Predicting Learned Helplessness Based on Personality

Learned helplessness as a negative motivational state can latently underlie repeated failures and create negative feelings toward the education as well as depression in students and other members of a society. The purpose of this paper is to predict learned helplessness based on students’ personality traits. The research is a predictive correlational study and the population consists of all high school 3rd grade female students in Kermanshah-Iran in 2013-14. Based on Cochran formula, the sample size was determined 360 people who were selected using multistage cluster sampling method. The samples responded personality traits and attribution style questionnaires. Data were analyzed using Pearson correlation coefficient and multiple regressions with SPSS software. The results showed that there is relation between learned helplessness and personality traits of neuroticism, agreeableness, and conscientiousness, but only the trait of neuroticism can inversely predict learned helplessness.