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Bakracheva, M. (2025). Personality Predictors of Flourishing and Learning to Flourish, International Journal of Cognitive

Research in Science, Engineering and Education (IJCRSEE), 13(1), 141-156.

Original scientific paper

Received: February 23, 2025.

Revised: April 09, 2025.

Accepted: April 12, 2025.

UDC:

159.923.3.072

10.23947/2334-8496-2025-13-1-141-156

Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).

Corresponding author: mbakrachev@uni-sofia.bg

Abstract: Given the abundance of research on well-being and flourishing, this study aimed to outline the direct and indirect

effects of personality predictors on flourishing. The cross-sectional study included ten scales, measuring personality traits (the

extraversion, neuroticism, openness to experience, consciousness, agreeableness and the meta-traits of plasticity and stability)

and personal dispositions (self-esteem, mindfulness, coping and coping potential, learned helplessness, self-handicapping,

planning, and rumination) and a convenient sample of 451 respondents. A ten-session training designed to promote flourishing

was conducted with 10 participants over a three-month period. Results revealed a stronger direct effect of personal dispositions

than personality traits, as well as a moderating effect of personality traits and a mediating effect of dispositions. Flourishing is

predicted by high self-esteem, proactive coping, mindfulness, agreeableness, and meaning in life. Problem-oriented coping

mediates the relation of agreeableness and flourishing. Conscientiousness and stability moderate the relation of proactive coping

and mind-fulness with flourishing, and plasticity moderates the relation of self-esteem and flourishing. This finding is considered

to highlight the specific role of plasticity and stability both as traits and dispositions, related to self-regulation. Self-esteem needs

to be flexible enough to be revised and validated and is supported by plasticity, while proactive coping and mindfulness, as dis-

positions related to cognitive, emotional, and behavioral aspects, are supported by stability. Flourishing is predicted to a greater

extent by behavioural patterns than by personality traits, and the pathways to flourishing can be learned, which is of particular

interest for integration in education as proactive support for individual performance, especially in times of crisis and instability.

Keywords: flourishing, personality traits, mindfulness, coping.

Margarita Bakracheva

St. Kliment Ohridski University of Sofia, Bulgaria, e-mail: mbakrachev@uni-sofia.bg

Personality Predictors of Flourishing and Learning to Flourish

Introduction

This study seeks to answer two questions: how personality traits and dispositions predict flourisхing

and the role of proactive learning in flourishing. These points are outlined within the broad perspective

of well-being in flourishing research. At the core of positive psychology is a shift in focus to individual

strengths and their relationship to self-efficacy and well-being (Seligman, 2011). The study of well-being

is generally described by several research perspectives, the hedonic - positive affect and life satisfaction,

happiness and the eudaemonic - psychological well-being (self-acceptance, life purpose, autonomy, en-

vironmental mastery, positive relationships with others, personal growth). Another suggestion for study of

well-being is in the domains of happiness and satisfaction with life, mental and physical health, meaning

and purpose, character and virtue, close social relationships, financial and material stability (Vander-

Weele, 2017). A relatively new perspective is the concept of flourishing. Flourishing has been proposed as

a comprehensive and integrative theoretical framework for understanding well-being that encompasses

subjective, psychological, and social well-being and refers to the optimal level of experienced well-being

(Diener et al., 2010; Seligman, 2011; Нuppert and So, 2013) and is commonly used to describe the experi-

ence of high well-being (Diener et al., 2010; Hone et al., 2014; Seligman, 2018; Burns et al., 2025). Keyes

(2007) suggests the two continua model of mental health and illness and discusses benefits of flourishing

for individuals and society. Turecek et al. (2024) divide flourishing and thriving, however refer to more

similarities than differences of flourishing and thriving individuals. Individuals who score high on flourish-

ing and thriving have better behavior regulation strategies and higher levels of positive affect and positive

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Bakracheva, M. (2025). Personality Predictors of Flourishing and Learning to Flourish, International Journal of Cognitive

Research in Science, Engineering and Education (IJCRSEE), 13(1), 141-156.

relationships, mental and physical health (Turecek et al., 2024) and connection to something larger than

the self (Seligman, 2011). According to VanderWeele (2017), flourishing is associated with optimal func-

tioning in five broad domains: (i) happiness and life satisfaction; (ii) health, both mental and physical; (iii)

meaning and purpose; (iv) character and virtue; and (v) close social relationships across two criteria: as

a desirable goal and as universally desirable goals, considering not only the present moment but also in

a temporal perspective - a perceived secure environment, including financial and social stability, in order

to flourish over time (VanderWeele, 2017).

Flourishing is considered to be a multidimensional concept. Numerous cross-cultural comparisons have

been conducted, as well as qualitative research on respondents’ perceptions and what they believe they need

to flourish, and various studies have ranked social support, stable income, and social determinants of health

as the most important factors; meaningful work, identity, and family are also widely ranked by respondents.

The wide range of responses and included domains leads to the suggestion well-being and flourishing to be

viewed as multidimensional constructs (Burns et al., 2025). In a similar direction is the proposed expansion of

the concept of positive well-being, accounting for relationship, parenting, and employment, which are reported

to have more significant effect on well-being than age, gender, or income (Brydges et al., 2025).

