The Relationship Between Personality Traits and Pregnancy Adaptation: The Case of Primigravida Pregnant Women

ABSTRACT Introduction: Adaptation to pregnancy is essential for expectant mothers who will have their first experience. It includes personality traits and thus contributes to shaping the role of motherhood. Objective: This study investigated the relationship between personality traits and pregnancy adjustment in primigravida pregnant women. Method: This cross-sectional study was conducted with 280 women in a province in the south-eastern Anatolia region of Turkey between January and June 2024. Participants were selected randomly. The data were collected using the “Introductory Information Form,” “Ten-Item Personality Inventory (TIPI),” and “Prenatal Self Evaluation Questionnaire (PSEQ).” The data were analyzed using number, percentage, mean, correlation, and regression analysis in the SPSS program. Results: The mean scores of the participants' TIPI sub-dimensions of openness to experience, conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness, and emotional stability were 9.62±2.32, 10.89±2.05, 9.52±2.44, 11.43±2.88, 10.51±2.15, respectively. The mean total score of the PSEQ was 178.50±26.54, and pregnancy adjustment was moderate. There was a moderate negative relationship between pregnancy adjustment and openness to experience (r=-0.615, p=0.003), conscientiousness (r=-0.625, p=0.015), agreeableness (r=-0.605, p≤0.001), and emotional stability (r=-0.630, p≤0.001) personality traits. According to the results of the multiple linear regression model, openness to experience (β=-2.718, p=0.001) and conscientiousness (β=-3.35, p=0.004) variables are important determinants of pregnancy adjustment, and these variables explain 27.6% of the total variance in pregnancy adjustment. Conclusion: Women who are not open to experience and have low responsibility personality traits are at-risk groups in terms of pregnancy adjustment in their first pregnancy. Keyswords: Pregnancy, Pregnancy Adaptation, Personality Traits, Primigravida.