The Mediation Effect of Coping Style on the Relations between Personality and Life Satisfaction in Chinese Adolescents

Abstract

Previous findings showed the associations between each of the Big Five personality trait and adolescents’ life satisfaction were different. Some traits (extraversion and neuroticism) correlated with adolescents’ life satisfaction, while other traits did not have the same associations with adolescents’ life satisfaction. In order to explain why the Big Five traits differed in their associations with adolescents’ life satisfaction, the present study verified the relations between each of the Big Five personality traits and life satisfaction, and demonstrated the mediating effects of coping style on the relations between these personality traits and life satisfaction in a sample of 2,357 Chinese adolescents. The results demonstrated that four of the Big Five personality traits (extraversion, agreeableness, conscientiousness, and neuroticism) had significant associations with life satisfaction. Further, coping style partially mediated the relations between these four traits and life satisfaction, whereas coping style fully mediated the relation between openness to new experience and life satisfaction. The results implied a plausible explanation for why the Big Five traits differed in their associations with life satisfaction found among the previous literature: that there might be some partial or full mediation variables (such as coping style in this study) left unexamined. Theoretical and practical implications of this study on further research and educational practice are discussed.

Resilience matters: Explaining the association between personality and psychological functioning during the COVID-19 pandemic

“…According to our findings, extraversion had only a direct effect on subjective well-being, which could be attributed to a higher temperamental susceptibility and stronger positive reactions of individuals high in extraversion to potential rewards in different situations and thus to more frequent experiences of positive emotions that represent an important component of subjective well-being ( Heidemeier & Göritz, 2016 ). However, extraversion may also influence subjective well-being through other possible mediators, not investigated in the present study (e.g., coping strategies; Xu et al, 2017 ). Overall, the strongest total effect on subjective well-being was observed for neuroticism, with direct and indirect negative effects both significant.…”

Big Five Personality Traits and Life Satisfaction: The Mediating Role of Religiosity

“…In fact, neuroticism alludes to individual differences in negative responses to threats (Lahey 2009), extraversion refers to positive emotions (Lucas et al 2008), openness involves attentiveness to inner feelings (Koenig et al 2012), agreeableness shapes social attitudes through trust and modesty (Costa et al 1991), and conscientiousness expresses the need for achievement and commitment (Costa et al 1991). Xu et al (2017) found a similar pattern of results. However, based on a meta-analysis of 2142 correlation coefficients derived from 347 samples, Steel et al (2008) concluded that only neuroticism, extraversion, agreeableness, and consciousness were significantly related to all subjective well-being facets measured.…”

“…However, based on a meta-analysis of 2142 correlation coefficients derived from 347 samples, Steel et al (2008) concluded that only neuroticism, extraversion, agreeableness, and consciousness were significantly related to all subjective well-being facets measured. Some other researchers (Heidemeier and Göritz 2016;Joshanloo and Afshari 2011;Stolarski and Matthews 2016;Xu et al 2017) indicated that openness to new experiences appears to be a rather weak and inconsistent correlate and/or predictor of life satisfaction. Moreover, the literature relevant to the assessment of the relationship between personality and satisfaction through regression analysis shows that personality has a strong influence on life satisfaction (Schimmack et al 2004), hedonic balance and subjective well-being (Costa and McCrae 1980).…”

“…According to Heidemeier and Göritz (2016), the Big Five personality traits may show different relationships with life satisfaction depending on individual differences. Another explanation of different associations between both variables is the presence of mediating or moderating mechanisms that link personality and subjective well-being (Xu et al 2017). Among factors investigated, more often there have been: age and gender (Steel et al 2008), self-esteem (Joshanloo and Afshari 2011;Weidmann et al 2017), emotion regulation (Vater and Schröder-Abé 2015), gratitude or coping styles (Xu et al 2017).…”

“…Another explanation of different associations between both variables is the presence of mediating or moderating mechanisms that link personality and subjective well-being (Xu et al 2017). Among factors investigated, more often there have been: age and gender (Steel et al 2008), self-esteem (Joshanloo and Afshari 2011;Weidmann et al 2017), emotion regulation (Vater and Schröder-Abé 2015), gratitude or coping styles (Xu et al 2017). However, as Chukwuorji et al (2018) pointed out, religiosity, which is viewed as motivational in nature, cannot be omitted from mediators of well-being.…”