Analysis of Personality Traits Influencing the Cognitive Domain

Abstract

[Purpose] Focusing on students’ personality and emotionality, we analyzed the factors affecting their academic ability. [Subjects] The subjects were 290 first to fourth year students of a physical therapy training school: 164 males, 126 females, average age 20.69±2.78 years. [Method] We investigated the relationship between semester examination results and psychological tests such as the SDS, Profile of Mood States (POMS) and the Goldberg checklist. [Results] The total scores of POMS subscales, Depression and Confusion, had a tendency to increase with academic year. Also, there was a tendency for the Vigor scores of students with academic results in the lower half to be low. Among the Goldberg checklist items, the factor distinguishing academic ability was Diligence, and in structural equation modeling analysis, the scores of three items, Pragmatism, Thoroughness, and Planning Ability, of repeaters were low. [Conclusion] The results suggest that the academic performance of students in the lower half is not an issue related to examinations or clinical training, but rather that personality factors related to comprehending the situation and problem-solving abilities are involved.