The relationship between personality traits, psychopathological symptoms, and problematic internet use: a complex mediation model

Koronczai, B, Kökönyei, G, Tao, T, Griffiths, MD ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8880-6524 and Demetrovics, Z, 2019. The relationship between personality traits, psychopathological symptoms, and problematic internet use: a complex mediation model. Journal of Medical Internet Research, 21 (4): e11837. ISSN 1438-8871

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Abstract

Background: There are many empirical studies that demonstrate the associations between problematic internet use, psychopathological symptoms, and personality traits. However, complex models are scarce.

Objective: The aim of this study was to build and test a mediation model based on problematic internet use, psychopathological symptoms, and personality traits.

Methods: Data were collected from a medical addiction center (43 internet addicts) and internet cafés (222 customers) in Beijing (Mean age = 22.45 years, SD = 4.96; 90.2% males). Path analysis was applied to test the mediation models using structural equation modelling.

Results: Based on the preliminary analyses (correlations and linear regression), two different models were built. In the first model, low conscientiousness and depression had a direct significant influence on problematic internet use. The indirect effect of conscientiousness – via depression – was non-significant. Emotional stability only affected problematic internet use indirectly, via depressive symptoms. In the second model, low conscientiousness also had a direct influence on problematic internet use, while the indirect path via the Global Severity Index was again non-significant. Emotional stability impacted problematic internet use indirectly via the Global Severity Index, while it had no direct effect on it, as in the first model.

Conclusion: Personality traits (i.e., conscientiousness as a protective factor and neuroticism as a risk factor) play a significant role in problematic internet use, both directly and indirectly (via distress level).

Item Type:	Journal article
Publication Title:	Journal of Medical Internet Research
Creators:	Koronczai, B., Kökönyei, G., Tao, T., Griffiths, M.D. and Demetrovics, Z.
Publisher:	Journal of Medical Internet Research
Date:	26 April 2019
Volume:	21
Number:	4
ISSN:	1438-8871
Identifiers:	Number Type 10.2196/11837 DOI
Rights:	Commons Attribution License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work, first published in the Journal of Medical Internet Research, is properly cited.
Divisions:	Schools > School of Social Sciences
Record created by:	Jonathan Gallacher
Date Added:	02 Apr 2019 08:11
Last Modified:	01 May 2019 12:28
URI:	https://irep.ntu.ac.uk/id/eprint/36165

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