title: Prospective prediction of college adjustment using self- and informant-rated personality traits.
abstract: Studies that relate normal personality traits to students' adjustment to college have relied heavily on self-rating methods, concurrent designs, and academic performance indicators as criteria. We conducted a prospective study of high school seniors with a follow-up assessment made near the end of their freshman year of college. Self-ratings of personality traits and college adjustment were obtained from 90 students using the revised NEO personality inventory (NEO PI-R; Costa & McCrae, 1992) and the student adaptation to college questionnaire (SACQ; Baker & Siryk, 1989 ). Ratings of personality were also obtained from parents (n = 66) and same-sex peers from the college setting (n = 78) using the NEO five-factor inventory (NEO-FFI; Costa & McCrae, 1992 ). SACQ academic adjustment was correlated with conscientiousness ratings by all three sources and with openness ratings by parents and peers. SACQ Social Adjustment was correlated with self-ratings of neuroticism and peer ratings of extraversion. SACQ personal-emotional adjustment was correlated with self-ratings and parent ratings of neuroticism. Ratings by parents and peers showed significant incremental validity over self-ratings in the prediction of certain trait-adjustment relationships.
authors.affiliation: Psychology Department, Villanova University, PA 19085–1699, USA. John.Kurtz@Villanova.edu
authors.forename: John E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Kurtz
authors.forename: Meredith A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Puher
authors.forename: Nicole A
authors.initials: NA
authors.lastname: Cross
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000293:Adolescent; D004644:Emotions; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007206:Individuality; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008297:Male; D008960:Models, Psychological; D015588:Observer Variation; D010379:Peer Group; D010552:Personality Assessment / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D010555:Personality Inventory / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011594:Psychometrics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012016:Reference Values; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012930:Social Dominance; D012931:Social Environment; D012933:Social Identification; D013223:Statistics as Topic; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology*; D055815:Young Adult