Today, there is a growing discussion about the diversity of approaches to studying the concept of

flourishing and its implications. There are several models of flourishing that have been proposed and are

commonly cited in the literature, having both similarities and differences (

VanderWeele, 2017

). Novak et al.

(2024) discuss the increased interest in flourishing in recent years and analyze the instruments that meas-

ure flourishing, concluding that despite obvious structural similarities, flourishing instruments have signifi-

cant differences at the component and item level, which suggest future consensus among researchers on

what flourishing really entails (Novak et al., 2024). The same position regarding the different forms and

aspects of well-being research is supported by other researchers. The main question concerns the concept

of overall well-being and the well-being sustainability across a number of balanced and harmonized sys-

tems e.g. personality dimensions, self and others, people and environment, and time (Lomas et al., 2024).

In this study flourishing is considered within the PERMA model, which includes positive emotions,

engagement, relationships, meaning, and accomplishments (Seligman, 2011). For each of these flour-

ishing domains there is a large body of research on their relevance to well-being. Positive emotions are

reported to support well-being and furthermore, can be cultivated over time (Fredrickson, 2001). Positive

emotions lead to better physical and mental health (Fredrickson and Levenson, 1998; Danner et al.,

2001) and stimulate physical, intellectual, social, and psychological resources (Fredrickson et al., 2003).

Engagement is related to flow theory (Csikszentmihalyi, 1990) and is associated with higher levels of

happiness, fewer depressive states (Seligman et al., 2005), and greater life satisfaction (Peterson et al.,

2005). Positive relationships with others are strongly associated with well-being (Seligman, 2012) and

better personal performance (Gable et al., 2004; Diener and Biswas-Diener, 2008; Fowler and Christakis,

2008; Tay et al., 2012). Meaning in life is confirmed as an antecedent of better health and higher satisfac-

tion with life (Steger, 2012). Achievements facilitate psychological well-being (Brunstein, 1993), especially

the achievement of internal goals, as well as perceived accomplishments (Seligman, 2012). Personality

predictors – personality traits and personal dispositions – are related to flourishing.

Personality traits from the Big Five model have been reported to be significant predictors of well-

being (McCrae and Costa, 1991; DeNeve and Cooper, 1998; Mann et al., 2021). For personal disposi-

tions, there is evidence that coping is related to well-being (Otero-López et al., 2021), especially active

(Lee et al., 2019), assimilative and accommodative coping (Brennan-Ing et al., 2013; Arends et al., 2016),

and coping potential (Smith and Kirby, 2009). In this study, we also consider ineffective coping in terms of

adaptive and ineffective behavioral models, specifically learned helplessness, self-handicapping, rumina-

tion, and planning. Learned helplessness represents passive behaviour and an inability to learn when

faced with stressful, uncontrollable, and unavoidable adverse events, triggered by the automatic defen-

sive transfer of negative past experiences (Seligman and Maier, 1967; Elliott and Dweck, 1988; Dweck

and Yeager, 2019). Self-handicapping is related to motivation theory (Atkinson, 1964; Greenberg, 1985)

and is viewed as an anticipatory defense aimed at protecting oneself and self-esteem in the face of pos-

sible adverse developments (Jones and Berglas, 1978). Despite the different approaches to mindfulness,

it has also been shown to be a predictor of well-being (Brown and Ryan, 2003; Baer et al., 2004; Carson

et al., 2004; Grossman et al., 2004; Carmody and Baer, 2008, Giluk, 2009; Jones et al., 2011; Eberth and

Sedlmeier, 2012; Hanley and Garland, 2017). In practical terms the benefits of mindfulness, reported in

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Bakracheva, M. (2025). Personality Predictors of Flourishing and Learning to Flourish, International Journal of Cognitive

Research in Science, Engineering and Education (IJCRSEE), 13(1), 141-156.

various therapeutic approaches (Kabat-Zinn, 1994; Segal et al., 2002; Grossman et al., 2004) reveal its

relation to self-regulation and adaptive potential. Research confirms the positive relations of mindfulness

with well-being and the Big Five (Brown and Ryan, 2003; Giluk, 2009; Stahl and Goldstein, 2010; Bergen-

Cico et al., 2013; Rizer et al., 2016; Hanley and Garland, 2017; Ortet et al., 2020). Self-esteem has a spe-

cific role in personal adjustment and better performance (Diener and Diener, 1995; DeNeve and Cooper,

1998; Oishi et al., 1999) and is also related to the Big 5 (Robins et al., 2001; Varanarasama et al., 2019)

and well-being (Sowislo and Orth, 2013). Studies demonstrate that meaning in life and search for mean-

ing predict happiness (Park et al., 2010; Steger et al., 2014), positive emotions, self-esteem, optimism,

life satisfaction (Ryff, 1989; Compton et al., 1996; King et al., 2006; Steger et al., 2009), and well-being

(Zika and Chamberlain, 1992; Ryff and Keyes, 1995). Meaning in life is an important part of psychologi-

cal well-being (Mascaro and Rosen, 2005; King et al., 2006; Steger et al., 2006). Search for meaning is

conceptualized differently - as inner process with positive correlation with psychological well-being (Ryff,

1989) and as a deficit need in the case of frustration (Baumeister, 1991; Klinger, 1998).

