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Background With the proliferation of social casino games (SCGs) online, which offer the opportunity to gamble without monetary gains and losses, comes a growing concern regarding the effects of these unregulated games on public health, particularly among adolescents. However, given the limited research pertaining to SCG use, little is currently known about the manner in which adolescents engage with this new gambling medium. The present study aims to identify the factors that characterize adolescent social casino gamers, and to determine whether these factors differ by SCG type. Moreover, the study examines the extent to which social casino gaming is associated with monetary gambling and problem gambling in this cohort. Method Data were obtained from students in Grades 9 to 12 (n = 10,035) residing in the Canadian provinces of Ontario, Saskatchewan, and Newfoundland and Labrador. Participants completed the Youth Gambling Survey (YGS), which is a supplementary instrument administered alongside the Canadian Student Tobacco, Alcohol and Drugs Survey (CSTADS). Logistic regression was used to assess the factors associated with SCG play. Results Overall, 12.4% of respondents reported having participated in SCGs in the past three months. Compared to adolescents who did not report playing SCGs, SCG players were typically more likely to participate in monetary gambling activities, and were more prevalently classified as problem gamblers of low-to-moderate severity or high severity. Although profiles of SCG players differed across SCG game types, factors significantly associated with the playing of SCGs were gender, weekly spending money, having friends and parents who gamble, and screen time. It was also shown that current smokers were significantly more likely to participate in simulated slots online relative to adolescents who did not play SCGs. Conclusion Significant associations exist between SCG play, monetary gambling, and problem gambling among adolescents. Gambling intervention efforts directed at this population should aim to identify personal and environmental factors associated with social casino gaming, and should be tailored to different types of SCGs.

Previous studies have found that difficulty accepting the past mediates the predictive relationship between depression and socially prescribed perfectionism. This relationship inspired the present study to examine relations between a variety of personality traits - shame, anxiety, perfectionism and difficulty accepting the past - which pose as vulnerability factors for depressive symptoms. A single multi-faceted questionnaire was administered to 163 university students and 119 general public participants. Supporting predictions, socially prescribed perfectionism yielded a weaker relationship with depression than did anxiety, shame, and accepting the past.

The goal of the present investigation was to assess whether the Dark Triad traits (Machiavellianism, narcissism, psychopathy) add significantly to the prediction of misconduct and the propensity to engage in high-stakes deception. Self-report scores were collected (n = 464) via the Short-D3 assessing the Dark Triad traits, the Comprehensive Misconduct Inventory measuring misconduct, and the Propensity to Lie Questionnaire investigating lying tendencies. Significant correlations were observed between nearly all variables, but in a multiple regression only psychopathy added significantly to the prediction of the misconduct factors. Further, only Machiavellianism was a significant predictor of high-stakes deception over and above the other predictors in the model.

The present study reports on the development and validation of the Vices and Virtues Scales (VAVS), which assesses individual differences in the propensity to engage in the seven deadly sins. Item-level analyses, exploratory factor analysis, and confirmatory factor analysis were conducted on two independent samples of adults. Results indicated that all items composing the scale are psychometrically sound, and some evidence was found in support of the measure’s seven-factor structure. Further analyses of the VAVS subscales and the Dark Triad traits revealed significant positive correlations between nearly all traits assessed. Implications of these findings for the Dark Triad cluster and the overall comprehensiveness of contemporary personality frameworks are discussed.

The present study is the first to assess phenotypic correlations between alexithymia and the Dark Triad traits of personality in a community sample, as well as the common genetic and environmental factors underlying these correlations. Participants were 232 North American adult twin pairs who completed the Narcissistic Personality Inventory, the Self-Report Psychopathy Scale, the MACH-IV, and the Toronto Alexithymia Scale. Results revealed that alexithymia correlates significantly and positively with psychopathy and Machiavellianism, and negatively with narcissism. Subsequent bivariate behavioral genetic analysis demonstrated that these phenotypic correlations were primarily attributable to common genetic and common non-shared environmental factors. The implication of these findings regarding the maladaptive functions of alexithymia within the antisocial realm of behavior and the need for replication are discussed.

