Linking Big Five Personality Domains and Facets to Alcohol (Mis)Use: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Problem drinking among university students in Berlin

OBJECTIVE

Problem-drinking among university students is common and poses serious health-related risks. Therefore, identifying and addressing associated factors is important.

PARTICIPANTS AND METHODS

A large cross-sectional online-survey with 12,914 university students from Berlin was conducted from November 2016 to August 2017. Relative-risk- and correlation-analysis was used to identify factors associated with problem-drinking and regular heavy-drinking. Independent t-tests compared impulsivity and personality traits, chi-square-tests compared drinking motives between risk- and non-risk-drinkers.

RESULTS

Male gender, tobacco-smoking, illegal substance use, impulsivity and various sociodemographic and psychosocial variables were significantly related to problem/heavy-drinking. Extraversion was a risk, conscientiousness and agreeableness were protective factors. Drinking-motives did not differ significantly between risk- and non-risk-drinkers. Generally, the main drinking-motives were to feel elated, relax and social purposes.

CONCLUSION

The identified markers and related problem behaviors may serve as a tool to enhance the identification of student subgroups at risk for problem/heavy-drinking, and hence improve targeted health-intervention-programs.

Morphological Assessment Features and their Relations to Reading: A Meta-Analytic Structural Equation Modeling Study

Morphemes are the smallest meaningful unit of language (e.g., affixes, base words) that express grammatical and semantic information. Additionally, morphological knowledge is significantly related to children's word reading and reading comprehension skills. Researchers have broadly assessed morphological knowledge by using a wide range of tasks and stimuli, which has influenced the interpretation of the relations between morphological knowledge and reading outcomes. This review of 103 studies used meta-analytic structural equation modeling (MASEM) to investigate the relations between commonly occurring morphological knowledge assessment features (e.g., written versus oral, spelling versus no spelling) in the literature to reading outcomes, including word reading and reading comprehension. Meta-regression techniques were used to examine moderators of age and reading ability. Morphological assessments that used a written modality (e.g., reading, writing) were more predictive of word reading outcomes than those administered orally. Assessments of morphological spelling were more predictive of both word reading and reading comprehension outcomes than those that did not examine spelling accuracy. Age was a significant moderator of the relation between morphology and word reading, such that the relation was stronger for the younger than the older children. Younger children also demonstrated higher relations between multiple task dimensions and reading comprehension, including oral tasks, tasks without decoding, and tasks that provided context clues. These findings have important implications for future morphological intervention studies aimed to improve children's reading outcomes, in particular the use of orthography and spelling within the context of teaching morphology.

Keeping you connected or keeping you addicted? Weekly use of social media platforms is associated with hazardous alcohol use and problem gambling among adults

AIMS

A wide variety of social media platforms exist, each offering tailored solutions to attract specific target audiences based on their social media needs and interests. This diversity may pose a risk factor for the development or perpetuation of harmful behaviors. Research has established a connection between social media use and increased health risk behaviors. This six-wave exploratory longitudinal study investigated the associations between active social media use, hazardous alcohol use, and problem gambling among adult social media users.

METHODS

Data were collected via surveys in 6-month intervals, starting in March-April 2021 (T1: N = 1530; Mage = 46.67; SD = 16.42; 50.33% male). Of the T1 respondents, 58.10% participated in T6 (n = 889). Measures included the frequency of use of different social media platforms, the 3-item Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT-C), and the Problem Gambling Severity Index (PGSI). Hybrid multilevel regression models were used for analyses.

RESULTS

We found positive within-person effects of weekly Facebook use and between-person effects of weekly use of Facebook, TikTok, and gambling-related online communities on drinking. These results suggest an increase in hazardous alcohol consumption over time among the platforms' active users. Weekly Instagram use had a negative between-person effect on hazardous alcohol use. Individuals using TikTok or gambling communities weekly were more prone to problem gambling compared to non-weekly users.

CONCLUSIONS

There are risks involved in the active use of some social media services among adult users. Prevention work, including digital health interventions, should be targeted according to the appropriate user group.

