Medical specialty choice and well-being at work: Physician's personality as a moderator

ABSTRACT

We examined whether physicians' personality traits moderate the association between medical specialty and well-being at work. Nationally representative sample of Finnish physicians (n = 2,815; 65% women; aged 25–72 years in 2015) was used. Personality was assessed with the shortened Big Five Inventory. Indicators of well-being at work were measured with scales from Work Ability Index, General Health Questionnaire, Jenkins' Sleep Problems Scale and Suicidal Ideation. Higher extraversion, openness to experience and agreeableness showed as personality traits beneficial for higher well-being at work among person-oriented specialties whereas higher conscientiousness but lower openness and agreeableness showed as personality traits beneficial for higher well-being at work among technique-oriented specialties. The role of neuroticism remains minor in general. Physicians' personality traits may moderate the association between medical specialty and well-being at work.

KEYWORDS:

• medical specialty
• well-being at work
• personality traits
• psychological distress
• work ability

Additional information

Funding

This study was supported by the Academy of Finland (S.M., project 1297520; and M.E., project 265977), by KONE Foundation (S.M.), by a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention / National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (CDC/NIOSH) (D.GRP.), and by Education and Research Center to the Southwest Center for Occupational and Environmental Health (SWCOEH) (D.GRP., Grant No. 5T42OH008421).