Relationships of internet addiction and gambling craving with personality traits and psychological well-being

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Author(s): García-Perales, Joan ; Martínez, Isabel ; Delgado, Elena

Journal: Adolescents

Year Published: 2026

Date Added: May 26, 2026

Internet addiction and problem online gambling are linked to various psychological, social, and health harms. They likely share some common risk factors. The current study examined how Internet addiction and gambling craving are related to personality traits, self-esteem, and life satisfaction. The researchers surveyed a sample of 517 Spanish university students aged 21–23 years.

Internet addiction was associated with greater gambling craving, lower self-esteem, lower life satisfaction, and certain personality traits. Men tended to report higher internet addiction and gambling craving, while women reported higher life satisfaction. For men, the personality traits of extraversion, conscientiousness, and openness to experience predicted a lower likelihood of internet addiction. For women, higher self-esteem and the personality traits of agreeableness, conscientiousness, and openness to experience predicted a lower likelihood of internet addiction.

Citation: García-Perales, J., Martínez, I., & Delgado, E. (2026). Relationship of internet addiction and gambling craving with personality and psychological well-being. Adolescents, 6(1), 20. https://doi.org/10.3390/adolescents6010020

Article DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/adolescents6010020

Keywords: addiction ; cravings ; personality ; well-being

Topics: Gambling and the Brain ; Personality

Conceptual Framework Factors: Psychological - Personality and Temperament ; Psychological - Comorbid Disorders ; Psychological Factors ; Psychological - Subjective Well-Being

Study Design: Descriptive: Survey

Geographic Coverage: Spain

Study Population: University students aged 21–23 years from a large metropolitan area in Spain (n = 517). It was found that 28.6% of the sample were men and 71.4% were women.

Sampling Procedure: Twelve courses were randomly selected from a comprehensive list of university courses. The professor from each selected course was contacted. The survey was administered online through a digital platform. No financial compensation was provided for participating. The inclusion criteria were being enrolled as an undergraduate student and providing informed consent.

Study Funding:

This study was part of a project funded by the European Regional Development Fund, within the framework of the FEDER Program of Castilla-La Mancha for the period 2021–2027.