Metas de aprendizaje y rasgos de personalidad como predictores del bienestar en cadetes de una institución policial

Abstract

The aim of the present study was to investigate whether academic motivation and personality traits predict the welfare of police cadets, while analyzing differences in well-being according to sex and age. The sample consisted of 411 cadets with an average age of 24.08 years (SD = 3.18) belonging to a state police institution. The instruments used were BFI (Big Five Inventory), EMA – M (Learning Goal Scale), MHC– SF (Mental Health Continuum - Short Form) and a sociodemographic questionnaire. The results obtained showed that the greatest positive predictors of well-being were extraversion (t = 3.412; s = .157; p < .01); pleasantness (t = 2,901; s =.144; p < .01); responsibility (t = 3.851; s = 195; p < .01) and goals in relation to learning and mastery of knowledge (t = 2.446; s = .103; p <.05). Similarly, it was found that the only negative predictor was the personality trait neuroticism (t = -3.555; s = -.184; p < .01). Likewise, it was found that there are statistically significant differences in the social well-being (t(410 ) =  1.816, p < .05) between men and women. Finally, it was found that the psychological well-being varied according to age (F(2,411),  p < .05) where the older age group presented higher levels of psychological well-being. In terms of total well-being (F(2,411), p < .05), it was found that the greater the age, the greater the total well-being. In view of the results obtained, it can be affirmed that both the personality and the motivation for learning are variables that predict the total well-being of the students. Likewise, it is recorded that levels of well-being vary according to gender and age.