With respect to learning to flourish, evidence for pathways to promoting well-being and flourishing

is highlighted. Conclusions reveal that variety of positive experiences and feelings is another important

dimension that enhances subjective well-being, flourishing, resilience, and prevents hedonic adaptation

(Brydges et al., 2025). The broaden-and-build theory describes the way, in which positive emotions can

broaden individual’s thought-action repertoire (Fredrickson, 2001) and form a self-reinforcing cycle of up-

ward spiral of positivity (Fredrickson and Branigan, 2005). Recently, during the pandemic, a variety of not

only interventions but also educational approaches have been implemented to support individual flourish-

ing by the means of training in well-being skills, mobile app-based mindfulness interventions, academic

courses in the philosophy of happiness (Colaianne et al., 2025). This is in line with the plenty of research

on learning coping strategies and behavioural patterns, targeting well-being and flourishing in long term.

Materials and Methods

Aim and hypotheses of the study

The aim of this study was to examine the direct, mediated, and moderating effects of personality

traits and dispositions on flourishing and the opportunities for enhancing personal resources to achieve

optimal self-regulation (Fig. 1) and has four hypotheses:

: Personality traits will predict flourishing with low to moderate effect

: Personal dispositions will predict flourishing with higher direct effect compared to personality traits

: Personality traits and personal dispositions will have direct, mediated, and moderated effects on

flourishing

: Training, devoted to enhancement of personal potential for self-regulation will have effect on flour-

ishing predictors and flourishing

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Bakracheva, M. (2025). Personality Predictors of Flourishing and Learning to Flourish, International Journal of Cognitive

Research in Science, Engineering and Education (IJCRSEE), 13(1), 141-156.

Figure 1. Research model

Scales

Ten scales were administered, all with a 5-point Likert response scale (1 = strongly disagree, 2 =

disagree, 3 = neither disagree nor agree, 4 = agree, 5 = strongly agree). All scales had been adapted,

with three direct translations and one back-translation and psychometric properties validated for each

scale used (component analysis and reliability). The scales include 1) The Meaning in Life Questionnaire

(MLQ) (Steger et al., 2006) - a 10-item scale that forms two subscales for meaning in life (α = . 885) and

search for meaning in life (α = .898), each one comprising 5 items. 2) The Planning scale – a 10-item

scale created for the purpose of the study The items were selected with an expert panel from a pool of 30

items, following the long- and short-term planning model (Lynch et al., 2009; Steinberg et al., 2009). Two

subscales are formed (each of 5 items), measuring planning as important (α = .636) and as unimportant

(α = .624). 3) The Mistake Rumination Scale (Flett et al., 2020), a 7-item unidimensional scale (α = .838).

4) The 25-items Self-Handicapping Scale (Rhodewalt, 1990) (α = .775). 5) The Learned Helplessness

Scale (LHS) (Quinless and Nelson, 1988) 20-items scale (α = .933). 6) The Rosenberg’s Self-Esteem

Scale (Rosenberg, 1965) 10-item scale designed to measure global self-esteem (α = .821). 7) The Cogni-

tive and Affective Mindfulness Scale - Revised (CAMS-R) (Feldman et al., 2007) 10-item scale (α = .863).

8) Coping was measured with two subscales for proactive and preventive coping and two subscales for

accommodative and problem-focused coping potential. The proactive and preventive coping subscales

are derived from the 55-item Proactive Coping Inventory (PCI): A Multidimensional Research Instrument

(Greenglass et al., 1999). The proactive copying subscale contains 14 items (α = .893), and the preven-

tive copying subscale contains 10 items (α = .846). Coping potential was measured as accommodative-

focused coping potential (α = .903) and problem-focused coping potential (α = .927) scales that include 12

items each one (McLain, 2012). 9) The Big Five Inventory (BFI-2) (Soto and John, 2017) 30-items scale,

having 6 items for each of the five personality traits Extraversion (α = .733); Agreeableness (α = .613);

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Bakracheva, M. (2025). Personality Predictors of Flourishing and Learning to Flourish, International Journal of Cognitive

Research in Science, Engineering and Education (IJCRSEE), 13(1), 141-156.

Conscientiousness (α = .731); Neuroticism with 1 item removed (α = .780); Openness to Experience with

1 item removed (α = .687). 10) The 8-items Flourishing Scale (Diener et al., 2009) (α = .908).

Procedure and Participants

The survey to test H1-H3 was conducted online through the survs.com platform between January

2021 and December 2022. 2,000 invitations were sent and 493 fully completed forms were received. After

removing outliers, responses from 455 individuals were used for data analysis (Table 1).

Table 1. Distribution of respondents

Total

Gender women men 455

300 (66%) 155 (34%)

Age below 25 years 25-35 years above 35 years 455

105 (23%) 152 (33%) 198 (44%)

Family status –

living

Alone With partner With family Prefer not to answer 455

65 (14%) 97 (21%) 243 (54%) 50 (11%)

Occupation

only study only work work and study neither work nor study 455

94 (21%) 55 (12%) 256 (56%) 50 (11%)

Subjective

assessment of

incomes

sufficient to cover

their needs

insufficient to cover

their needs

unwilling to answer 455

218 (48%) 150 (33%) 87 (19%)

To test H4, a control group and an experimental group were formed. The training was carried out in

the period April 2022 - December 2022. The training consisted of 10 sessions over a period of 3 months.

