Relationship between the alternative five factor model of personality and hair cortisol concentrations among university students from Nigeria

Abstract

Studies investigating basal hair cortisol concentrations in relation to alternative five factor personality model in healthy young adults are rare and non-existent in Sub-Sahara Africa. To bridge this gap, we investigated the relationship between alternative five factor model of personality and HCC in a Nigerian sample. Seventy seven participants between the ages of 17 – 27 years volunteered for the study. Personality traits were measured from the Zuckerman-Kuhlman-Aluja Personality Questionnaire (ZKA-PQ) developed by Aluja et. al. (2010) and cortisol concentrations from hair samples were equally analyzed. Pearson product moment correlations and generalized linear regression statistics were used to analyze the data. Results of the study show effect sizes from very small to medium for factor and higher order factors (plasticity and stability) levels of personality and a general overall factor of personality (GFP). Our findings also show significant negative associations between hair cortisol concentrations and sensation seeking personality. Regression of personality traits on hair cortisol, showed poor predictive strengths respectively. No significant gender difference was found for HCC; with women having higher cortisol than the men.