Study addiction and ‘dark’ personality traits: a cross-sectional survey study among emerging adults

Background: Research has shown that personality traits can have an important role in the development and maintenance of behavioral addictions. However, relationship between dark (i.e., Machiavellianism, psychopathy, narcissism, sadism, spitefulness) ‘study addiction’ yet to be investigated.Objectives: The purpose present study was examine associations with addiction among total sample, males, females separately, while adjusting for Big Five extroversion, neuroticism, agreeableness, openness, conscientiousness).Methods: A 716 university students completed online survey, including questions assessing aforementioned variables.Results: Hierarchical regression analysis suggested being female, conscientiousness, sadism were positively associated addiction. sadism) significantly related only males but not females.Conclusions: Findings this preliminary suggest may better at explaining male addictive studying patterns gender should taken into account when investigating