HEXACO Personality Traits and Self-Control as Predictors of Counterproductive Academic Behavior

The current study examined the validity of HEXACO personality traits (at the broad trait-level and narrow facet-level) and Self-Control as predictors of counterproductive academic behavior (CAB; at the overall level and specific dimensional level) among college students. We collected data from 483 undergraduate students in South Korea who completed self-report measures of HEXACO personality traits, Self-Control, CAB. Results showed that Conscientiousness (r = -.23) and Honesty-Humility (r = -.25) were significantly correlated with CAB and that Self-Control provided incremental validity over HEXACO personality traits in predicting CAB. The correlations of Conscientiousness and Self-Control with CAB were consistently negative at the facet-level. However, the negative correlation between Honesty-Humility and CAB was primarily driven by the negative correlations of Fairness and Modesty facets with CAB. Additionally, hierarchical multiple regression analysis results showed that Self-Control provided incremental validity for predicting CAB beyond prediction provided by the HEXACO personality traits. The results provide further support for personality and Self-Control as meaningful predictors of counterproductive academic behavior in college.