The results were compared within the experimental group and between the experimental and control

groups at three points in time, before and after the training and 6 months after the completion of the train-

ing. The expectation was that the training would improve measured performance. The design included

measures of personal dispositions before and after training as proximal outcomes and the flourishing

indicator as a distal outcome. To test this hypothesis, we assessed outcomes before training (T1), after

training (T2), and six months after training (T3). Participants were recruited by invitation to undergradu-

ate humanities students. After students agreed to participate, they were directed to a pre-test survey. All

surveys were administered electronically using the survs.com platform. Scales from the main survey were

used, with the exception of the Big Five inventory. Personality traits were not included as a scale because

no change in them was expected as a distal outcome.

The idea of the training was to examine whether learning alone, delivered to students without re-

ported need or search for support, will be beneficial. In order to form the experimental and control groups,

the recruitment was done in two steps to ensure equality and an initial good level of performance. All 73

undergraduate students of a bachelor programme were invited to participate in a training session and 20

of them expressed interest. All 73 students were administered the pre-training scales. The equality of the

control and experimental groups prior to the training was ensured by selecting respondents who were

willing to participate in the training and those who were not, with levels of perceived flourishing, meaning

in life, mindfulness, proactive coping above the theoretical mean of the scales, and defensive behaviours

below the theoretical mean of the scales, without significant differences between the control and experi-

mental groups. This led to a reduction in the number of participants for the training to 13. After dropouts

in T2 and T3, each group had 10 participants in T3 (Table 2).

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Bakracheva, M. (2025). Personality Predictors of Flourishing and Learning to Flourish, International Journal of Cognitive

Research in Science, Engineering and Education (IJCRSEE), 13(1), 141-156.

Table 2. Description of the participants in the control and experimental group

T1 March 2022 (N) T2 June 2022 (N) T3 December 2022 (N)

Control group 20 11 10

Experimental group 13 11 10

The training design included expressive techniques and discussions focused on self-reflection.

The ten sessions were delivered over a 3-month period and each session lasted two hours. The topics of

the sessions were: creating a safe and secure environment; strengthening sense of self and identity; ac-

cepting uncertainty; building assertiveness and strengthening self-esteem; making sense of relationships

- self and others; psychological intimacy; motivation and goals; stress management; self-expression;

well-being. The training framework was based on stability and plasticity meta-traits, suggested in the cy-

bernetic theory (DeYoung, 2006, 2105), extrapolated as two lines of personal functioning, having research

and practical potential towards describing and promoting effective behaviours. The design of the training

was based on Seligman’s Flourishing Model (Seligman, 2011) and Appraisal Theory (Smith and Kirby,

2009, 2011). Evidence for effective and lasting change toward improved personality traits (Steger et al.,

2021), the role of phototherapy in increasing meaning in life, life satisfaction, and positive affect, and

decreasing negative affect (Steger et al., 2014) were also considered in the design. The overall goal was

to promote a proactive mindset - because for the proactive person, coping is not a singular response, but

a consistent pattern of behavior (Schwarzer, 1999).

Data Analysis

Data were processed using IBM SPSS Statistics 25 and Process v.3. The steps of the analysis were

principal component analysis with rotation and reliability test using Cronbach’s alpha and item analysis,

descriptive statistics, Kolmogorov-Smirnov test, analysis of variance, correlation analysis followed by di-

rect linear effects of personal dispositions, regression models for the effect of Big Five on flourishing and

personal dispositions and of personal dispositions of flourishing and general regression models including

all personality traits and personal dispositions. Afterwards the mediating role of personal dispositions was

examined, and the moderating effect of personality traits was sought for personal dispositions with an

independent effect. Mediators and moderators were selected based on reported relationships and predic-

tor models for personality traits and personal dispositions for flourishing and personality traits for personal

dispositions. Comparisons between the control and experimental groups were made using t-tests. All

outliers were removed. All variables were within the acceptable range of kurtosis and skewness - from -2

to +2. When necessary, a correction for normalization was made, using the logarithmic transformation,

despite the prevalence of non-normal data, especially in social sciences (Blanca et al., 2013). Standard

rules were followed for component and reliability analysis (Boateng et al., 2018; Moretti et al., 2019). For

all scales Cattell’s scree plot and an exploration analysis by principal components method with Varimax

rotation was performed with Kaiser-Meier-Olkin test for overall sample adequacy - KMO value > .600;

valid result of the Bartlett’s test of sphericity to test correlations between variables (accepted criterion for

significance is p < .01); generated factor model explaining 50% of the total variance given extracted fac-

tors with eigenvalue > 1.0 (Kaiser normalization criterion) and given the sample size value of the factor

weight >.400 (in view to the conservative criterion of including in the pattern-matrix only items with factor

weights of .600 and values depending on the sample size). In terms of reliability the value of Cronbach’s

alpha was > .700 (with adjustment for brief scales of .600); the correlation between individual items and

the whole scale was greater than .400 (using the Spearman-Brown prediction formula). For regression

adding additional predictors that explain a significant amount of additional variance for the criterion, with

an inclusion criterion of p = .1. All regression analyses had 95% confidence intervals, collinearity and pre-

screening for outliers was performed. For the mediation analysis, a preliminary screening of the data for

assumptions of univariate normality was performed with determination of skewness and kurtosis of distri-

bution below the acceptable threshold for excess (±2) and (±7) for kurtosis (Hair et al., 2010). Screening

for outliers was also performed using Cook’s distance and no potential outliers were detected (they were

removed at the stage of checking the validity and reliability of the scales). The mediation analysis followed

the standard steps - 1) the independent variable to have a significant relationship with the dependent

