Associations Between HEXACO Personality Traits, Substance Use Disorders and Behavioral Addictions: A Protocol for a Comprehensive Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Abstract Background While ample research has examined the connections between addiction and personality in general, there has yet to be a systematic study that investigates how various substance use disorders (SUD) and behavioural addictions are related to the dimensions of the HEXACO model of personality. This systematic review and meta-analysis aim to address this gap by comprehensively exploring the association between HEXACO personality traits and addiction disorders, including illegal substances (e.g., all narcotics in one group and cannabis in a separate category), and behavioural addictions (e.g., gambling and gaming problems, social media addiction, and compulsive sexual behaviour disorder; CSBD), within all types of sample populations. Methods The present paper will carry out a systematic review of the available literature using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. Searches will be conducted in databases including APA PsycINFO (Ovid), Medline (Ovid), ProQuest, Web of Science, CINAHL, and Wiley Online Library, and Google Scholar. Included studies will adhere to the following criteria: (1) original articles, published as full papers; (2) studies published in English or other European languages or Persian; (3) published in a peer-reviewed journal; (4) studies investigating the association between HEXACO personality traits and addictive disorders, including illegal substances (e.g., all narcotics and cannabis as separate categories), and behavioural addictions (e.g., gambling and gaming problems, social media addiction, and CSBD), within all types of sample populations. (5) Research reporting Pearson’s or Spearman’s r correlation coefficients of the variables of interest or any data that could be converted into a correlation coefficient, such as Cohen’s d/f, T value, F values, or Fishers Z will be included. Two researchers will independently screen all citations, full-text articles, and extract data. Risk of bias of the included studies will be assessed by the Newcastle-Ottawa Quality Assessment Scale (NOS), and Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool (MMAT). Data will be synthesized using a meta-analysis if the data are sufficient. Subgroup analyses will be conducted to investigate the impact of various moderators on effect sizes, and sensitivity analyses will examine the robustness of the results. Data analysis will be conducted in Stata 18 packages. Discussion This review and meta-analysis will be the first to systematically explore and integrate the evidence available on the association between the HEXACO personality traits and SUD and behavioural addictions. By consolidating information, the study enhances our understanding of the role of personality traits in the development and maintenance of SUD and behavioural addictions. Systematic review registration: PROSPERO CRD42023468153