Research Proposal: Neuroticism, Stress and Self-efficacy

Neuroticism, Stress and Self-efficacy

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Abstract

This paper aims to investigate whether people who rank high on neuroticism and low on self-efficacy will score higher on the perceived stress scale. The task has been based on arguments from scholars and psychologists, random cross-sectional studies in learning institutions, and the filling of questionnaires by people. A correlational study proved that there is a positive relationship between self-efficacy and neuroticism and a negative one in the perceived stress scale and neuroticism.

Neuroticism, Stress and Self-efficacy

Introduction

Preliminary, the topic is about the relationship that is exhibited when looking at neuroticism, self-efficacy, and perceived stress scale. This is because they tend to exhibit different patterns where a positive or negative relationship may be exhibited respectively depending on what is being compared. In this case, the topic investigates whether people who rank high on neuroticism and low self-efficacy will score higher on the perceived stress scale.

The argument is considered to be diverse and there is a need for further research in that neuroticism and self-efficacy are complex and tend to change in humans over time.

Exhibiting a large and complex pattern of neuroticism and self-efficacy gives room for research to be conducted to ascertain how these personal traits relate to show the scores in the perceived stress scale when either of the personal traits is altered.

Literature Review

Neuroticism

Neuroticism can be termed as a personal trait that is derived from traits associated with the Big Five personality. The personality trait looks at how nervous or sensitive people can be when compared to the general population ((Robins 1981). People who score higher in neuroticism will often exhibit negative emotions like fear, frustration, and depression brought about by mental conditions like perceived stress, anxiety, and depression. A person exhibiting a score in neuroticism will be seen to be more emotionally stable and confident. This can lead to an assumption that neuroticism relates strongly to negative emotions and pathology when compared to other personalities.

Eysenck's personality theory, neuroticism, exhibit a low tolerance for aversive stimuli and stress. Sibley and Mijlev further show that neuroticism tends to change over time in that older people exhibit neuroticism that is of lower levels when compared to younger people. Moreover, a me-ta study asserts that neuroticism exhibits a negative relationship that is strong with the social welfare hence denoting that neuroticism relates negatively to self-compassion.             Further research will, however, reveal that the relationship between self-efficacy and neuroticism is complex and needs further research (Fox 1999). The expected outcome though is that neuroticism and self-efficacy relate negatively as neuroticism exhibits negative emotions that clash with mindfulness and kindness. Neuroticism is therefore linked with emotions of loneliness that are negative hence bringing about perceived stress due to depression and fear.

Self-efficacy

The academic success achievement determined by personal determinants has facilitated many scholars over the last years to investigate thoroughly how neuroticism, stress, and self-efficacy relate. The main aim of educators and researchers is to find out the best predictors of performance by these scholars in the quest to develop potential in students who are talented in developing genuine interventions for students prone to fail (Rubenstein 2012). In this case, self-efficacy and personal traits have posed to be significant predictors of academic achievement. The core concern in this correlation is that if one's perception of stress is totally self-generated, then the perceptions lack objectivity and are considered weak to actual stressors exhibited in people's lives(Judge 1998). This critique tends to bring self-efficacy, and self-efficacy as personal traits correlating strongly with stress exhibited at all levels. This can be interpreted to mean that such scores may adversely reflect personality aspects as much as how stress is felt. Neuroticism and self-efficacy tend to asses stress over a short period of time whereas contemporary models of health hypothesize and stress argues that stressors that are exhibited throughout life are significant.

Previous research tends to illustrate the associations that are consistent between subjective stress perception and personality traits. This can further be illustrated in that agreeableness, extraversion, and conscientiousness are not related to the perception of stress. Neuroticism tends to predict that the higher the intensity of the stressor the lower the perceived stressor control. Agreeableness predicts a lower stressor intensity whereas conscientiousness tends to predict a perceived stressor that is higher.

Stress Perception

When researching English native parents, it has been deduced that there is a consistent association between subjective perception related to stress and personality stress. Although this is not that clear, consistency in literature about the negative associations between stress and self-efficacy would bring about moderation in the negative association between perceived stress and spousal support. This can be termed in the simple term that parents exhibiting low self—efficacy illustrated to have a strong association between stress and spousal support whereas parents possessing high self-efficacy have no association with spousal support and stress. (Thoits 1995)

Many factors would determine the responses of people to stress. This includes personality traits, chronic stress, the stressors representation, and motivation in coping with stress, the intensity of stress support that is socially perceived. How one copes with stress will affect the achievement of goals.

Generalized Self-efficacy (GSE)

This is a scale of self-efficacy that measures self-report. The validity of the General Self-Efficacy Scale tends to correlate with work, emotion, optimism, and emotion (Rosette 2005). The negative coefficients can be seen to be stress, anxiety, depression, burnout, and health complaints. It is therefore deduced that those who exhibit low self-efficacy will rank high on a perceived stress scale.