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Bakracheva, M. (2025). Personality Predictors of Flourishing and Learning to Flourish, International Journal of Cognitive

Research in Science, Engineering and Education (IJCRSEE), 13(1), 141-156.

variable; 2) the independent variable to have a relationship with the putative mediators; 3) the mediator

to have a significant relationship with the dependent variable; 4) when controlling for the mediator, there

must be a significant change in the effect of the independent variable (Baron and Kenny, 1986) for full and

partial mediation. The total effect and unstandardized coefficients were reported (Preacher and Kelley,

2011; Edwards, 2013) as if the value 0 does not fall within the confidence interval generated to determine

the significance of the mediated effect, it is concluded that the indirect effect of the independent variable

on the dependent variable through the relevant mediator is significant. Moderation analysis followed the

requirement variations in the level of the independent variable to cause significant variations in the level

of the mediator variable (path “a”); variations in the mediator variable to cause significant variations in the

dependent variable (path “b”); when path ‘a’ and path ‘b’ are controlled, the total effect of the independent

on the dependent variable (path ‘c’) to differ from the measured direct effect of the independent variable

on the dependent variable (path ‘c’) by a residual, which is denoted by the equation c = c’ + ab, where the

product ‘ab’ calculates the indirect effect of the independent variable on the dependent variable.

Results

Individual variables and correlations

The individual variables of marital status, age, gender, subjective assessment of income, and oc-

cupational status (work/study, study and work, and neither study nor work) had partial individual effects on

flourishing and were not reported as independent predictors in the regression models, nor as moderators

of the relationships between personality traits and dispositions and well-being. The total variance in flour-

ishing accounted for by the aggregate effect of the individual variables is small (R2 = 0.090). Among the

individual effects, higher flourishing is experienced by people who are professionally and developmentally

engaged, who rate their income as sufficient to meet their needs, and who are over 35 years of age. There

were moderate positive partial correlations between flourishing and the personality traits and meta-traits

(r(455) = .389 to .526; p < .001). Personality traits had low and moderate positive correlations with self-

esteem, meaning in life, planning, mindfulness, and coping (r(451) = .331 to .583; p < .001) and low to

moderate negative correlations with learned helplessness, self-handicapping, rumination, and search for

meaning (r(451) = -.169 to -.447; р < .05). Self-esteem had low to moderate positive correlations with

meaning in life, planning, mindfulness; coping (r(451) = .263 to .618; p < .001) and negative with search

for meaning, learned helplessness, self-handicapping and rumination (r(451) = -.306 to -507; p < .001).

Meaning in life had low to moderate positive correlations with planning, mindfulness, coping (r(451) = .269

to .634 ; p < .001) and negative with search for meaning, learned helplessness, self-handicapping and

rumination (r(451) = -.333 to -.468; p < .001). Search for meaning was moderately positively related to

learned helplessness and self-handicapping (r(451) = .297 to .316) and low negative correlation with ac-

commodative coping (r(451) = -.175; p < .001). Planning had low positive correlations with the four coping

variables (r(451) = .139; p < .001) and negative with learned helplessness and self-handicapping (r(451)

= -.182; p < .001). Mindfulness had moderate to high positive correlations with the four coping variables,

self-esteem and meaning in life (r(451) =.338 to .705; p < .001) and negative with learned helplessness,

self-handicapping, and rumination (r(451) = -.194 to -.482; p < .001). Rumination had moderate positive

correlations with self-handicapping and learned helplessness (r(451) = .505 to .558; p < .001) and nega-

tive with coping variables (r(451) = -.324 to -.505; p < .001). Self-handicapping and learned helpless-

ness had moderate positive correlation (r(451) = .599) and negative correlations with proactive, preven-

tive, accommodative and problem-focused coping (r(451) = -.169 to -.507; p < .001). Coping scales had

moderate to high positive correlations (r(451) = .402 to .802; p < .001). Proactive coping had moderate

positive correlations with self-esteem, meaning in life, and mindfulness (r(451) = .582 to .622; p < .001)

and negative with self-handicapping and learned helplessness (r(451) = -.412 to -.508; p < .001). Preven-

tive coping had low to moderate positive correlations with self-esteem, meaning in life, and mindfulness

(r(451) = .263 to .491; p < .001) and negative with self-handicapping and learned helplessness (r(451) =

-.139; p < .001). Accommodative coping had moderate positive correlations with self-esteem, meaning

in life, and mindfulness (r(451) = .382 to .705; p < .001) and negative with self-handicapping and learned

helplessness (r(451) = -.221 to -.653; p < .001). Problem-oriented coping had moderate positive correla-

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Bakracheva, M. (2025). Personality Predictors of Flourishing and Learning to Flourish, International Journal of Cognitive

Research in Science, Engineering and Education (IJCRSEE), 13(1), 141-156.

tions with self-esteem, meaning in life, and mindfulness (r(451) = .489 to .668; p < .001) and negative with

self-handicapping and learned helplessness (r(451) = -.386 to -.599; p < .001).

