Personality Traits, Emotional Regulation, and Happiness in Nursing Students: A Cross-Sectional Study

This cross-sectional study explored the relationship between emotional regulation, the Big Five personality traits, and happiness among 411 nursing students in Saudi Arabia, with an average age of 19.6. The Oxford Happiness Inventory, Big Five Personality Test, and Emotional Regulation Inventory were used as research instruments through selfadministered questionnaires. The findings revealed that nursing students had a moderate level of happiness (mean = 3.5), with students in their third year being happier than those in their first year. The most expressed personality traits among the students were agreeableness (79%) and conscientiousness (69%). Furthermore, the study discovered that cognitive reappraisal was higher among single students and those aged 19 or younger. Finally, the study identified extraversion, agreeableness, conscientiousness, neuroticism, and cognitive reappraisal as predictors of happiness level (adjusted R 2 = 57%). The study suggests that improving emotional regulation could enhance the happiness and well-being of nursing students. Plain language summary This study examined the relationship between the Big Five personality traits, happiness, and emotional regulation among nursing students. A cross-sectional study was employed to collect data from nursing students using three research instruments: the Oxford Happiness Inventory, the Big Five Personality Test, and the Emotional Regulation Inventory. Data were collected from April to June 2022 and a response rate of 41% was achieved. It was found that the nursing students had a moderate. The predictors of happiness were extraversion, agreeableness, conscientiousness, neuroticism, and cognitive reappraisal [F(6, 404) = 87.8, p