Personality and Its Relationship to Academic Stress Among Freshmen Students in the Bachelor of Science in Hospitality Management

Academic stress is a common concern among college students, particularly among freshmen who are adjusting to the academic, social, and personal demands of higher education. Personality traits are believed to influence how students perceive and respond to these stressors, making it important to examine their relationship within specific educational contexts. This study investigated the relationship between personality and academic stress among freshmen students enrolled in the Bachelor of Science in Hospitality Management program. A quantitative descriptive-correlational research design was employed to determine the levels of personality and academic stress and to examine the association between the two variables. The study involved 62 freshmen students selected through convenience sampling. Data were collected using a researcher-made questionnaire that underwent expert validation to establish content validity. Descriptive statistics, including weighted mean and standard deviation, were used to describe the variables, while the Pearson Product-Moment Correlation Coefficient was utilized to test the significance of the relationship between personality and academic stress. Findings revealed that the respondents demonstrated an above-average level of personality traits (M = 3.81, SD = 0.83) and an average level of academic stress (M = 3.36, SD = 0.90). Furthermore, the results indicated a statistically significant moderate positive relationship between personality and academic stress (r = .589, p < .001). The findings suggest that students with stronger personality characteristics may also experience greater academic stress, possibly due to heightened academic engagement and self-imposed performance expectations. The study highlights the need for educational institutions to implement programs that promote emotional resilience, stress management, and adaptive coping strategies among freshmen students to support their academic success and well-being.