The Relationship Between Personality Traits, Resilience And Somatic Symptoms Through The Covid-19 Pandemic

Main Article Content

Greta Imeri , Florim Gallopeni , Donjeta Gashi , Bujar Obertinca

Abstract

Introduction: The Covid-19 pandemic has significantly affected the emotional, mental and behavioral sphere endangering the psychological well-being of individuals. The aim of this study, therefore, is to examine the relationship between personality traits according to the Big Five model with resilience and somatic symptoms, with a focus on the local context during the COVID-19 pandemic period. Specifically, the aim of the study is to create a model in which the relationship and influence of personality traits on somatic symptoms is described, mediated by resilience.


Methodology: for the purposes of this study, a total sample of 200 respondents from the Kosovar population, aged 18-59 years, was used. The method used in this research is the survey method, through self-report questionnaires. Due to the pandemic conditions in Kosovo, data collection was carried out in two methods, in physical form and in online form through google forms. Personality Inventory (BFI), used to classify personality traits, Short Residence Inventory (BRS), used to measure respondents' level of resilience, the World Health Organization (WHO) Welfare Index (WHO-5) is used to measure the general psychological well-being of the respondents, while the Adult Self-Reporting Questionnaire (ASR) was used to identify the somatic symptoms of the respondents. This research is quantitative with correlational design.


Results: The results of this study were analyzed through the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) and the statistical program R. The study presents a significant correlation between personality traits such as extraversion and neuroticism with resilience and somatic symptoms. At the same time, this research presents a significant correlation between the construct of resilience and somatic symptoms. The study also provides data on gender differences in the level of resilience, with men reporting a higher level of resilience than women. Another finding of the study shows that there is also a significant correlation between resilience and the general level of psychological well-being of respondents during the pandemic period. The study also highlights the part of the mediation model in which resilience has been found to be a significant mediating factor in the relationship between personality traits and somatic symptoms. Conclusion: the findings highlighted that resilience is a significant mediating factor in the relationship between personality traits and somatic symptoms.

Article Details

Section
Articles