This study examined the structural model of the relationships between the Big Five personality traits and sports fanaticism among King Abdulaziz University students and identified the prevalence of fanaticism. The descriptive-analytical method with a structural equation model (SEM) was employed. The sample consisted of 470 students (217 males, 253 females) selected randomly. Instruments used were the Big Five Inventory (BFI), translated by the researcher (2024) and based on John, Naumann, & Soto (2008), and Harez’s (2014) short Sports Fanaticism Scale. Results indicated that 23.11% of females and 28.37% of males were classified as sports fanatics. Findings supported the first proposed structural model, which showed acceptable fit indices, and revealed that agreeableness significantly influenced sports fanaticism. Recommendations included developing therapeutic and preventive programs to counteract fanaticism, providing counselling and psychological services based on the confirmed model, and employing the Big Five Inventory to detect personality traits linked to fanaticism to design preventive interventions before escalation.
Marwany et al. (Wed,) studied this question.