Changes of 16 personality factors and gender differences of medical freshmen from 2010 to 2019 / 中华行为医学与脑科学杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective:To explore the changes of personality in medical college freshmen from 2010 to 2019 and the difference of gender.Methods:The cross-temporal meta-analysis and independent sample t-test were used to explore the change of medical college freshmen’s scores on 16 personality factor questionnaire (16PF) in the past 10 years (2010~2019) and the gender difference.A total of 17 395 samples of medical college freshmen were enrolled in the present study. Results:(1)The score of Warmth(A), Reasoning (B), Emotional Stability(C), Dominance(E), Liveliness(F), Rule-Consciousness(G), Social Boldness(H) and Perfectionism (Q3) were negatively correlated with year ( β=-0.93, -0.64, -0.85, -0.48, -0.80, -0.65, -0.92, -0.91, all P<0.01), while Sensitivity(I), Vigilance(L), Abstractness (M), Privateness (N), Apprehension (O), Openness to change (Q1), Self-Reliance (Q2), and Tension (Q4) were positively correlated with years ( β=0.72, 0.88, 0.81, 0.65, 0.86, 0.95, 0.90, 0.88, all P<0.01). (2)The scores in female freshman were higher than those in male freshman in Warmth, Sensitivity, Abstractness, Privateness, Apprehension, and Tension ( t=22.51, 18.15, 21.15, 5.89, 12.35, 5.46, all P<0.01), while the scores in female freshman were lower than those in male freshman in emotional stability, dominance, rule-consciousness, social boldness, and vigilance ( t=-18.25, -16.54, -9.75, -5.05, -9.97; all P<0.01). Conclusion:The warmth, reasoning, emotional stability, dominance, liveliness, rule-consciousness, social boldness and perfectionism present a decreasing tendency, while sensitivity, vigilance, abstractness, privateness, apprehension, openness to change, self-reliance, and tension present a rising tendency. The change tendency in both male and female are consistent with the overall trends and the significant gender differences are found in some personality traits.