Exploring the Dynamic Connections Between Personality Traits, Depression, and Life Quality in Chinese College and Graduate Students: Insights from the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator

This study delves into the intricate interplay between depression and life quality among Chinese college and graduate students, employing the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) to assess personality traits. The hypothesis posits that the MBTI's classification of 16 personality types, organized across four dichotomies, plays a pivotal role in shaping the mental health and daily experiences of individuals. Data from 30 participants were collected through an online survey, encompassing MBTI types, life quality measured by the modified Life Event Scale (LES), and depression levels assessed by the Self-Rating Depression Scale (SDS). Statistical analyses, including Pearson correlation and mediation models, were employed to investigate the relationships between MBTI dimensions, specifically focusing on the Extroversion/Introversion dimension, and their impact on depression, with life quality acting as a mediating variable. The study's outcomes revealed no direct correlation between MBTI dimensions and depression. However, a noteworthy partial mediating effect of life quality emerged in the context of the association between Extroversion/Introversion and depression. The research underscores the importance of considering individual personality characteristics when evaluating mental health and life satisfaction. Furthermore, it suggests that life quality may serve as a mediating factor in the manifestation of depressive symptoms based on personality type. While acknowledging limitations such as a restricted sample size and a narrow social experience measure, the findings advance our understanding of the intricate relationship between personality and mental health. They also underscore the need for further research involving diverse populations to enrich the breadth of our insights.