Influence of Personality Traits and Coping Strategies on Mental Health Status among Gen Z Students

Abstract

This study examined the influence of personality traits and coping strategies on mental health status among Generation Z students in a Philippine higher education context. Anchored in the Transactional Theory of Stress and Coping and aligned with Sustainable Development Goal 3, which aims to ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all. It explored how the Big Five personality traits and coping strategies predict mental health outcomes. A quantitative correlational–predictive design was employed using validated instruments and simple random sampling. Data were analyzed using Pearson correlation and multiple regression. Results indicated that personality traits were at moderate levels, coping strategies were generally high, and mental health outcomes reflected low levels of stress and depression, with moderate anxiety. Conscientiousness showed a significant negative relationship with mental health, whereas neuroticism and coping strategies showed significant positive relationships. Regression analysis revealed that coping strategies were the strongest predictor of mental health, followed by neuroticism and conscientiousness, explaining 44.2% of the variance. The findings highlight the critical role of coping strategies in shaping mental health outcomes and underscore the importance of developing coping-based interventions and mental health programs to promote psychological well-being among Generation Z students.