Prediction of students’ adjustment to university on the basis of personality and goal orientation

Abstract

Abstract The main purpose of the present study was to investigate the role of personality and goal orientation in students’ adjustment to university. Method of research was correlation and the statistical population was all the Behbahan Islamic Azad University students. Five hundred twenty three students who were selected by random multi-stage cluster sampling method, completed the short form of Goldberg’s Big Five Personality Inventory (Khormaei & Farmani, 2014), Achievement Goals Questionnaire (Elliot & McGregor, 2001), and Students’ Adjustment to College Questionnaire (Baker & Siryk, 1984). Data were analyzed using Pearson’s correlation coefficient, and multiple regression analysis. The findings showed that there were significant relations of personality traits and goal orientation to students’ adjustment to university. Multiple regression analysis showed that personality traits and goal orientation significantly predicted student's adjustment to college. Totally, personality traits and goal orientation could explain 37 % of variances of students’ adjustment to university, 24% of variances of academic adjustment, 25% of variances of social adjustment, 36% of variances of personal-emotional adjustment, and 20% of variances of institutional attachment. The findings suggested that personality and goal orientation play effective role in students’ adjustment to university.

Keywords

• adjustment to university
• goal orientation
• personality