Akademik Veri Yönetim Sistemi
Selcuk Dental Journal, cilt.13, sa.1, ss.41-46, 2026 (Scopus, TRDizin)
Introduction: This study explores the relationship between personality types and stress perception among Turkish dental students. It examines stress sources, the roles of gender and socioeconomic factors, and personality-driven stress variations. Dental education is highly stressful due to academic, clinical, and personal demands. Personality traits, such as those identified by the Enneagram model, significantly influence stress perception and coping abilities. Methods: The study included 233 4th-and 5th-year dental students (107 females, 126 males) from a Turkish university. Data collection involved the Dental Environment Stress (DES) questionnaire and the Enneagram personality type survey. Statistical analyses, including ANOVA, t-tests, and logistic regression, were performed using SPSS. Results: The mean DES score was 3.02±0.50. The top stressors were “fear of failing a class” and “exams.” Female students had slightly higher stress scores (3.08) than males (2.97), but the difference was not significant (p=0.076). Stress increased marginally with socioeconomic level but was not significant (p=0.295). P1 (perfectionistic) had the highest stress score (DES=3.31), while P5(Investigator), P7 (Enthusiast), and P9 (Harmonious) showed lower scores. Conclusion: Stress levels in dental students are influenced by personality types, with perfectionistic individuals experiencing the highest stress. Gender and socioeconomic factors had minimal impact. Tailored stress management strategies, mental health support, and personality-based interventions are recommended for dental education programs. Future studies should extend this research to multiple institutions for broader validation.