Relationship Between Personality Traits and Psychological Vulnerability: Mediating Role of Smartphone Social Network Usage

Background: According to the spread and popularity of social networks and easy access to them through smartphones, the impact of these networks’ long-term application and consequences, including psychological vulnerability, could not be ignored. Objectives: The present study investigated the mediating role of using smartphone social networks considering personality traits and psychological vulnerability. Methods: The research population included all users (over 18 years of age) of social networks in Isfahan, Iran, from which 250 individuals (i.e. 96 male and 154 female subjects) were selected. The research method was descriptive and causal-correlational. For data collection, the short-form five-factor personality questionnaire neuroticism-extraversion-openness (NEO), the smartphone social media addiction questionnaire, and a psychological vulnerability questionnaire were used. The Pearson correlation coefficient and the path analysis of structural equation modeling were employed to analyze the data. Results: The findings revealed that among personality factors, neuroticism and low extraversion could explain the use of social networks in a significant and desirable way. Moreover, using social networks could explain psychological vulnerability in the form of causal-structural relationships. Conclusions: The findings indicated a relatively good fit of the measurement model. Accordingly, the variable of social network usage plays a mediating role in the relationship between psychological vulnerability and some personality traits.