Direct and Indirect Effect of Personality Traits on Hope: The Mediating Role of Academic Motivation

The present study sought to investigate the possible correlation between big five personality traits and hope, considering academic motivation as the mediating variable. This research was a correlation study with a structural equation model design. The population included all bachelor students in Yasouj University, among whom 343 students were chosen (147 male and 196 female), by multi-stage random cluster sampling. The participants filled in three questionnaires as follows: The Big Five Inventory (BFI-44), Situational Motivational Scale and the Hope Scale. Cronbach's alpha was used to check the reliability of the research data. Results showed an appropriate reliability for these scales. The path analysis was run as a statistical technique for analysing a data Path Analysis results suggested that neuroticism had both negative direct and indirect effects on hope. In addition, openness to experience, conscientiousness and extraversion exerted both positive direct and indirect effects on hope through the mediating role of amotivation, integrated and intrinsic motivation. This study indicated that academic motivation plays a mediating role in the relationship between personality traits and hope. The findings indicate that the presented model is appropriate for explaining how personality traits affect hope.