Personality Traits and E-learning Course Satisfaction: A Study of Health Science Students

Background Personality traits influence various aspects of life, including educational experiences, and learner satisfaction is a crucial determinant of an effective educational system. Understanding the relationship between learners' personality traits and their satisfaction with e-learning courses may highlight the need for tailored instructional designs that accommodate individual differences and enhance the personalized educational experience. This study aimed to investigate how different personality traits, based on the Big Five Personality Inventory (BFI), correlate with students' satisfaction in e-learning environments. Methodology In this cross-sectional study conducted in 2022, data were collected from health faculty students who had utilized e-learning for a minimum of one academic semester. Participants self-reported their demographic information, completed the BFI (44-item version) questionnaire, and filled out the Online Course Satisfaction Survey, including subscales of satisfaction with the (a) instructor, (b) technology, (c) course setting, (d) interaction, (e) outcomes, and (f) overall satisfaction. Both instruments are valid and reliable measures. The data were analyzed using hierarchical regression models. Results The study involved 183 participants, 138 (75%) of whom were female, with an average age of 23 years. Among the Big Five personality traits, the highest mean scores were observed for agreeableness, followed by openness to experience, conscientiousness, extraversion, and neuroticism. Regarding e-learning satisfaction, the highest to lowest mean scores were recorded for the subscales of technology, course setting, interaction, outcome, instructor, and overall satisfaction. Overall satisfaction was moderate across the different dimensions assessed. Notably, with a small effect size, neuroticism inversely correlated with satisfaction related to the instructor, technology, course setting, interaction, and outcome, while higher agreeableness was associated positively with technology satisfaction (p < 0.05). The regression analysis explained 6% to 28% of the variance in satisfaction depending on the subscale. Conclusions Despite small effect sizes, the study identified meaningful associations between personality traits, particularly neuroticism and agreeableness, and e-learning satisfaction. Incorporating psychologically informed strategies into course design may help address diverse learner needs and foster more supportive and effective online learning environments.