Meta-analysis of associations between five-factor personality traits and problematic social media use

Abstract

AbstractThis meta-analysis quantified the relationship between the five-factor model of personality and problematic social media use and identified moderators of this relationship. The analysis used a random-effects model to calculate a correlation for each factor and included 113 samples, with a total of 53,913 participants, identified from systematic searches of four databases. Moderator analyses were used to investigate potential causes of heterogeneity. The meta-analysis found that high neuroticism (r = .21, p < .001, 95% CI [.19, .23]), low conscientiousness (r = -.16, p < .001, 95% CI [-.19, -.13]), low agreeableness (r = -.07, p < .001, 95% CI [-.10, -.05]), and low openness (r = -.04, p = .001, 95% CI [-.06, -.02]) were significantly associated with problematic social media use. Several significant moderator effects were found. The meta-analysis contributes to the understanding of the relationship between individual characteristics and problematic social media use and provides information that might be useful in preventing and treating this behaviour.