Work Addiction and Personality: A Meta-analytic Study

Overview

Journal J Behav Addict

Publisher Akademiai Kiado

Specialties Psychiatry
Social Sciences

Date 2020 Dec 28

PMID 33361486

Citations 17

Authors

Bernadette Kun

Zsofia K Takacs

Mara J Richman

Mark D Griffiths

Zsolt Demetrovics

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Background: During the past three decades, research interest in work addiction has increased significantly. Most definitions concerning work addiction have specifically contained personality-related elements. However, the results of empirical studies concerning personality and work addiction are both few and mixed. The aim of the present study was to explore the role of personality in the background of work addiction.

Methods: The present study systematically reviewed and empirically carried out a meta-analysis on all the published studies examining the association between personality variables and work addiction (n = 28).

Results: The results of the meta-analysis indicated that perfectionism, global and performance-based self-esteem, and negative affect had the strongest and most robust associations as personality risk factors of work addiction. Among the Big Five traits, extraversion, conscientiousness, and intellect/imaginations showed positive relationships with work addiction. However, these associations were weak.

Conclusions: Based on the meta-analysis, personality appears to explain only a small amount of the variance of work addiction and further studies are needed to assess the interaction between individual and environmental factors.

Citing Articles

Intact habit learning in work addiction: Evidence from a probabilistic sequence learning task.

Pesthy Z, Berta K, Vekony T, Nemeth D, Kun B Addict Behav Rep. 2025; 21:100589.

PMID: 40034429 PMC: 11874818. DOI: 10.1016/j.abrep.2025.100589.

The Role of Personality in Explaining Burnout, Work Addiction, and Stress-Related Growth in Prehospital Emergency Personnel.

Butoi M, Vancu G, Marcu R, Hermenean A, Puticiu M, Rotaru L Healthcare (Basel). 2025; 13(2).

PMID: 39857220 PMC: 11764910. DOI: 10.3390/healthcare13020193.

Krejcova K, Krejci I, Chylova H, Rymesova P, Michalek P Heliyon. 2025; 11(1):e41377.

PMID: 39834415 PMC: 11743109. DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e41377.

Longitudinal trait and state-like differences in the components model of addiction: An illustration through social media addiction and work addiction.

Horvath Z, Kun B, Kiraly O, Paksi B, Griffiths M, Demetrovics Z J Behav Addict. 2024; 13(4):923-937.

PMID: 39485391 PMC: 11737420. DOI: 10.1556/2006.2024.00055.

Problematic series watching and alcohol consumption among global audiences of Korean Drama in Israel and Indonesia.

Bonny-Noach H, Sinambela Y, Hanafi E, Shina C, Siste K Sci Rep. 2024; 14(1):17624.

PMID: 39085323 PMC: 11291475. DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-68700-4.

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