A comparative study on stress and personality among underweight, normal weight and overweight college students

The present study aimed to compare stress and selected personality traits among underweight, normal weight, and overweight college students. A total of 120 college students from different districts of West Bengal were randomly selected and categorized into three groups: underweight (N=40), normal weight (N=40), and overweight (N=40). Stress was measured using the PSQ questionnaire, while personality traits were assessed through Cattell’s 16 Personality Factor (16 PF) Questionnaire. A purposive sampling group design was adopted, and the collected data were analyzed using one-way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA). The level of significance was set at 0.05. The results revealed a significant difference in stress levels among the three weight groups. Post-hoc analysis indicated that overweight students experienced significantly higher stress compared to normal weight and underweight students, while no significant difference was observed between underweight and normal weight groups. Regarding personality traits, no significant differences were found among the groups in reasoning, emotional stability, dominance, rule consciousness, or abstractness. However, a significant difference was observed in the personality trait of tension. Underweight students exhibited significantly higher tension compared to normal weight students, whereas no significant differences were found between underweight and overweight or between normal weight and overweight groups. The findings suggest that body weight status influences stress and the personality trait of tension among college students. Overweight students tend to experience higher stress, while underweight students are more prone to tension. These results highlight the importance of considering physical health status in understanding psychological well-being among college populations.