THE RELATIONSHIP OF EMPLOYEE’S PERSONALITY TRAITS AND COPING STRATEGIES WITH PERCEIVED STRESS IN COVID-19 PANDEMIC

Infectious disease epidemics such as the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) are associated with physical, mental, and social problems and negatively affects mental health. Contextual factors and personality traits can affect individuals’ ability to use coping strategies to cope with stress and maintain health during the COVID-19 pandemic. The present study aimed to determine the relationship between employee’s personality traits and coping strategies with perceived stress in Covid 19 pandemic.

This descriptive, cross-sectional and correlational study was conducted in 2020. Participants were 297 administrative staff selected from Qom University of Medical Sciences using convenience sampling. Study tools were a demographic questionnaire, the Big Five Factors questionnaire, and a questionnaire on coping strategies for stress during the COVID-19 pandemic. Data were analyzed in the SPSS software v. 22.0 using Pearson’s correlation analysis and the multiple linear regression analysis.

Extraversion, neuroticism, and conscientiousness personality traits were the significant predictors of emotion-focused coping strategy (P < 0.05), and extraversion and conscientiousness personality traits were the significant predictors of rational problem-focused and social involvement coping strategies (P < 0.05).

Management of some of the personality traits in employees can improve individuals’ coping with stress and their mental health.