Abstract

This study identified the correlations of personality and self-concept with medication compliance, adherence and practice of health behaviors among students in early adolescence. Additionally, the regression models for medication compliance, practice and adherence of health behaviors with personality and self-concept were examined. Participants were 369 male and female students in elementary and middle schools. Personality was measured by Big-5 personality traits, self-concept was measured by self-esteem, self-efficacy, and self-confidence, and adherence was measured by adherence of health behaviors and medication compliance. Practice of health behaviors in daily life was also measured. Correlational analysis revealed that neuroticism, conscientiousness, and openness were significantly correlated with medication compliance, whereas all factors of Big-5 personality traits were significantly correlated with adherence and practice of health behaviors. Self-esteem, self-efficacy, and self-confidence of adolescents were positively correlated with medication compliance, practice and adherence of health behaviors. In multiple regression models, Big-5 personality traits and three self-concepts accounted for 11.0% and 11.7% of variation in medication compliance by , respectively. In addition, Big-5 personality traits and self-concepts accounted for the variance of adherence of health behaviors by 19.6% and 14.2%, respectively while Big-5 personality traits and self-concepts accounted for the variance of practice of health behaviors by 30.5% and 25.4%, respectively. Stepwise regression analyses indicated that self-confidence was a determinant for medication compliance, conscientiousness for adherence of health behaviors, and self-efficacy for practice of health behaviors. This study provided useful information about accountability of personality and self-concept for adherence and practice of health behaviors among children and adolescents.