Introduction: The mental health of nursing students represents an important area of research, as due to numerous academic and clinical demands they often face high levels of stress, anxiety, and depression. In addition to external factors, personality traits also play an important role, as they may function either as protective factors or as risk factors for the development of mental health problems. Aim: The aim of the study was to examine the associations between the Big Five personality traits and the levels of depression, anxiety, and stress among nursing students. We also sought to investigate differences in the expression of mental health problems with regard to gender, year of study, and clinical experience. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted, including 543 nursing students from one Slovenian faculty. Participants aged between 19 and 50 years (13% male) completed self-report questionnaires assessing personality traits, stress, anxiety, and depression. The data were statistically analyzed using descriptive statistics, Pearson correlations, t-tests, and analysis of variance. Results: The results showed that neuroticism was strongly and positively associated with all three forms of mental health problems, whereas extraversion, conscientiousness, and agreeableness were negatively associated with their levels. Openness to experience was negatively associated only with stress. Female students reported higher levels of stress, anxiety, and depression than male students, although gender differences were small. First-year students experienced more difficulties compared to students in higher years. Clinical experience emerged as a protective factor, as students with more experience generally reported lower levels of stress and anxiety than students with limited clinical experience. Discussion and conclusion: The findings confirm the important role of basic personality traits in the expression of mental health problems among nursing students. Neuroticism represents a significant risk factor, whereas extraversion, conscientiousness, and agreeableness act as protective factors. The results highlight the importance of education about personality traits and the inclusion of programs aimed at strengthening the mental health of nursing students.
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