Dysfunctional internet behaviour symptoms in association with personality traits

Area of Science:

• Psychology
• Behavioral Science
• Digital Health

Background:

• Internet addiction is a growing concern with significant psychological and social implications.
• Research indicates a potential link between personality traits and problematic internet use.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the association between excessive internet use and specific personality traits (neuroticism and extraversion) in adults.
• To examine if neuroticism and extraversion predict dysfunctional internet behavior.

Main Methods:

• A study involving 1211 adults who completed the Internet Addiction Test (IAT) and Eysenck Personality Questionnaire (EPQ).
• Data collection included socio-demographic information and psychopathology assessments.
• Statistical analyses included univariate and multiple logistic regression.

Main Results:

• 7.7% of participants exhibited dysfunctional internet behavior (medium to severe dependence).
• High neuroticism scores and low extraversion scores were significantly associated with dysfunctional internet behavior.
• Individuals with dysfunctional internet behavior were more likely to have chronic mental health disorders and use psychotropic medication.

Conclusions:

• Neuroticism and extraversion are independent predictors of dysfunctional internet behavior.
• Identifying individuals with specific personality traits, particularly high neuroticism and introversion, may facilitate early intervention and treatment for internet addiction.