Regression analyses, moderation and mediation

The model of personality traits with the highest explanatory power for flourishing (R

.373 Durbin-

Watson = 1,950; F = 31,488; р = .001) outlined as individual predictors agreeableness (ß = .247), extra-

version (ß = .232), consciousness (ß = .190), and neuroticism (ß = -.219). After adding the meta-traits

independent effect was accounted for plasticity (ß = .349), agreeableness (ß = .263), and neuroticism

(ß = -.241), however the total variance explained by the model was lower (R

.310; Durbin-Watson

= 1.731; F = 37.45; р = .001). The meta-traits model predicting flourishing (R

.352; DW = 1.747; F =

62.42) accounted independent effect of plasticity (ß = .305) and stability (ß = .416). The model of personal

dispositions (R

.672; Durbin-Watson = 1,856; F = 93,79; р = .001) outlined as predictors having direct

effect self-esteem (ß = .299), proactive coping (ß = .265), mindfulness (ß = .233), and meaning in life (ß

= .208). The general regression model, including personality traits and dispositions revealed model with

the highest explanatory power (68%) with individual predictors self-esteem (ß =.275), proactive coping (ß

=.270), mindfulness (ß = .220), agreeableness (ß = .138), and meaning in life (ß = .131) (R

= 0,682; DW

= 1.859; F = 97.75; p = .001). problem-focused coping mediated the effect of agreeableness on flourishing

and consciousness, stability and plasticity moderated the positive effect of self-esteem, proactive coping,

and mindfulness on flourishing.

Concerning mediating effect of problem-focused coping potential agreeableness had direct and

indirect effect on flourishing. The direct effect of agreeableness on problem-oriented coping potential

was positive and significant (b = .4131; s.e. = .0691; p = .00. [.2769; .5493] with an explained variance of

14%. The direct effect of problem-oriented coping potential on flourishing was positive and significant (b =

.7406; s.e. = .0561; p = .00. [.6301; .8511]. The direct effect of agreeableness on flourishing was positive

and significant (b = .2631; s.е. = .0626; p = .00. [.1398; .3864]. With R

= .1939 and F = 54.12; df = 453

(p = .001), the model was significant. Agreeableness was significantly positively related to flourishing with

regression coefficient b = .5691; se = .0774; p = .000 [LLCI = .4166; ULCI = .7215]. The indirect effect of

agreeableness on flourishing, mediated by problem-focused coping potential on flourishing was positive

and significant (b = .3059; se = .0768 [.1611; .4612]. The direct effect of agreeableness on flourishing

remained significant (b = .2631; s.e. = .0626; p = .000. [.1398; .3864], indicating that problem-focused

coping potential partially mediated the relation of agreeableness and flourishing. Higher problem-focused

copying potential increased the positive effect of agreeableness. The effect of proactive coping, self-

esteem and mindfulness on flourishing was moderated by consciousness, stability and plasticity. Plasticity

moderated the relation of self-esteem and flourishing, and stability moderated the relation of proactive

coping and mindfulness with flourishing. All indirect effects were positive at any value of the predictor. An

increase in consciousness increased the positive effect of proactive coping and mindfulness on flourish-

ing. Increase of plasticity increased the relation of self-esteem and flourishing. Proactive coping and

mindfulness predicted high flourishing, which increased as stability increased (Table 3).

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Bakracheva, M. (2025). Personality Predictors of Flourishing and Learning to Flourish, International Journal of Cognitive

Research in Science, Engineering and Education (IJCRSEE), 13(1), 141-156.

