Personality traits, self-compassion and irrational beliefs: A quantitative study among university students

Abstract

In the present study the association between three variables Personality Traits, Irrational Beliefs, and Self-compassion was investigated. To explore whether personality traits predicted irrational beliefs among university students and identify the contribution of selfcompassion in this relationship, data was collected from 400 (36% Male, and 64% Female) university students across Islamabad-Pakistan from different university sectors (Private, Government and semi-government), educational levels and socioeconomic backgrounds. It was hypothesized that open-mindedness, extraversion, agreeableness and conscientiousness will have a significant positive relation with self-compassion and will have a significant negative relation with irrational beliefs. As well as it was hypothesized that negative emotionality will have a significant negative relation with self- compassion and will have a significant positive relation with irrational beliefs. The results revealed a positive correlation between self-compassion and Extraversion, Agreeableness, Open-mindedness and Conscientiousness, while Negative emotionality had a negative correlation. Negative emotionality also predicted Total Irrationality and had a positive relationship with it. The study further interpreted the meaning behind the relationships, and concluded its findings.