that individual, followed by organizing specialized counseling sessions for vulnerable personality types, is considered an important step.