Table 3. Moderating effects of consciousness, plasticity, and stability

coeff se t p LLCI ULCI

constant -2.6576 .8724 -3,0460 .026 -4.3765 -.9381

proactive coping 1.5577 .2293 6.7946 .000 1,1059 2,0095

consciousness .0522 .2442 4.3096 .000 .5711 1.5333

proactive coping * consciousness - .2280 .0621 -3.6715 .003 -.3504 -.1056

conditional effects of the predictor at values of the moderator consciousness

3,17 .8357 .0624 13,0595 .0000 .7126 .9587

3.83 .6836 .0592 11,1975 .0000 .5669 .8004

4.50 .5316 .0809 6.9425 .0000 .3721 .6911

= .5610; MSE = .2010; F = 94.99; df1 = 3; df2 = 451; р = .000; X*W R

-chng = .0265; F = 13.48; р = .0003

coeff se t p LLCI ULCI

constant -2.6008 .7856 -3.3104 .0011 -1,1489 -1,0527

mindfulness 1.6483 .2187 7.5364 .0000 1.2173 2,0793

consciousness 1,1978 .2225 5.3838 .0000 .7594 1.6363

mindfulness * consciousness -.2834 .595 -4.7607 .0000 -.4007 -.1661

conditional effects of the predictor at values of the moderator consciousness

3,17 .7509 .0589 12.75 .0000 .6349 .8670

3.83 .5620 .0564 9.96 .0000 .4508 .6732

4.50 .3731 .0778 4.80 .0000 .2198 .5263

= .7335; MSE = .2116 ; F = 86.55; df1 = 3; df2 = 451; р = .000; X*W R

-chng = .0470; F = 22.66; р = .000

coeff se t p LLCI ULCI

constant -2.7748 1,1864 -2.34 .0202 -5,1127 -.4369

self-esteem 1.6241 .3180 5,11 .0000 .9975 2.2508

plasticity 1,1631 .3360 3.46 .0006 .5009 1.8252

self-esteem * plasticity -.2536 .0879 -2.89 .0043 -.4268 -.0804

conditional effects of the predictor at values of the moderator plasticity

3,08 .8423 .0699 12,04 .0000 .7044 .9801

3.67 .6943 .0566 12.26 .0000 .5827 .8059

4,17 .5676 .0771 7.36 .0000 .4156 .7195

= .5555; MSE = .2035; F = 92.91; df1 = 3; df2 = 451; р = .000; X*W R

-chng = .0166; F = 8.33; р = .0043

coeff se t p LLCI ULCI

constant -4.6060 1.3703 -3.36 .0009 -7.3064 -1.9056

proactive coping 1.8677 .3542 5.27 .0000 1,1696 2.5658

stability 1.6600 .3910 4.25 .0000 .8894 2.4306

proactive coping * stability -.3285 .0990 -3.32 .0011 -.5236 -.1335

conditional effects of the predictor at values of the moderator stability

3,17 .8272 .0666 12.42 .0000 .6959 .9585

3.61 .6810 .0564 12.07 .0000 .5699 .7921

4,06 .5353 .0761 7.04 .0000 .3854 .6853

= .5908; MSE = .1874; F = 107; df1 = 3; df2 = 451; р = .000; X*W R

-chng = .0202; F = 11,02; р = .0011

coeff se t p LLCI ULCI

constant -3.5725 1.2625 -2.8296 .0051 -6,0605 -1,0845

mindfulness 1.6817 .3417 4.9216 .0000 1.0083 2.3550

stability 1.5508 3.3676 4.2191 .0000 .8265 2.2752

mindfulness * stability -.3137 .0970 -3.2340 .0014 -.5048 -.1225

conditional effects of the predictor at values of the moderator stability

3,16 .6881 .0621 11.08 .0000 .5657 .8105

3.61 .5485 .0559 9.82 .0000 .4384 .6586

4,06 .4094 .0781 5.25 .0000 .2556 .5632

= .5415; MSE = .2100; F = 87.78; df1 = 3; df2 = 451; р = .000; X*W R

-chng = .0215; F = 1.46; р = .0014

In the general model, flourishing was predicted by high self-esteem, proactive coping, mindfulness,

agreeableness and meaning in life. Problem-oriented coping potential mediated the relationship between

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Bakracheva, M. (2025). Personality Predictors of Flourishing and Learning to Flourish, International Journal of Cognitive

Research in Science, Engineering and Education (IJCRSEE), 13(1), 141-156.

agreeableness and flourishing. Conscientiousness and stability moderated the relationship between pro-

active coping and mindfulness with flourishing, and plasticity moderated the relationship between self-

esteem and flourishing (Fig. 2).

Figure 2. General model of flourishing

Effect and sustainability of the training

In accordance with the design of the piloted training, the results were examined with a comparison

between the control and experimental groups before the training, after the training and six months later.

The comparison between the control and experimental group after the training is analogous with the

results after six months. Significant difference with large effect size (t = 2.4507; p < .05; d = 1.10) for all

participants was reported only for meaning in life (control group M = 3.80; SD = .836; experimental group

M = 4.60; SD = .595). For individual participants there were changes in mindfulness and coping both after

the training and six months after its completion.

Discussion and Conclusion

The aim of this article is twofold: to contribute to two of the main lines of current flourishing concep-

tualization and in particular to highlight the various predictors that describe levels of perceived flourishing

and the practical implications of learning to flourish. Overall, our hypotheses are confirmed. Personality

traits predict flourishing with low to moderate effect; personal dispositions predict flourishing with higher

independent effect compared to personality traits; personality traits and dispositions have direct, me-

diated, and moderated effects on flourishing. Personality traits account for less variance in flourishing

compared to dispositions, and traits and dispositions have both direct and indirect effects on flourishing.

