The Relationship between Five Personality Traits and Happiness: The Mediating Role of Problematic Instagram Use.

Background: Personality plays a key role in many psychosocial variables. Happiness as a source of motivation can also play a major role in a society's individual and collective development. In this regard, the Instagram platform, as a popular platform among the Iranian population, has attracted a high level of engagement (and can make individuals happy), but it has been associated with the risk of behavioral addiction for a small minority. Therefore, the present study evaluated the relationship between personality traits and happiness with the mediating role of problematic Instagram use.

Methods: The present study comprised an online survey among married individuals living in Tehran (N=418). The survey included the 10-item Big Five Inventory (BFI-10), the 15-item Instagram Addiction Scale (IAS-15), and the six-item Short Depression-Happiness Scale (SDHS-6).

Findings: The results indicated that extraversion, agreeableness, conscientiousness, and openness to experience had a significant negative relationship, and neuroticism had a significant positive relationship with problematic Instagram use. Moreover, conscientiousness and openness to experience had a significant positive relationship and neuroticism had a significant negative relationship with happiness. Problematic Instagram use also has a significant negative relationship with happiness. The results also showed that neuroticism, conscientiousness, and openness were significantly associated with happiness and that problematic Instagram use mediated the relationship.

Conclusion: Personality traits may facilitate or prevent problematic Instagram use. Moreover, addiction to social networks such as Instagram can affect the happiness of users and may lead to further psychosocial problems.