Abstract
The study concentrated on the predictive nature of personality traits toward coping skills and self-efficacy among the students of Laguna State Polytechnic University System from different colleges in Santa Cruz, Siniloan, San Pablo City, and Los Baños Campuses (n = 1039) amid the COVID-19 pandemic. They responded to three adopted questionnaires: the Big Five Inventory for personality traits, the Brief COPE for coping skills, and the New General Self-Efficacy Scale for self-efficacy. Through multiple linear regression analysis, personality traits significantly explained the 28.2% variance in self-efficacy; as well as for every coping skill of the respondents: 22.9 % in problem-focused coping, 17.2 % in emotion-focused coping, and 19.8% in dysfunctional coping. Specifically, personality traits significantly explained the variance in the three coping skills: in problem-focused coping, all of the personality traits; in emotion-focused coping, only extraversion, openness, agreeableness, and neuroticism; and in dysfunctional coping, neuroticism, openness, and extraversion while the agreeableness trait negatively explained it. Finally, openness, conscientiousness, and extraversion significantly influenced self-efficacy. Based on the findings, a proposed action plan could help the institution deliver an efficient learning experience during the present crisis.