Among personality traits flourishing is predicted by high consciousness, agreeableness, extraversion,

stability and plasticity and low neuroticism. Predictors of flourishing with independent effect among the

studied dispositions are self-esteem, proactive coping, meaning in lifer and mindfulness. These findings

replicate the conclusion that personality traits and dispositions are robustly related to well-being (DeNeve

and Cooper, 1998; Grant et al., 2009; Sun et al., 2018; Meléndez et al., 2019; Anglim et al., 2020) and

that traits and self-esteem predict flourishing (Fernández et al., 2023). To some extent, personality traits

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Bakracheva, M. (2025). Personality Predictors of Flourishing and Learning to Flourish, International Journal of Cognitive

Research in Science, Engineering and Education (IJCRSEE), 13(1), 141-156.

and to a greater extent personal dispositions determine the importance of personal adaptive potential and

developmental resources, which replicates that behavior is predicted by situational appraisals and coping

preferences in addition to accounted for life course and other changes in personality traits that require

further research (Bleidorn et al., 2022). In the general model, flourishing is predicted by high self-esteem,

proactive coping, mindfulness, agreeableness, and meaning in life. Problem-oriented coping potential

strengthens the relationship between agreeableness and flourishing. Conscientiousness and stability en-

hance the positive effect of proactive coping and mindfulness on flourishing. Plasticity strengthens the

relationship between self-esteem and flourishing. This finding supports the proposed balance and joint ef-

fect of the two meta-traits, with plasticity and stability being the two dispositions specifically related to self-

regulation. Self-esteem is expected to be not only stable and rigid, but also flexible enough to be revised,

validated and supplemented in order to fulfill its optimal relationship with self-perception, while proactive

coping and mindfulness, as dispositions related to activity in cognitive, emotional and behavioural aspect,

are supported by stability. Personal dispositions and traits have their own independent effects and are

also interrelated, so that each variable completes the explanatory model. Personal dispositions can sup-

port traits and personality traits have effect on dispositions and their interrelated effect contributes to the

understanding of personality antecedents of self-regulation.

In terms of intervention and learning benefits, it is shown that increasing mindfulness and reducing

neuroticism can improve mental health (Bleidorn et al., 2022). Intervention approaches and future per-

spectives for their improvement are outlined (Van Zyl and Rothmann, 2014). Effects and changes are also

demonstrated for relatively stable personality traits - changes as a result of experienced crisis situations

(Sutin et al., 2020, 2022) and after a three-month intervention (Stieger et al., 2019); changes in traits as

a result of mindfulness facilitation (Van den Hurk et al., 2011; Stieger et al., 2019) and the influence of

values (Roccas et al., 2002). In general, it is emphasized that personality traits are not “fixed,” but rather

plastic and change following specific experiences or interventions, as well as depending on the goals

set for trait change (Anglim et al., 2020). Colaianne et al. (2025) highlight the role of learning even in a

virtual environment, in supporting students‘ mental health and well-being. They report sustainable re-

sults with improvements in proximal outcomes related to mindfulness, compassion, and shared humanity

and decreases in depressive symptoms and improvements in distal outcomes related to flourishing and

depressive symptoms in the end of the course (Colaianne et al., 2025). In this study, there was partial con-

firmation of the expected promotion of flourishing as a result of the completed training. Participants in the

training had significant changes only in the area of meaning in life, but these changes were sustainable

and supportive of the learning pathways. Furthermore, meaning in life is reported to be a strong predictor

of overall performance and flourishing, and individuals reported higher mindfulness and coping both after

the training and six months after its completion, supporting the need for future research. Enhancing pre-

dictors of flourishing - mindfulness, coping, meaning in life, and proactive attitudes and behaviors - should

act as a learned pathway to flourishing as a proximal and distal outcome.

Studies related to the COVID-19 pandemic highlight effective adaptation patterns and the role of

coping potential (Kirby et al., 2021), with significant effects reported depending on the different dimen-

sions and experiences of the crisis (Sutin et al., 2020, 2022). Since the COVID-19 pandemic, it is pointed

that universities commit to supporting student mental health and well-being (Colaianne et al., 2025). For

this reason, we consider the partial effect of training - sustainable results only accounted for the meaning

of life important in view of the conclusion that meaning of life predicts well-being and reduces stressor-

related distress (Ostafin and Proulx, 2020) and that supporting individuals’ meaning-making processes

promotes health (Haugan and Dezutter, 2021). The impact of a crisis situation on personal resources

and coping with a difficult life situation shows that coping with a crisis situation and well-being depend on

perceived challenge and meaning (Selezneva et al., 2024). Given today’s unstable and insecure contexts

and global crises - economic, social, threats of war, natural disasters - the need to foster resources for

sustainable and effective self-regulation and the ongoing search for adaptive responses is of primary

interest. We believe that the findings highlight the intersection of the integrated influence of personality

predictors and proactive orientations in promoting personal efficacy, adaptive potential, self-regulation,

and the role of proactive addressing, supporting the position that flourishing can be learned and that the

earlier this process begins, the higher the personal effectiveness will be (Seligman, 2011).

The contribution of the study is to outline the complex framework of the interacting effects of per-

sonality predictors on experienced flourishing, and that flourishing can be facilitated through proactive,

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Bakracheva, M. (2025). Personality Predictors of Flourishing and Learning to Flourish, International Journal of Cognitive

Research in Science, Engineering and Education (IJCRSEE), 13(1), 141-156.

targeted learning. Taking into account the inherent limitations of a cross-sectional study with a conveni-

ent sample, we believe that the results outline the heuristic potential of using plasticity and stability as a

general research framework and practical tool that can accommodate traits, dispositions, and learning

pathways. On the basis of the research results presented and the training carried out, it can be concluded

that not only interventions but also the learning process can be included in order to stimulate personal

adaptive resources in the perspective of positive psychology.

Conflict of interests

The author declare no conflict of interest.

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