The total score can be calculated by summing up all the items. For Generalised Self-Efficacy, the sum total should range between 10 to 40 whereby a higher score indicates more self-efficacy. Statements and questions can, therefore, be of a higher or lower self-efficacy depending on the score obtained.

BIG FIVE INVENTORY (BFI)

Big Five Inventory in personality trait taxonomy based on a description of language. When the statistical technique is exhibited in personality survey data, it can be deduced that certain words used in describing personality-related aspects are usually applied in the same person. For instance, someone said to be conscientious is often termed to be ‘always prepared' than ‘untidy’. Therefore, this theory can be said to be an association of words and not as presumed in neuropsychological experiments. The theory leads to five dimensions that are used to describe the psyche and personality in humans (Azoulay 2003). They are Openness to experience, neuroticism, agreeableness, extraversion, and conscientiousness.

Perceived Social Support (PSS)

This is the experience of being cared about, loved by people, and valued by people in society. This can be friends, family community, or any other social group. This perceived social support (PSS) is always associated with younger people exhibiting lower depression though it is not very clear if relationships are moderated as a result of other factors. PSS relates significantly with neuroticism in that there is a positive relationship between depression scores and neuroticism and a relationship that is negative between depression scores and PSS. This is from a research survey of a university student of ages between (18-24). For respondents who were termed to be depressed and of sex-controlled age; PSS and neuroticism were crucial with those exhibiting high neuroticism. This cross-sectional study shows that PSS is important in protection against severe depression among people especially those posing high neuroticism levels. Neuroticism and self-efficacy, neuroticism and perceived stress, and perceived stress and self-efficacy tend to pose a relationship in the context that one of these personal traits influences the outcome of the other (Hobfol 2001).

Neuroticism and Self-efficacy

The study conducted in lower levels of learning examines the relationship between disorders and self-efficacy. Participants were supposed to fill in questionnaires of self-efficacy for a scale measuring depression, neuroticism, and symptoms of anxiety among children. It was deduced that high levels of neuroticism, depressive symptoms, and anxiety disorders symptoms are accompanied by low self-efficacy levels (Ianzu 2015). It was further deduced that certain self-efficacy domains are attributed to certain types of anxiety problems. This was that certain emotional self-emotional connects strongly to panic and anxiety, social phobia to social self-efficacy, and school phobia to academic efficacy. It was concluded that in controlling neuroticism, self-efficacy accounts for a smaller percentage but significant invariance of anxiety symptoms disorders and depression.

Neuroticism and Perceived Stress

In assessing stress, the individual demands are a result of his/her daily lifestyle, neuroticism, and life-event progress (Bunce 1995). These factors are intended to show aspects of the environment that are challenging, harmful, or threatening although they might be influenced strongly by the respondent's characteristics more so in neuroticism personality disposition.           High-dimensional individuals on this phenomenon view life as stressful, are dissatisfied, and stressed with social support hence exhibit low psychological farewell and always complain. The relationship between these variables is brought about by common neuroticism rather than the whole process of coping with stress(Folkman 1986). Objective custom measures and longitudinal design measures tend to reduce the effects brought about by neuroticism. Researchers including such measures in their research can increase their comprehension of personality and stress that are coherent in determining physical and psychological health. Practitioners in stress management acquire Intel in the reports of their clients in events that are stressful and conditions made by their clients.

Perceived stress and Self-efficacy

            Teacher self-efficacy can be learned as a factor that is resourceful to a person in protecting one from job stress hence bringing about a low likelihood of escalations of burnout. When looking at cognitive relation theory, it can be deduced that emotions and cognitive appraisals are considered as the mediating process which refers to the stakes someone has in countering stress(Prinz 2007) In research involving a group of people, it was noted that low self-efficacy brings about a dramatic increase in stress and loss appraisal whereas those with high self-esteem exhibit counter attack stress.

Methodology

            The research problem was, whether people who pose high neuroticism and low self-efficacy will exhibit a high perceived stress scale, a variety of methods had to be introduced to widely cover the problem. Arguments by scholars, psychologists, cross-sectional studies, and filling of questionnaires act as the main source of information. Research is conducted in a random lower and higher learning institution of learning. The data collected is now argued to bring about assertions that run through this paper.

Results

The research denoted that neuroticism and self-efficacy relate negatively in the sense that neuroticism exhibits negative emotions that clash with self-efficacy. Neuroticism, therefore, can be linked with negative emotions of loneliness resulting in increased stress perception and depression.

Conclusion and Recommendations

It can, therefore, be concluded that neuroticism, self-efficacy, and perceived stress scale relate to one another in that neuroticism and self-efficacy relate directly to each other. Neuroticism can further be said to relate indirectly with the perceived stress scale in that people with high neuroticism will also exhibit a high-stress perceptive scale. On the other hand, it can be deduced that individuals with low self-efficacy bring about significant stress and loss appraisal there having a high perceived stress score. Further research should also be done to clearly ascertain how neuroticism, self-efficacy, and perceived stress scale due to the fact they are complex and tend to change as years go

References

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