Personality Traits and Life Satisfaction: The Mediating Role of Coping Styles among Pakistani University Students

Abstract

This study investigated the mediating function of coping strategies in the association between university students' temperament, character traits, and life satisfaction. The study examined how coping behaviours, which in turn impact students' overall life satisfaction, are influenced by both adaptive and maladaptive personality traits. It was based on Cloninger's psychobiological model and the theory of subjective well-being. Data were gathered from 200 randomly chosen university students in Punjab, Pakistan, ages 18 to 25, using a cross-sectional design. Participants filled out validated Urdu versions of the Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS), the Brief COPE Inventory, and the Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI). Hayes' PROCESS macro (Model 4) was used to perform mediation, multiple linear regression, and Pearson correlation analyses. The findings showed that life satisfaction was positively predicted by adaptive traits like self-directedness, perseverance, and novelty seeking. On the other hand, it was negatively correlated with maladaptive traits such as reward dependence and harm avoidance. While passive coping significantly mediated the detrimental effects of harm avoidance, active coping mediated the relationship between novelty seeking, persistence, and life satisfaction. Significant variation in life satisfaction was explained by the overall mediation models (R² up to.42). These results highlight the intricate relationship that exists between coping mechanisms and dispositional traits in determining well-being. In order to support psychological resilience and improve life satisfaction among emerging adults, they highlight the significance of culturally sensitive interventions that encourage adaptive coping.

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