The Relationship Between Personality Characteristics, Time Management, and Academic Performance: A Case Study of Bachelor's Level Students at the Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Tirana, Albania

Personality traits and time management are widely recognized as key psychological constructs that shape students’ ability to adapt, stay organized, and perform successfully in academic environments. Numerous studies have highlighted the predictive value of personality dimensions—particularly Conscientiousness and Neuroticism—in shaping students’ self-regulatory behaviors, including time management, which in turn influence academic achievement.This study investigates the interrelations between personality traits, time management skills, and academic performance among undergraduate students enrolled at the Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Tirana, Albania. Grounded in the Five-Factor Model (Big Five), the research explores how individual differences in Neuroticism, Conscientiousness, Extraversion, Agreeableness, and Openness to Experience influence students’ ability to manage time effectively and achieve academic success. Using the BFI-10 for personality assessment and the Time Management Questionnaire (TMQ-25), data were collected from a sample of 303 bachelor-level students via an online survey. Academic performance was measured using students’ weighted average grades. Results supported most hypotheses, revealing that higher Conscientiousness significantly predicts academic success, while Neuroticism negatively affects both time management and academic performance. Extraversion showed a positive relationship with time management, particularly in collaborative academic settings. Mediation analysis confirmed that time management mediates the effect of Conscientiousness and Neuroticism on academic outcomes. Furthermore, gender differences emerged in trait–performance correlations. These findings suggest that integrating personality-informed time management strategies in academic support programs may enhance student outcomes. Received: 18 May 2025 / Accepted: 10 December 2025 / Published: January 2026