Personality predicting relapse: A facet analysis of the NEO PI-R

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

Revised NEO Personality Inventory (NEO PI-R) domains are associated with substance use disorders (SUD), including potential for relapse. However, individual facets of the NEO PI-R domains have not been rigorously analyzed. This paper assesses NEO PI-R individual facets among participants with SUD and their value in predicting relapse.

METHODS

Between 2015 and 2018, all patients admitted to a single private rehabilitation center (n = 642) were offered participation in this study. Participants who completed NEO PI-R questionnaires at the start of treatment and with known relapse outcomes up to 1-year posttreatment were included (n = 441). Statistical analysis included a series of unadjusted univariate logistic regressions and additional adjusted multivariate regression controlling for employment status in healthcare.

RESULTS

Neuroticism, Agreeableness, and Conscientiousness domains had significant impacts on relapse. Three individual facets of Neuroticism were significant predictors of relapse, and seven individual facets within the Conscientiousness and Agreeableness domains were inversely related to relapse. When controlling for employment, Conscientiousness and three of its individual facets (Dutifulness, Competence, and Self-Discipline) continued to be significant in predicting relapse. The individual facets Impulsiveness and Straightforwardness also continued to be significant in predicting relapse.

CONCLUSIONS AND SCIENTIFIC SIGNIFICANCE

Several personality domains and facets were significantly related to relapse, confirming and expanding on prior literature. This study focuses on the risk of relapse as it relates to NEO PI-R individual facets, which have not been previously explored with a sample size of this magnitude. These findings can guide clinical care of patients with SUD, allowing for more targeted treatment.

Positive personality traits moderate persistent high alcohol consumption, determined by polygenic risk in U.S. military veterans: results from a 10-year, population-based, observational cohort study

BACKGROUND

Understanding the interplay between psychosocial factors and polygenic risk scores (PRS) may help elucidate the biopsychosocial etiology of high alcohol consumption (HAC). This study examined the psychosocial moderators of HAC, determined by polygenic risk in a 10-year longitudinal study of US military veterans. We hypothesized that positive psychosocial traits (e.g. social support, personality traits, optimism, gratitude) may buffer risk of HAC in veterans with greater polygenic liability for alcohol consumption (AC).

METHODS

Data were analyzed from 1323 European-American US veterans who participated in the National Health and Resilience in Veterans Study, a 10-year, nationally representative longitudinal study of US military veterans. PRS reflecting genome-wide risk for AC (AUDIT-C) was derived from a Million Veteran Program genome-wide association study (N = 200 680).

RESULTS

Among the total sample, 328 (weighted 24.8%) had persistent HAC, 131 (weighted 9.9%) had new-onset HAC, 44 (weighted 3.3%) had remitted HAC, and 820 (weighted 62.0%) had no/low AC over the 10-year study period. AUDIT-C PRS was positively associated with persistent HAC relative to no/low AC [relative risk ratio (RRR) = 1.43, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.23-1.67] and remitted HAC (RRR = 1.63, 95% CI = 1.07-2.50). Among veterans with higher AUDIT-C PRS, greater baseline levels of agreeableness and greater dispositional gratitude were inversely associated with persistent HAC.

CONCLUSIONS

AUDIT-C PRS was prospectively associated with persistent HAC over a 10-year period, and agreeableness and dispositional gratitude moderated this association. Clinical interventions designed to target these modifiable psychological traits may help mitigate risk of persistent HAC in veterans with greater polygenic liability for persistent HAC.

Drinking motives, personality traits and life stressors-identifying pathways to harmful alcohol use in adolescence using a panel network approach

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

Models of alcohol use risk suggest that drinking motives represent the most proximal risk factors on which more distal factors converge. However, little is known about how distinct risk factors influence each other and alcohol use on different temporal scales (within a given moment versus over time). We aimed to estimate the dynamic associations of distal (personality and life stressors) and proximal (drinking motives) risk factors, and their relationship to alcohol use in adolescence and early adulthood using a novel graphical vector autoregressive (GVAR) panel network approach.

