Structural Equation Model of Personality Traits, Psychopathology, and Nonverbal Immediacy Behavior

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study is to examine the relationships between personality traits, psychopathology, and nonverbal immediacy behaviors. The study gains importance because of the fact that personality traits, psychopathology, and the concept of nonverbal immediacy have not been studied together in Turkish culture. METHODS: The research sample was created with the convenience sampling method, one of the nonrandom sampling methods. The sample consisted of 336 university students aged 18 and over. In the study, the 10-Item Personality Inventory, Nonverbal Immediacy Scale-Self Report Form (NIS-STr), Symptom Checklist (SCL-90-R), and Communicator Styles Scale were used. To examine the effect of personality traits on SCL-90-R and the effect of SCL-90-R scores on nonverbal immediacy behavior, a structural equation model was used and the path analysis of the model was created. RESULTS: Although it was determined that the scores for conscientiousness, emotional stability, and extraversion in the scale of resilience to the scope of the study did not significantly predict the SCL-90-R scores (P > 0.05), the scores for agreeableness (β = 0.38, P < 0.05) and openness (β = 0.38, P < 0.05) predicted the SCL-90-R scores significantly and positively. In addition, it was determined that the scores of other applications from the SCL-90-R were similarly significant surrounding other predictors of NIS-STr scores (β = −0.30, P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: It can be stated that personality traits are predictors of psychopathological symptoms. Students’ SCL-90-R scores positively predicted the NIS-STr scores in a statistically negative way.