Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40422306›Full record

ArticleEuropean journal of investigation in health, psychology and education2025

Problematic Use of Video Games, Social Media, and Alcohol: Exploring Reciprocal Relations with the Big Five Personality Traits in a Longitudinal Design.

Lutz Wartberg, Steffen Zitzmann, Silke Diestelkamp, Katrin Potzel, Sophia Berber, Rudolf Kammerl

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Article in European journal of investigation in health, psychology and education, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

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0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
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1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

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2 · The registry

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3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

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4 · The record

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5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors.

Lutz WartbergDepartment of Psychology, Faculty of Human Sciences, MSH Medical School Hamburg, 20457 Hamburg, Germany.
Steffen ZitzmannDepartment of Psychology, Faculty of Human Sciences, MSH Medical School Hamburg, 20457 Hamburg, Germany.
Silke DiestelkampDepartment of Psychology, Faculty of Human Sciences, MSH Medical School Hamburg, 20457 Hamburg, Germany.
Katrin PotzelDepartment of Education, Chair for Pedagogy with a Focus on Media Education, Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nuremberg, 90478 Nuremberg, Germany.ORCID 0000-0002-5317-6945
Sophia BerberDepartment of Education, Chair for Pedagogy with a Focus on Media Education, Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nuremberg, 90478 Nuremberg, Germany.ORCID 0009-0005-4723-1695
Rudolf KammerlDepartment of Education, Chair for Pedagogy with a Focus on Media Education, Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nuremberg, 90478 Nuremberg, Germany.ORCID 0000-0001-5500-0487

Funding

Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft KA 1611/6-2 and WA 3692/4-4
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

BACKGROUND/

objectivesThe problematic use of video games (PG), social media (PSMU), and alcohol (PAU) is widespread from adolescence onwards. According to theoretical models, personality traits are relevant for these problematic behavioral patterns; however, only very few longitudinal studies are available. The aim of this longitudinal study was to investigate for the first time whether Big Five personality dimensions (BFPD) are predictors for the development of PG, PSMU, or PAU, or conversely, whether these behavioral patterns are predictive of the BFPD.

methodsSurveys were conducted over three measurement time points (t1 to t3) using standardized instruments on PG, PSMU, PAU, and BFPD. A total of 492 young people (average age: 16.83 years, 44.1% female and 55.9% male) were investigated at t1, 475 persons (mean age: 17.93 years, 44.8% female, 55.2% male) at t2, and 443 cases (average age: 20.11 years, 45.1% female, 54.9% male) at t3. We calculated cross-lagged panel analyses over three measurement points (structural equation modeling).

resultsOf the BFPD, lower Conscientiousness and lower Extraversion were predictors of PG, higher Negative Emotionality (Neuroticism) predicted PSMU, and lower Agreeableness was a predictor of PAU. Only PAU was a predictor of a Big Five dimension (lower Agreeableness).

conclusionsThe findings were not consistent across the measurement points (t1 to t2 vs. t2 to t3) with one exception in an explorative analysis: problematic gaming was a predictor for both problematic social media use and problematic alcohol use in youth (t1 to t2 and t2 to t3). The influence of lower Conscientiousness was confirmed for PG and initial longitudinal results for PSMU and PAU were observed. These novel findings could be considered when developing or revising preventive measures.

Indexed as

adolescentagreeablenessalcoholconscientiousnessextraversiongaming disorderinternet addictionneuroticismopenness to experiencesocial media addiction

Identifiers

PMID40422306
PMCPMC12109995

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