DESIGN, SETTING AND CASES

We estimated panel networks on data from the IMAGEN study, a longitudinal European cohort study following adolescents across three waves (aged 16, 19 and 22 years). Our sample consisted of 1829 adolescents (51% females) who reported alcohol use on at least one assessment wave.

MEASUREMENTS

Risk factors included personality traits (NEO-FFI: neuroticism, extraversion, openness, agreeableness and conscientiousness; SURPS: impulsivity and sensation-seeking), stressful life events (LEQ: sum scores of stressful life events), and drinking motives [drinking motives questionnaire (DMQ): social, enhancement, conformity, coping anxiety and coping depression]. We assessed alcohol use [alcohol use disorders identification test (AUDIT): quantity and frequency] and alcohol-related problems (AUDIT: related problems).

FINDINGS

Within a given moment, social [partial correlation (pcor) = 0.17] and enhancement motives (pcor = 0.15) co-occurred most strongly with drinking quantity and frequency, while coping depression motives (pcor = 0.13), openness (pcor = 0.05) and impulsivity (pcor = 0.09) were related to alcohol-related problems. The temporal network showed no predictive associations between distal risk factors and drinking motives. Social motives (beta = 0.21), previous alcohol use (beta = 0.11) and openness (beta = 0.10) predicted alcohol-related problems over time (all P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONS

Heavy and frequent alcohol use, along with social drinking motives, appear to be key targets for preventing the development of alcohol-related problems throughout late adolescence. We found no evidence for personality traits and life stressors predisposing towards distinct drinking motives over time.

Appetitive and Aversive Motivation in Dysregulated Behaviors: A Meta-Analysis

Appetitive and aversive motivation are prominent in theories of dysregulated behaviors. The authors conducted a meta-analysis of the association between individual differences in appetitive and aversive motivation and several dysregulated behaviors (i.e., alcohol use, marijuana use, tobacco use, binge eating, aggression, gambling, and nonsuicidal self-injury). Alcohol use (r = .17, k = 141), marijuana use (r = .13, k = 23), aggression (r = .22, k = 52), and gambling (r = .08, k = 55) were all significantly positively related to appetitive motivation. Binge eating (r = .28, k = 34) and self-injury (r = .17, k = 10) were significantly positively related to aversive motivation. Effect sizes were similar to the median effect size in personality research. Together, these results provide some evidence that some dysregulated behaviors are more correlated with approach motivation, whereas others are more correlated with aversive motivation, which may indicate distinct etiological pathways.

The Involvement of Age, Gender, and Personality Variables in Alcohol Consumption during the Start of the COVID-19 Pandemic in Romanian University Students

This study aimed to explore the age, gender, and personality variables involved in alcohol consumption (AC) at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in Romania among 210 bachelor's and master's students aged between 19 and 25 years. The results of the Freiburg Personality Inventory-Revised and the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test were examined using a logistic model and cluster analysis. The prevalence of problematic AC was relatively low (10.5%). The risk of males being part of the problematic AC cluster was 5.223 times higher than that of females (p < 0.001). Increasing age was associated with a decrease in the risk of belonging to the problematic cluster by a factor of 0.733 (p = 0.001). Increasing scores on the Frankness and Somatic Complaints personality scales were associated with a decreased risk of belonging to the problematic cluster of AC, with factors of 0.738 (95% CI, 0.643 to 0.848), Wald χ²(1) = 18.424, and p < 0.001 and 0.901 (95% CI, 0.813 to 0.999), Wald χ²(1) = 3.925, and p = 0.048, respectively. More action to prevent AC is needed in men, especially in those at the beginning of their university studies. It is necessary to intervene to decrease the interest in making a good impression (low scores on the Frankness Scale) so as to increase healthy autonomy using critical thinking and find a balance between the internal and external loci of control. Students from faculties with profiles that deal with health and its promotion are less vulnerable to problematic alcohol consumption, even if they have a withdrawn, pessimistic personality (low scores on Somatic Complaints).

