Smoking behavior and nicotine dependence: the predictive role of personality traits

Smoking behavior and nicotine dependence remain significant global public health problems. Yet, variations in individual vulnerability cannot be entirely explained by sociodemographic factors alone. Personality traits may influence an individual's smoking behavior and nicotine dependence. Thus, this research investigates how fundamental personality traits impact smoking habits and nicotine addiction in adults, aiming to identify trait profiles linked to increased risk.

This study was a cross-sectional survey targeting individuals with a smoking history, exclusively regular cigarette users. It used the validated Fagerström Test for Nicotine Dependence (FTND) to evaluate nicotine dependence, and the Big Five Inventory-10 (BFI-10) to assess personality traits. Multivariate regression models were used to assess associations.

556 smokers were included, with around half of the participants (46.8%) aged 18-30; (85%) reported no comorbidities, and 44% had completed secondary school. The smoking history was 20 ± 22 pack-years, while the FTND score was 5 ± 2.37, indicating a moderate level of dependence. Only two personality traits were significantly associated with the nicotine dependence score: conscientiousness and neuroticism. With each 1-unit increase in conscientiousness score, nicotine dependence decreases by 0.251 points (p = 0.011), highlighting a protective association. In addition, each one-unit increase in neuroticism score corresponds to a 0.233 unit increase in nicotine dependence (p = 0.018), demonstrating a strong positive correlation. Further, age and educational degree were negatively associated with nicotine dependence. Ex-smokers scored 0.34 points significantly higher than current smokers on conscientiousness (3.36 ± 0.83 vs. 3.02 ± 0.93, p value =0.005), a trait linked to health-promoting behaviors such as smoking cessation. There was a negative correlation between agreeableness score and pack-years (r = -0.11, p = 0.005).

Personality traits, specifically conscientiousness and neuroticism, were associated with nicotine dependence. Former smokers demonstrated significantly higher conscientiousness scores than current smokers. The relationship between low agreeableness and increased lifetime tobacco exposure may indicate that prosocial traits might limit long-term smoking habits. Recognizing high-risk personality profiles could improve targeted prevention strategies, aid in personalized cessation interventions, and add depth to behavioral models of tobacco use.