Investigating the Relationship Between Big Five Personality Traits and Technostress Among Young Adults

Abstract

The rapid integration of digital technologies has intensified exposure to technostress, a psychological strain arising when individuals feel overwhelmed, invaded, or uncertain by constant technology use. People vary in how they experience it, and personality traits may help explain this variation. This study examines the relationship between the Big Five Personality Traits and five dimensions of technostress: techno-overload, techno-invasion, techno-complexity, techno-insecurity, and techno-uncertainty. A cross-sectional survey was conducted with 239 young adults aged 20–25 years who reported using digital devices for more than six hours daily. Standardized psychometric tools assessed personality and technostress. Spearman’s correlations showed that neuroticism had the strongest positive association with overall technostress (ρ = .419, p < .001), followed by agreeableness (ρ = .262, p < .001) and openness (ρ = .189, p = .003). Conscientiousness was linked with techno-invasion (ρ = .37, p < .001) and techno-uncertainty (ρ = .46, p < .001), while extraversion showed no significant correlation. Kruskal–Wallis tests examined group differences between low, medium, and high personality levels, revealing that neuroticism showed the most pronounced differences, with individuals high in neuroticism experiencing significantly greater technostress than those low in neuroticism (H = 51.98, p < .001). These findings highlight that individuals high in neuroticism are particularly prone to anxiety, negative thoughts, and heightened stress in digital contexts. The study underscores the urgent need for personality-based interventions to strengthen resilience, reduce mental health risks, and foster healthier technology engagement among young adults.