Trajectories of alcohol consumption in U.S. military veterans: Results from a 10-year population-based longitudinal study

BACKGROUND

Alcohol use disorder is a public health problem, especially among US veterans. This study examined the nature and predictors of 10-year trajectories of alcohol consumption in US veterans.

METHODS

Data were analyzed from the 2011-2021 National Health and Resilience in Veterans Study, a nationally representative, longitudinal study of 2309 US veterans.

RESULTS

Latent growth mixture modeling analyses revealed four trajectories of alcohol consumption (Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test-Consumption [AUDIT-C]) over a 10-year period: excessive (4.1%; mean [standard deviation] AUDIT-C baseline=8.6 [2.0], slope= -0.33 [0.07]); at-risk (22.1%; baseline=4.1 [1.6], slope=0.02 [0.07]); rare (71.7%; baseline=1.2 [1.3], slope= -0.01 [0.03]); and recovering alcohol consumption (2.1%; baseline=8.4 [1.9], slope= -0.70 [0.14]). The strongest predictors of excessive vs. rare alcohol consumption group were younger age (relative variance explained [RVE]=27.8%), and lower agreeableness (RVE=27.0%); at-risk vs. rare alcohol consumption group were fewer medical comorbidities (RVE=82.3%); recovering vs. rare alcohol consumption group were greater dysphoric arousal symptoms (RVE=46.1%) and current mental health treatment (RVE=26.5%); excessive vs. at-risk alcohol consumption group were younger age (RVE=25.9%), greater dysphoric arousal symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (RVE=22.0%), and lower conscientiousness (RVE=19.1%); and excessive vs. recovering alcohol consumption group were current mental health treatment (RVE=61.1%) and secure attachment style (RVE=12.4%).

CONCLUSIONS

Over the past decade, more than 1 in 4 US veterans consumed alcohol at the at-risk-to-excessive level. Veterans who are younger, score lower on agreeableness and conscientiousness, endorse greater dysphoric arousal symptoms, and currently not engaged in mental health treatment may require close monitoring and prevention efforts to mitigate the risk of a chronic course of at-risk-to-excessive alcohol consumption.

Understanding the associations between personality traits and the frequency of alcohol intoxication in young males and females: Findings from the United Kingdom

The problem of alcohol intoxication is growing and expanding worldwide, which has numerous adverse health and psychological consequences. Thus, it is unsurprising that there are so many efforts made toward underlying the psychological determinants of alcohol intoxication. While some research found that the belief in drinking is important, other research considers personality traits as a risk factor for alcohol consumption and intoxication, which is backed by empirical evidence. However, previous studies classified individuals as binge drinkers or non-binge drinkers (i.e., binary). Thus, it remains unclear how the Big Five personality traits may relate to the frequency of alcohol intoxication in young people aged between 16 and 21 years old, who are more vulnerable to alcohol intoxication. By using two ordinal logistic regressions on 656 young males with a mean age of 18.50±1.63 years old and 630 female drinkers with a mean age of 18.49±1.55 years old who have ever been intoxicated during the past four weeks from Wave 3 (collected via face-to-face interviews or online surveys between 2011 and 2012) UKHLS (United Kingdom Household Longitudinal Study), the current research found that Extraversion has a positive association with the frequency of alcohol intoxication in both male (OR = 1.35, p < 0.01, 95 % C.I. [1.13, 1.61]) and female (OR = 1.29, p = 0.01, 95 % C.I. [1.06, 1.57]) drinkers whereas only Conscientiousness (OR = 0.75, p < 0.01, 95 % C.I. [0.61, 0.91]) is negatively connected to the frequency of alcohol intoxication in female drinkers.