The current study investigated relations between the perceived ability to deceive and the Dark Triad personality traits in two samples. In study 1, the sample consisted of 1074 participants (329 male, 745 female) aged 17–71 years (M = 22.96, SD = 6.92). Participants completed the perceived ability to deceive scale, in which they were asked to estimate the percentage of people who are worse at lying than they are in a number of situations. Participants also completed the Short-D3 – a measure of the Dark Triad personality traits. As expected, correlational analyses demonstrated that Machiavellianism was most highly correlated with the perceived ability to deceive (r = .41), followed by psychopathy (r = .35), and narcissism (r = .33). These findings were replicated in study 2, which consisted of 1448 undergraduate students (498 males, 947 females, 3 other), aged 18–43 (M = 18.35, SD = 1.77). Study 2 also investigated the association of the Dark Triad and perceived ability to deceive with dimensions of the Big Five model of personality. Implications are discussed.

Presently the conventional structure of personality, the Five-Factor Model (FFM), has faced criticism for inadequately capturing the full range of existing traits, particularly those reflecting antisocial behavior. The FFM has also not received sufficient application of genetically informed analyses to its extraction and validation. We explored these criticisms, and carried out four behavioral genetic studies which employed the Dark Triad personality cluster as a microcosmic representation of the antisocial personality domain, to assess the comprehensiveness of the FFM and the fit of socially malevolent traits within it. Results from these studies revealed significant phenotypic, genetic, and environmental correlations between the Dark Triad traits and variables measured by the NEO Personality Inventory, the Supernumerary Personality Inventory, the Defining Issues Test-Version 2, and the Trait Emotional Intelligence Questionnaire. It is concluded that the FFM does not provide a complete model of personality and that behavior genetic approaches to the study of individual differences can contribute to a more comprehensive theory.

Two hundred undergraduate students completed paper-and-pencil measures of the Dark Triad (Machiavellianism, narcissism, and psychopathy) and the Humor Styles Questionnaire, which taps two adaptive (affiliative and self-enhancing) and two maladaptive (aggressive and self-defeating) styles of humor. The first purpose of the study was to replicate relationships between these variables reported by Veselka et al. (2010). The second purpose was to expand on their results by investigating relationships between several sub-factors of the Dark Triad (in addition to global scores) and the humor styles. Results provided substantial replication of Veselka et al. at the global level and, at the sub-factor level, provided additional insights into the potential role of adaptive and maladaptive humor styles in the personality dynamics of individuals characterized by the various facets of the Dark Triad.

The Dark Triad of personality, comprising Machiavellianism, narcissism, and psychopathy, was investigated in relation to the Supernumerary Personality Inventory (SPI) traits, because both sets of variables are predominantly distinct from the Big Five model of personality. Correlational and principal factor analyses were conducted to assess the relations between the Dark Triad and SPI traits. Multivariate behavioral genetic model-fitting analyses were also conducted to determine the correlated genetic and/or environmental underpinnings of the observed phenotypic correlations. Participants were 358 monozygotic and 98 same-sex dizygotic adult twin pairs from North America. As predicted, results revealed significant correlations between the Dark Triad and most SPI traits, and these correlations were primarily attributable to common genetic and non-shared environmental factors, except in the case of Machiavellianism, where shared environmental effects emerged. Three correlated factors were extracted during joint factor analysis of the Dark Triad and SPI traits, as well as a heritable general factor of personality — results that clarified the structure of the Dark Triad construct. It is concluded that the Dark Triad represents an exploitative and antisocial construct that extends beyond the Big Five model and shares a theoretical space with the SPI traits.

