Personality Characteristics of Dental Students in Relation to their Academic Performance

This cross sectional descriptive study was carried out to explore the relationship between the personality variables and academic performance of dental student. The study population was dental students. Study was carried out at one government and three non-government dental colleges. Sample size was 200 and sampling technique was purposive. Data was collected by self administered structured questionnaire. Academic performance data for each respondent were collected throughout the one academic year (2 nd year) in dental students ’ files. It was measured by two term examination marks of four subjects based on 1 hour 30 minutes written exams. Personality of dental student was assessed through the Big Five Inventory (BFI). This well-established questionnaire was a 44-item measure of the Big Five personality factors: Extraversion, Agreeableness, Conscientiousness, Neuroticism, and Openness. The self administered items involve questions about typical behaviours or reactions, which was answered on a five-point Likert scale. This study revealed that there was no statistically significant relationship between student’s personality characteristics and academic performance of dental students. Extraversion, neuroticism and openness had negative correlation with academic performance though it was not statistically significant. So, for better performance afore mention factors should be minimized as much as possible