Predicting Internet Addiction from Dark Triad of Personality and Self-Control among University Students

Abstract Book of the 3rd International Academic Conference on Social Sciences and Humanities

Year: 2026

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Predicting Internet Addiction from Dark Triad of Personality and Self-Control among University Students

Aisha Bano, Dr. Iram Fatima

ABSTRACT:

A robust literature is available on the constructs of Dark Triad of Personality (Machiavellianism, Psychopathy, & Narcissism) with clinical population. Nevertheless, the current study was executed to examine the relationship of Dark Triad and Self-Control with Internet Addiction in non-clinical population. The study focused on exploring the degree of an individual’s self-controlled behavior regulation, and dark triad of personality on digital addiction among youth. A sample of 165 male and female student participants (N=165) by using convenient sampling technique was taken. Independent samples T-Test followed by Correlation, and Regression analysis were run to measure the research variables. Currently enrolled students at FAST National University of Computer and Emerging Sciences, age between 17-25 years were taken as research participants (Females n=101, Males n=64). The Short Dark Triad Scale (SD3), 27 items based self-report tool by Christie and Geis (1970), The Short Self-control Scale, a 13 items-based tool by Tangney et al. (2004) and Internet Addiction Scale (IAT), a 20 items-based tool by Kimberly (2017) were used to measure Narcissism, Machiavellianism and Psychopathy, self-control and internet and technology dependence respectively. Results were drawn by using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS-31). Findings demonstrated Machiavellianism and self-control positively predicted internet addiction. Moreover, no significant gender differences were found in any of the study variables.

Keywords: Behavioral Regulation; Digital Addiction; Narcissism; Psychopathy; Machiavellianism