Original Research Article
Year: 2017 | Month: February | Volume: 7 | Issue: 2 | Pages: 132-136
An Exploration Into the Inter Relationship between Personality and Metacognitive Awareness of I Year Medical Students
Dr Pallavi Panchu1, Dr Biju Bahuleyan2, Dr Vineetha Vijayan3
1Associate Professor of Physiology, 2Professor and HOD of Physiology, 3PG Student of Department of Physiology,
Jubilee Mission Medical College & Research Institute, East Fort, Thrissur-680005, Kerala
Corresponding Author: Dr Pallavi Panchu
ABSTRACT
Introduction: Academic stress is the hallmark of present day medical education. To facilitate the learning process, stress alleviation either in the form of therapy or strategies should be implemented. Personality and metacognitive awareness are well known predictors of academic success. Of these two predictors, metacognitive awareness can be inculcated by using specific strategies while moulding the personality of an adult learner is challenging. Hence it can be hypothesized that by improving the metacognitive awareness, a medical student irrespective of personality can be trained and nurtured into an excellent learner and a competent, compassionate doctor provided an interrelationship exists between the two.
Aim: The aim of this study was to find out the prevalent personality types, the metacognitive awareness levels in the first year medical students and an interrelationship if any between these variables.
Material and methods: Validated questionnaires to assess personality (big five personality test) and metacognitive awareness inventory were administered to the first year medical students. Statistical tests involved were ANOVA and spearmans correlation tests on SPSS version 22.
Results: Of the 80 students who consented to participate, conscientiousness was the predominant personality followed by openness, neuroticism, extroversion and agreeableness. Our students were moderately metacognitively aware. The traits of conscientiousness, openness and neuroticism (p<0.01) were positively correlated with metacognitive awareness while extroversion and agreeableness were negatively correlated.
Conclusion: Personality exert a profound influence on the metacognitive awareness of the learners. Metacognitive awareness can be taught and strategies can be implemented to improve the awareness in students which may be of particular use in extroverted and agreeable student in order to optimize academic performance.
Key words: metacognitive awareness, big five personality, academic performance, medical student