The relationship between neuroticism, extraversion and psychological well-being in Sudanese undergraduate students between different gender and age cohort

Abstract

Psychological well-being is more than just happiness or satisfaction; rather it refers to being able to develop as a person and to being fulfilled and happy, and thus, contributes to the well-being of the community at large. However, since 2014, the issue of psychological well-being in Sudan has become a prodigious concern due to the rise of psychological problems among students. It was highlighted that there was an increased number of Sudanese students who were suffering from psychological well-being issues as a result of life and psychological pressures. In spite of that, the research on psychological well-being and personality has undergone extensive empirical review and theoretical evaluation, there is no study reported on the relationship between personality, demographic variables and psychological well-being among Sudanese students. Thus, the current study investigated the relationship between extraversion, neuroticism and psychological well-being of Sudanese undergraduate students as well as analysed gender differences. The current study has used a stratified random sampling procedure to select 382 undergraduate students as the sample of the study. The Eysenck Personality Inventory (EPI) that measures two dimensions of personality and Ryff’s Psychological Well-being scales were applied. The findings showed a positive (p<0.05) correlation between extraversion and the psychological well-being; neuroticism and psychological well-being of the students. Moreover, it has indicated the females and males were not significantly different (p>0.05) in terms of psychological well-being. This study contributed to the literature of psychological well-being and established the relationships of extraversion, neuroticism, demographic variables and psychological well-being among Sudanese students. It is recommended that psychological well-being enhancement should concentrate on the total well-being of the Sudanese undergraduate students to promote a healthy environment for all citizens in Sudan.