Table 3. PBL Positive preference from the PBL Preference Inventory as dependent variable in hierarchical linear regression analysis with three blocks of independent variables from survey (N=436)
Three blocks of independent variables Adjusted for socio-cultural information Adjusted for personality traits Adjusted for PBL negative preference
Β (standardized coefficient) t p-value Β (standardized coefficient) t p-value Β (standardized coefficient) t p-value
Block 1: Socio-cultural info                  
(Constant)   6.98 0.001   2.65 0.008   4.81 0.001
Gender (1: Male, 2: Female) 0.01 0.26 0.797 -0.04 -0.74 0.458 -0.08 -1.58 0.114
Age  -0.08 -1.15 0.250 -0.06 -1.01 0.312 -0.07 -1.27 0.204
Cohabitation                  
Living alone 0.05 042 0.679 0.07 0.60 0.550 0.01 0.11 0.914
With parents etc. -0.07 -065 0.518 -0.64 -0.67 0.502 -010 -1.17 0.245
Fellow students 0.09 0.56 0.579 0.09 0.62 0.538 -0.03 -0.25 0.805
Partner / children 0.12 1.01 0.315 0.10 0.85 0.397 -0.001 -0.009 0.993
Medical school info                  
1st Year -0.05 -0.67 0.504 -0.04 -0.55 0.583 -0.08 -1.20 0.229
2nd Year                  
6th Year 0.10 1.57 0.117 0.09 1.66 0.098 0.16 2.92 0.004
Nepal -0.12 -1.88 0.060 -0.06 -0.98 0.328 -0.29 -4.36 0.001
Norway                  
N Dakota 0.27 3.39 0.001 0.21 2.82 0.005 0.12 1.72 0.086
R2 adjusted 0.07                
F of equation F= 3.98; p<0.001                
Block 2: Personality traits                  
Neuroticism       0.08 1.52 0.129 0.13 2.47 0.014
Extraversion       0.24 4.35 0.001 0.18 3.56 0.001
Openness to experience       0.16 3.39 0.001 0.11 2.59 0.010
Agreeableness       -0.05 -0.84 0.403 -0.09 -1.70 0.090
Conscientiousness       0.25 5.04 0.001 0.28 6.00 0.001
R2 adjusted       0.20          
F of equation       F= 7.37; p< 0.001          
Block 3: Opposite PBL preference                  
PBL Negative             -0.40 -8.17 0.001
R2 adjusted             0.31    
F of equation           F=12.28; p<0.001    
Int J Med Educ. 2015; 6:84-92; doi: 10.5116/ijme.558e.6451