Prospective Prediction of College Adjustment Using Self- and Informant-Rated Personality Traits

Studies that relate normal personality traits to students' adjustment to college have relied heavily on self-rating methods, concurrent designs, and academic performance indicators as criteria. We conducted a prospective study of high school seniors with a follow-up assessment made near the end of their freshman year of college. Self-ratings of personality traits and college adjustment were obtained from 90 students using the Revised NEO Personality Inventory (NEO PI-R; Costa & McCrae, 1992) and the Student Adaptation to College Questionnaire (SACQ; Baker & Siryk, 1989). Ratings of personality were also obtained from parents (n = 66) and same-sex peers from the college setting (n = 78) using the NEO Five-Factor Inventory (NEO-FFI; Costa & McCrae, 1992). SACQ Academic Adjustment was correlated with Conscientiousness ratings by all three sources and with Openness ratings by parents and peers. SACQ Social Adjustment was correlated with self-ratings of Neuroticism and peer ratings of Extraversion. SACQ Personal-Emotional Adjustment was correlated with self-ratings and parent ratings of Neuroticism. Ratings by parents and peers showed significant incremental validity over self-ratings in the prediction of certain trait-adjustment relationships.