title: Exploring personality characteristics of Chinese adolescents with internet-related addictive behaviors: trait differences for gaming addiction and social networking addiction.
abstract: This study investigated the associations between personality traits, based on the Big Five model, and addictive behaviors to different online activities among adolescents. A sample of 920 participants was recruited from four secondary schools in different districts using random cluster sampling. A structured questionnaire, including demographic information, internet usage pattern, the Internet Addiction Test, the Game Addiction Scale, the Bergen Facebook Addiction Scale - Revised, and the Big Five Inventory, was administered to each participant. The results demonstrated a significant difference in personality traits for addictive behaviors related to different online activities. Specifically, higher neuroticism (β=0.15, p<0.001) and less conscientiousness (β=0.12, p<0.001) displayed significant associations with internet addiction in general; less conscientiousness (β=0.09, p<0.01) and low openness (β=0.06, p<0.05) were significantly associated with gaming addiction; and neuroticism (β=0.15, p<0.001) and extraversion (β=0.10, p<0.01) were significantly associated with social networking addiction. Our findings may provide a better understanding of the etiopathology of internet-related addictive behaviors and have implications for psychoeducation and psychotherapy programs.
authors.affiliation: Centre on Behavioral Health, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong. Electronic address: wangcw@hku.hk.
authors.forename: Chong-Wen
authors.initials: CW
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Centre on Behavioral Health, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong; Department of Social Work & Social Administration, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong.
authors.forename: Rainbow T H
authors.initials: RT
authors.lastname: Ho
authors.affiliation: Centre on Behavioral Health, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong; Department of Social Work & Social Administration, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong.
authors.forename: Cecilia L W
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Chan
authors.affiliation: Department of Social Work & Social Administration, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong.
authors.forename: Samson
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tse
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000523:psychology*; D016739:Behavior, Addictive / Q000523:psychology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005120:Extraversion, Psychological; D005260:Female; D006723:Hong Kong; D006801:Humans; D020407:Internet; D008297:Male; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D000075384:Neuroticism; D010551:Personality; D010555:Personality Inventory; D012044:Regression Analysis; D060756:Social Networking; D018910:Video Games / Q000523:psychology*
keywords: Addictive behavior; Adolescents; Gaming addiction; Internet addiction; Personality; Social networking