Assessment of the risk of burnout and its associated factors in healthcare professionals during the COVID-19 pandemic: A prospective cohort study

Introduction

The COVID-19 pandemic resulted in tremendous physical and psychological pressure on healthcare professionals, especially on those working in intensive care units (ICUs) and Emergency Departments (EDs). The present study intended to characterize the profile of these professionals which is associated with burnout and determine the potential predictors of such condition.

Methods

A Prospective cohort study was carried out in a tertiary hospital between March 2020 and March 2021, in Salvador, Brazil. A standardized and validated version of the Oldenburg Burnout inventory (OLBI) was applied to assess risk of burnout together with data forms designed to collect information on sociodemographic characteristics and religious beliefs. ICU and ED healthcare professionals were evaluated during off-hours at two distinct periods of the COVID-19 pandemic, in 2020 and in 2021. Differences in the results obtained from each study participant between the timepoints were compared. A binary logistic regression analysis was performed to identify the predictors of burnout development independent of other confounding factors.

Results

Seventy-seven healthcare professionals with a median age of 33 (interquartile range [IQR]: 31-37.5) years and predominantly female (72.7%; n = 56) were enrolled. There were 62 professionals at risk of developing burnout through the OLBI. Those had a median age of 33 (IQR: 31-37) and female predominance (71%, n = 44). Disengagement and burnout were the only features which frequencies significantly changed over time, with increasing detection at the latest timepoint. Alcohol consumption was found to be an important risk factor for burnout development [adjusted odds ratio (aOR): 10.8 (95% CI: 1.8-64.2)]. Importantly, working in the ICU [aOR: 0.04 (95%CI: 0.01-0.32)] and the habit of praying daily [aOR: 0.07 (95%CI: 0.01-0.41)] were characteristics linked to reduced odds of burnout.

Discussion

Disengagement substantially increased during the COVID-19 pandemic in healthcare professionals. Alcohol consumption favors the onset of burnout whereas habit of praying daily and working in the ICU are protective against such outcome. Institutional policies aimed at minimizing etilism may positively impact mental health of these professionals.

Impulsivity as a Risk Factor for Addictive Disorder Severity during the COVID-19 Lockdown: Results from a Mixed Quantitative and Qualitative Study

Interindividual differences in personality traits, especially impulsivity traits, are robust risk factors for addictive disorders. However, their impact on addictive disorders during the COVID-19 lockdown remains unknown. This study assessed patients being followed for addictive disorders before the lockdown. We aimed to determine whether impulsivity traits (i.e., negative- and positive urgency) were associated with addictive disorders severity during the lockdowns. We also explored the patients' subjective experiences, focusing on high versus low impulsivity. The quantitative study assessed 44 outpatients consulting for addictive disorders, for impulsivity, emotion regulation, anxiety/depression, and their addictive disorder characteristics, using self-administered questionnaires. In the qualitative study, six patients from the quantitative study were assessed using guided interviews. We observed that higher negative and positive urgencies were associated with addictive disorder severity. The subjective experiences of patients during the lockdowns differed according to their emotion-related impulsivity: high versus low. Low impulsive patients used online technologies more effectively to maintain follow-up, with more positive reappraisal. In contrast, highly impulsive patients reverted more frequently to self-medication with substances and/or behaviors, more social isolation, and found coping with negative emotions more challenging. Overall, the patient's ability to cope with stressful events, like the COVID-19 lockdown, depended on their emotion-related impulsivity.

Personality-related and psychosocial correlates of sick leave days in Germany during the COVID-19 pandemic: findings of a representative survey

Background

The aim of our study was to assess the personality-related and psychosocial correlates of sick leave days in Germany during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods

We used data from a representative online-survey covering the general German adult population (data collection: mid-March 2022). We restricted our sample to full-time employed individuals aged 18 to 64 years (n = 1,342 individuals). Sick leave days in the preceding 12 months served as outcome measure. Validated and established tools were used to quantify personality characteristics and psychosocial factors (such as the Coronavirus Anxiety Scale or the De Jong Gierveld loneliness tool). Negative binomial regression models were used.

