The moderating role of personality type in the relationship between psychological reaction and preventive behavior of Covid 19

The spread of Covid 19 led to quarantine at home and the closure of many recreational and educational centers, which negatively affected people’s mental health and led to various psychological reactions. It also affected preventive behaviors. The aim of this study was the moderating role of personality type in the relationship between psychological response and preventive behavior of the corona.

In this descriptive-correlational study, 200 students from different universities across the country were selected by convenience sampling method. Participants responded online (WhatsApp& Telegram) to the subscales of the 60-item Neo Questionnaire, the Hong & Fada Psychological Response Questionnaire (1996), and the researcher-made preventive behavior. Data analysis was performed using SPSS version 25 and linear regression analysis.

The results showed that there is a direct and significant relationship between psychological response and preventive behavior ( p <0.001 , β = -0.443). However, personality traits of conscientiousness (p = 0.001, β = 0.952), resilience (p <0.001, β = 0.037), neuroticism (p <0.001, β = - 0.039) and openness to experience (p <0.001, β = 0.931) were able to moderate this relationship and cause Increased preventive behavior in individuals, but the characteristic of extroversion did not play a role in the relationship between psychological reaction and preventive behavior.

There is a need for educational and therapeutic interventions to reduce psychological problems and strengthen positive psychological characteristics to combat Covid 19 disease.