The Association between the Five-factor Model of Personality and Problem Gambling: a Meta-analysis

Abstract

This meta-analysis examined the associations between five-factor personality model traits and problem gambling. To be eligible for inclusion in the meta-analysis, studies had to provide effect size data that quantified the magnitude of the association between all five personality traits and problem gambling. Studies also had to use psychometrically sound measures. The meta-analysis included 20 separate samples from 19 studies and 32,222 total participants. The results showed that problem gambling was significantly correlated with the five-factor model of personality. The strongest personality correlate of problem gambling was neuroticism r = .31, p = < 0.001, 95% CI [0.17, 0.44], followed by conscientiousness r = − .28, p = < 0.001, 95% CI [-0.38,-0.17] ), agreeableness r = − .22, p = < 0.001, 95% CI [-0.34, − 0.10], openness r = − .17, p = < 0.001, 95% CI [-0.22,-0.12], and extraversion r = − .11, p = .024, 95% CI [-0.20,-0.01]. These results suggest problem gamblers tend to share a common personality profile – one that could provide clues as to the most effective ways to prevent and to treat problem gambling.

Who is healthier? A meta-analysis of the relations between the HEXACO personality domains and health outcomes

“…This finding corresponds with Big Five metaanalyses that generally found similar relations of Conscientiousness with most mental health outcomes (e.g., Buecker et al, 2020;Giluk, 2009;Kotov et al, 2010), but slightly stronger correlations with coping-related outcomes, such as resilience or self-efficacy (Barańczuk, 2021;Oshio et al, 2018). HEXACO Conscientiousness also correlated similarly with most health behaviors, which largely converges with past meta-analytic findings for Big Five Conscientiousness (e.g., Dudfield et al, 2022;Jones et al, 2011).…”

“…Thus, the over-representation of risky behaviors in the studies included in our meta-analysis might explain why Emotionality correlated positively with health behavior. Of note, Big Five Neuroticism has been shown to correlate positively (rather than negatively) with risky health behaviors, such as gambling and substance use (Dudfield et al, 2022; Kotov et al, 2010). This can arguably be attributed to Neuroticism capturing anger- and sadness-related personality variance that is not captured by Emotionality in the HEXACO framework.…”

Internet gaming disorder and the alternative five factor personality model: a study in a Spanish community sample

“…Low conscientiousness and low extraversion were characteristic of IGD. Gervasi et al (2017), in a systematic review, corroborated that people with IGD symptoms scored in the same Big Five personality traits, which was also in line with another recent meta-analysis (Dudfield et al, 2023;Şalvarlı & Griffiths, 2021). Different studies have also investigated the association between IGD and sensation seeking personality trait (Mazaheri & Hosseinsabet, 2017).…”

“…Several meta-analyses have reported on the relationship between the IGD and the FFM (Dudfield et al, 2023;Gervasi et al, 2017;Müller et al, 2014;Şalvarlı & Griffiths, 2021). All of them agree that IGD is associated with neuroticism, with some exceptions, with low extraversion, agreeableness, conscientiousness, and even openness to experience (Gervasi et al, 2017).…”

Changes in sports gambling behavior during the COVID-19 pandemic in Canada

“…Though these studies provide important information regarding the impact of the pandemic on sports bettors in a European context, it is not clear that these results necessarily generalize to North American sports gamblers. Moreover, these studies did not control for several important correlates of gambling involvement that may have influenced the outcomes such as personality traits and gambling motives ( 31 , 32 ).…”