The Relationship between Big Five Personality Traits and Smartphone Addiction among University Students: Mindfulness as a Self-Regulatory Mediating Mechanism

Objectives: Smartphone addiction has become a salient mental health concern among university students. Although the Big Five personality traits are associated with problematic smartphone use, less is known about the psychological mechanisms linking personality to addictive smartphone behavior. This study examined whether mindfulness functions as a self-regulatory mechanism linking personality traits to smartphone addiction. Method: A cross-sectional survey was administered to Taiwanese university students (N = 665). Partial least squares structural equation modeling with bootstrapping was used to test direct and indirect associations among the Big Five traits, mindfulness, and smartphone addiction. Results: Mindfulness was negatively associated with smartphone addiction (β = −0.305, p < 0.001). Neuroticism showed a positive direct association with smartphone addiction (β = 0.278, p < 0.001) and a negative association with mindfulness (β = −0.372, p < 0.001), yielding a significant indirect effect via mindfulness (β = 0.113, p < 0.001). Openness also showed a positive direct association with smartphone addiction (β = 0.163, p = 0.003). Conscientiousness was positively associated with mindfulness (β = 0.224, p < 0.001). It exerted a significant indirect effect on smartphone addiction through mindfulness (β = −0.068, p < 0.001), while its direct path to smartphone addiction was not supported. Conclusions: Mindfulness appears to be a key self-regulatory mechanism linking personality traits to smartphone addiction. These findings support the practical value of mindfulness-based approaches for promoting healthier digital habits and improving student digital well-being.