Online Social Challenge Disorder and Its Relationship to Personality Types among University Students

Abstract

This study aimed to examine personality patterns according to the DISC model and their relationship with online social challenge disorder among university students, while also investigating gender differences in these patterns. The study sample consisted of 500 students, equally distributed between males and females, selected randomly to ensure academic and social representation.

Two main instruments were used: the Online Social Challenge Disorder Scale with 35 items, and the DISC Personality Patterns Scale with 34 items divided into four patterns: Dominant, Interactive-Social, Steady, and Conscientious. Data were analyzed using one-sample and independent-sample t-tests, as well as Pearson correlation coefficients.

The results revealed that all DISC patterns scored higher than the hypothesized mean, with statistically significant differences. Gender differences were found in some patterns. Additionally, online social challenge disorder was positively and significantly correlated with all DISC patterns, with stronger correlations for the Dominant and Conscientious patterns, moderate for the Interactive-Social pattern, and weaker for the Steady pattern