The Causal Relationship between Personality Traits and Academic Performance with Mediating Role of Study Strategies in Students

This study aimed to investigate the causal relationship between personality traits and academic performance with mediating role of study strategies in students of Farhangian university of Khuzestan. The study population included all of the students of Farhangian University in the academic year of 1392-93. From this population, nine classrooms (214 students) were selected as sample, using clustering sampling method. The research instruments in this study were NEO Personality Inventory (NEO-FFI), Approaches to Study and Skills Inventory for Students (ASSIST) and grade point average of students. For analysing data, the AMOS-16 was used. Results showed that openness and conscientiousness, by pushing students to deep study approach, promote academic performance. The agreeableness, by adopting a strategic study approach in students, improves academic performance. In addition, the findings indicate the positive relationship of trait neuroticism with both the surface study approach and the low academic performance of students. In general, the results showed that personality traits, both directly and indirectly through study strategies, associated with academic performance.