Results

After adjusting for various sociodemographic and health-related factors, regressions showed that a higher number of sick leave days was associated with lower levels of conscientiousness (IRR: 0.84, 95% CI: 0.73-0.97), higher levels of openness to experience (IRR: 1.19, 1.04–1.35), less coronavirus anxiety (IRR: 0.90, 95% CI: 0.86-0.93), and more depressive symptoms (IRR: 1.06, 1.02–1.11).

Conclusion

After adjusting for various sociodemographic and health-related factors, our study showed an association between personality-related and psychosocial factors with sick leave days. More research is required to clarify the underlying pathways.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13690-022-00980-6.

Do Personality, Alcohol Abstinence Self-Efficacy, and Depressive Symptomatology Affect Abstinence Status in Treatment-Seeking Patients with Alcohol Use Disorder?

Given the high global incidence and disabling nature of alcohol use disorders, alongside high relapse rates, we sought to investigate potential predictors of abstinence, considered a prerequisite of full remission. With an aim to examine (i) the effect of personality, alcohol abstinence self-efficacy, and depressive symptomatology on abstinence status as our primary objective, and (ii) interactions between these three factors, as well as (iii) their changes over time as two secondary objectives, we recruited 51 inpatients at an alcohol rehabilitation center to complete the International Personality Item Pool, the Alcohol Abstinence Self-Efficacy Scale and the Beck Depression Inventory, and to provide information on abstinence attainment 2 months post-treatment. Although regression analyses revealed no evidence for the effect of the investigated factors (personality, self-efficacy, or depressive symptoms) on post-therapy abstinence, other findings emerged, demonstrating (i) a significant reduction in the severity of depressive symptoms, (ii) the effect of personality and alcohol abstinence self-efficacy on depressive symptom severity, and (iii) the role of personality in predicting the temptation to use alcohol in recovering drinkers. These preliminary indications of links between personality, self-efficacy, and subjective well-being mark a promising area for future research on powerful and relevant cues of relapse and abstinence efficacy.

Personality traits and alcohol consumption: Secondary analysis of the Self-Match Study

Background

This secondary analysis of the Self‐Match Study explores whether personality traits affect the treatment outcome for alcohol use disorders (AUD). We designed the Self‐Match Study to investigate whether clients choosing between treatment options improves treatment outcomes. The primary outcome report revealed no difference in the outcome, whether treatment allocation was based on clinician matching or self‐matching. Because willingness to choose, choice of treatment method, and compliance with treatment may be related to personality, this exploratory sub‐study investigated the influence of personality traits on treatment outcome.

Method

We enrolled 402 consecutive clients (female 46.7%, mean age 47.4) seeking treatment at the outpatient alcohol treatment center in Odense, Denmark. Clients were randomized to treatment by expert‐match or self‐matching. Data on alcohol consumption (Timeline Follow Back), personality traits (NEO‐FFI‐3), and retention in care were collected at baseline and 6‐month follow‐up. Outcomes were compliance, sensible drinking (alcohol intake below National Recommendations), and the number of heavy drinking days at follow‐up.

Results

A high neuroticism score was negatively associated with treatment completion. Further, clients with a high score on neuroticism, openness, and extraversion, or a low score on conscientiousness were less likely to reduce their drinking to a sensible level at follow‐up. We also found that low scores on conscientiousness were associated with having more heavy drinking days at follow‐up. The personality traits neuroticism and openness were associated with treatment preferences.

Conclusions

Personality traits influence 6 months drinking outcomes for people receiving AUD treatment.

Personality traits seem to not affect treatment completion. However, a high score on neuroticism, openness, extraversion, or a low score on conscientiousness influence the drinking pattern in different ways at 6‐month follow‐up. The personality traits neuroticism and openness were associated with preferences for specific treatment methods, but further research is needed on this matter. Tentative conclusions are that client‐centered treatment is preferable and shared decision‐making should be considered as part of the treatment regimen.

