Abstract:
Although personality and intelligence both affect the academic achievement, research
findings prove that personality has a profound effect on academic achievement of secondary school
students. The objectives of the study were; to compare the Big Five Factors (BFF) of personality of
male and female students; and to explore the effect of Big Five Factors of personality on academic
achievement of students at secondary level. Methods: Cross sectional analytical design was used to
conduct study at secondary level in Hazara Division, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, from October, 2013 to
March, 2014. A sample of 1438 of Grade 10 students from Hazara Division was selected by using
stratified random sampling technique. Information about Personality was collected by adopting 41
items Big Five Factors Personality Inventory. Whereas academic achievement scores of the students
were collected from their 9th class annual result of examination. Results: Results indicated that male
students had higher extraversion (p<0.01), conscientiousness (p<0.01), and Agreeableness (p<0.01)
while female students had significantly higher academic achievement (p<0.01) scores. Further,
Extraversion (β= -17.14, p=0.00) Neuroticism (β= -10.76, p=0.02), and Agreeableness (β= -10.75,
0.01) were significant negative predictors of academic achievement whereas Conscientiousness (β=
11.59, p=0.02) was significant positive predictor of academic achievement of students at secondary
level. Conclusion: This study proves male students as social, outgoing, organized, and having a sense
of dutifulness, cooperativeness, and straightforwardness. Further, Extraversion Agreeableness, and
Neuroticism negatively predicts academic achievement of students. Conscientiousness positively
predicts academic achievement.
