Does Observer HEXACO-MSI Personality Traits Predict Academic Performance Beyond the Self-Report Ones? : A study on children and adolescents

The HEXACO model consists of six dimensions of personality: Honesty-Humility (H), Emotionality (E), eXtraversion (X), Agreeableness (A), Conscientiousness (C) and Openness to experience (O). Several studies in literature have shown that observer ratings of personality traits were strong predictors of job performance and academic performance. In this study we evaluated the personality traits of adolescents using the HEXACO-Middle School Inventory (MSI) and the Observer form of it. The aim was establishing if the observer HEXACO-MSI personality traits predict academic performance beyond the same self-report traits. Participants were 1089 children and 1089 Observers. The results showed that ratings by observer add something more to the self-report evaluations. The observer HEXACO-MSI personality traits predict scholastic performance beyond the same self-report traits. Parents or caregivers provide an evaluation that can complement the one provided by the adolescents themselves.