Personality and Temperament in Health Career Choice among Chilean Students

Authors

  • Darío Reyes-Osorio Universidad Bernardo O'Higgins https://orcid.org/0009-0003-2290-5409
  • Eduardo Fuentes-López Department of Speech and Hearing Sciences, School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Pontifical Catholic University of Chile https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0141-0226
  • Dominique Terán-Tapia Master’s Program in Public Health, School of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, Pontifical Catholic University of Chile https://orcid.org/0009-0004-4287-8599
  • Consuelo Sepúlveda-Ibarra School of Psychology, Faculty of Social Sciences, Pontifical Catholic University of Chile https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0524-8465
  • Marina Olmos Soria Department of Developmental and Educational Psychology, Faculty of Psychology, University of Murcia https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7106-5379
  • Ana Vanesa Valero-García Department of Developmental and Educational Psychology, Faculty of Psychology, University of Murcia https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5412-8585
DOI: https://doi.org/10.6018/analesps.692191
Keywords: Vocational Choice, Personality, Temperament, Health Careers, University Students

Abstract

Choosing a university degree plays a key role in identity formation and professional development. This process may be influenced by individual traits such as personality and temperament, which have been studied primarily in medicine and dentistry, with limited evidence available for other health-related disciplines. This quantitative, cross-sectional, correlational study examined the personality and temperament traits of 420 first-year Chilean students enrolled in Physical Therapy, Midwifery and Childcare, Medical Technology, Speech-Language Pathology, Nutrition and Dietetics, and Occupational Therapy. The sample comprised 83.3% female students and had a mean age of 19.9 years (SD = 2.7). The NEO-FFI and ATQ instruments were administered to assess personality and temperament. The study adhered to ethical standards and received approval from the institutional ethics committee. Significant differences were found across programs: Speech-Language Pathology students scored higher in agreeableness and effortful control, Midwifery students in negative affect, and Occupational Therapy students in extraversion/surgency. Students with higher conscientiousness were less likely to choose Nutrition and Dietetics. These findings suggest that vocational choice is partially associated with personality and temperament profiles and may help inform improvements in university curricula and student support strategies.

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Published
05-08-2026
How to Cite
Reyes-Osorio, D., Fuentes-López, E., Terán-Tapia, D., Sepúlveda-Ibarra, C., Olmos Soria, M., & Valero-García, A. V. (2026). Personality and Temperament in Health Career Choice among Chilean Students. Anales De Psicología Annals of Psychology, 42(3), e34. https://doi.org/10.6018/analesps.692191
Issue
Vol. 42 No. 3 (2026): September - December (in progress)
Section
Articles

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