Associations between Mental Resilience, Mood, Coping, Personality, and Hangover Severity

Extensive research exists on relationships between psychological constructs and alcohol consumption. However, research on relationships with hangover severity remains limited. This study aimed to assess the associations between mental resilience, mood (i.e., depression, anxiety, and stress), coping, personality, and hangover severity. A total of N = 690 participants completed an online survey by answering questions regarding their demographics, alcohol use, hangover prevalence and severity, and several psychological assessments (Brief Resilience Scale, DASS-21, Brief Cope, and Brief Version of the Big Five Personality Inventory). Significant associations were found between hangover severity and mental resilience, mood, and avoidant coping. Higher levels of mental resilience were associated with less severe hangovers, whereas poorer mood was associated with more severe hangovers. No significant associations were found with personality traits. These findings demonstrate that several associations between psychological constructs and hangover severity exist and suggest a role of psychological factors in the pathology of the alcohol hangover. As our findings contrast with the results of previous studies that did not report an association between mental resilience and the presence and severity of hangovers, further research is warranted.

Personality-Related Factors and Depressive Symptomatology Predict Behavioral Control in Patients With Alcohol Use Disorders

In the face of increasing social, economic, and health consequences of alcohol use disorders (AUDs) and limited effects of available treatment options, the search for novel prevention and management methods continues to remain a timely and valid endeavor. This, however, requires a better grasp of the theoretical framework underlying addiction mechanisms. With the goal to extend the existing body of evidence on AUDs, we set out to investigate the effect of personality-related factors and depressive symptomatology on (i) impulsivity, (ii) cognitive response inhibition, and (iii) the links between the two measures of behavioral control (different facets of impulsivity and response inhibition) in a treatment-seeking AUD sample. To this end, 53 male (n = 45) and female (n = 8) inpatients at an alcohol rehabilitation center completed three self-report questionnaires: the International Personality Item Pool (IPIP-50), the Beck Depression Inventory Second Edition (BDI-II) and the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale (BIS-11) and performed one behavioral task-an alcohol go/no go task. Regression analyses revealed conscientiousness, intellect, and depression level to be important potential predictors of self-report impulsivity and processing speed in recovering drinkers. No significant links were observed between the two measures of behavioral control, thus complementing evidence that while they both encompass behavioral under-regulation, they may indeed represent distinct psychological constructs.

Associations of Personality Traits with Internet Addiction: A Cross-Cultural Meta-Analysis with a Multilingual Approach

With a novel multilingual approach, this cross-cultural meta-analysis study investigated the associations between personality traits and Internet addiction. Articles were identified and retrieved by searching through general and language-specific databases, and thereafter reviewed for inclusion based on the selection criteria. Random effects models with the Hartung-Knapp-Sidik-Jonkman method were used to examine the associations of Internet addiction with seven personality traits: Openness, Conscientiousness, Extraversion, Agreeableness, Neuroticism, Psychoticism, and Lie (OCEAN-PL). Forest plots with summary statistics were produced to inspect the between-study heterogeneity. Subgroup analysis was performed to further determine the contributions of moderators (geographic region, population subgroup, scales for assessing personality traits and Internet addiction, and language of publication) to the observed between-study heterogeneity. Funnel plots and Egger's test were used to detect possible small-study effects. A sample of 34,438 participants from 37 studies (24 from Asia) were included for data analysis. The major languages of publications of the selected articles were English and Asian languages. According to the pooled results, Internet addiction was associated positively with Neuroticism and Psychoticism, but negatively with Conscientiousness, Extraversion, Agreeableness, and Lie. Geographic region and language of publication significantly moderated the associations of Internet addiction with Agreeableness and Neuroticism, and Openness and Extraversion, respectively. No significant small-study effect was present for all OCEAN-PL personality traits, except Neuroticism. In conclusion, the Internet addiction group is relatively more neurotic and psychotic, and less conscientious, extraverted, agreeable, and untruthful than the nonaddiction group. A multilingual approach is useful for improving the search strategies for systematic reviews, cross-cultural meta-analyses in particular.