Relationship of personality and sleep to academic success in the United States Military Academy: A perspective utilizing the five factor model of personality.

摘要

Individuals admitted to the United States Military Academy (USMA) are expected to effectively handle many demands and to perform well in their studies prior to graduating and becoming commissioned officers in the U.S. Army. Though rigorous admissions standards are utilized, a percentage of those admitted are unable to succeed academically in this environment. It was hypothesized that five factor model personality traits, sleep, and sleep behaviors contribute significantly to the variance in academic performance in USMA cadets. As part of a larger longitudinal study of cadet sleeping patterns, sleep quality and Morningness-Eveningness preference data for 72 cadets were collected. These were analyzed with results from the NEO-PI-R taken by all cadets during the course of their attendance at USMA. The five factor model personality traits of Agreeableness and Conscientiousness were positively related to a statistically significant degree to Momingness, a preference for working early in the day and for going to sleep earlier at night. Agreeableness was also shown to have a direct statistically significant relationship to sleep quality at two of the three measurement periods, where individuals higher in Agreeableness had better sleep quality that those lower in that personality trait. Additional measurement techniques and directions for future research to more strongly establish the relationship between personality, sleep, and academic performance are considered.; Key words. five factor model, sleep, morningness, eveningness, academic performance