Personality and Internet Gaming Disorder: a Systematic Review of Recent Literature

Purpose of Review In this study, we present a systematic review of empirical studies that have addressed the relationship between Internet gaming disorder (IGD) and personality in the last 10 years (2007–2016). A systematic search of scientific literature identified 27 peer-reviewed empirical studies that examined the relationship between IGD and personality dimensions. Recent Findings The findings of recent empirical studies suggest that IGD is linked to a wide range of personality traits, domains, and disorders. Summary Although some personality factors such as high neuroticism, high impulsivity, and high aggressiveness emerged quite consistently as significant predictors of IGD across the studies, the overall result of this systematic review showed that different personality traits (more frequently, in combination) may play a pivotal role in the acquisition, development, and maintenance of IGD. Therefore, further research is needed to understand whether specific patterns of personality traits may predispose people to IGD.