This study investigated phenotypic correlations between mental toughness and humor styles, as well as the common genetic and environmental effects underlying these correlations. Participants were 201 adult twin pairs from North America. They completed the Humor Styles Questionnaire, assessing individual differences in two positive (affiliative, self-enhancing) and two negative (aggressive, self-defeating) humor styles. They also completed the MT48, measuring individual differences in global mental toughness and its eight factors (Commitment, Control, Emotional Control, Control over Life, Confidence, Confidence in Abilities, Interpersonal Confidence, Challenge). Positive correlations were found between the positive humor styles and all of the mental toughness factors, with all but one reaching significance. Conversely, negative correlations were found between all mental toughness factors and the negative humor styles, with the mental toughness factors of Control, Emotional Control, Confidence, Confidence in Abilities, and Interpersonal Confidence exhibiting significant correlations. Subsequent behavioral genetic analyses revealed that these phenotypic correlations were primarily attributable to common genetic and common non-shared environmental factors. The implications of these findings regarding the potential effects of humor styles on wellbeing, and the possible selective use of humor by mentally tough individuals are discussed.

We investigated the relationships between trait emotional intelligence (trait EI; TEIQue-SF) and the Big Five personality dimensions (NEO-FFI) in two Dutch samples. Results were consistent with studies conducted with the full forms of the inventories in North America and Britain. Neuroticism was the strongest correlate of trait EI in both samples, followed by Extraversion, Conscientiousness, Agreeableness, and Openness. Regression analyses confirmed that the overlap between trait EI and the higher-order personality dimensions exceeds 50%, even when the constructs are operationalized via shortened assessments. These results are not only fully in line with trait EI theory, but also support the cross-cultural validity of the TEIQue-SF, and its suitability for the rapid assessment of global trait EI and its four constituent factors. © 2010 Elsevier Ltd.

The present study is the first behavioural genetic (BG) investigation of mental toughness, as measured by the 48-item mental toughness (MT48) questionnaire, and the first BG investigation of relationships between mental toughness and the Big-5 factors of personality. Participants were 219 pairs of adult monozygotic and dizygotic twins from across North America. Twin study methodology was used to determine the extent to which genes and/or environmental factors contributed to individual differences in mental toughness and also to determine the genetic and/or environmental basis of any relationship between mental toughness and personality. Univariate BG analyses revealed that individual differences in mental toughness (as well as in personality) were largely attributable to genetic and nonshared environmental factors. Bivariate BG analyses revealed that phenotypic correlations between mental toughness and personality were largely attributable to common genetic and common nonshared environmental factors.

The present study investigated correlations between four humor styles and the Dark Triad traits of personality. Participants were 114 pairs of adult twins from North America who completed the Humor Styles Questionnaire, the Narcissistic Personality Inventory, the Self-Report Psychopathy Scale, and the MACH-IV. Results revealed that participants who scored higher on sub-clinical psychopathy and Machiavellianism exhibited a greater tendency to employ negative humor styles (aggressive, self-defeating), whereas individuals who obtained higher scores on narcissism were more prone to employing a positive affiliative humor style. These results help to clarify the nature of the Dark Triad traits and shed light on the interpersonal styles employed by individuals who exhibit these traits.

The present study is the first behavioral genetic investigation of the Dark Triad traits of personality, consisting of Machiavellianism, narcissism, and psychopathy, and the variable of mental toughness, reflecting individual differences in the ability to cope when under pressure. The purpose of this investigation was to explore a potential explanation for the success of individuals exhibiting the Dark Triad traits in workplace and social settings. Participants were adult twins who completed the MACH-IV, the Narcissistic Personality Inventory, and the Self-Report Psychopathy Scale assessing Machiavellianism, narcissism, and psychopathy, respectively, as well as the MT48, measuring mental toughness. Correlational analyses of the data revealed significant positive phenotypic associations between mental toughness and narcissism. Psychopathy and Machiavellianism, however, both showed some significant negative phenotypic correlations with mental toughness. Bivariate behavioral genetic analyses of the data were conducted to assess the extent to which these significant phenotypic correlations were attributable to common genetic and/or common environmental factors. Results indicate that correlations between narcissism and mental toughness were attributable primarily to common non-shared environmental factors, correlations between Machiavellianism and mental toughness were influenced by both common genetic and common non-shared environmental factors, and the correlations between psychopathy and mental toughness were attributable entirely to correlated genetic factors. Implications of these findings in the context of etiology and organizational adaptation are discussed.

This replication study examines relations between alexithymia and trait emotional intelligence (trait EI) at the phenotypic, genetic, and environmental levels. A sample of 1,444 same-sex twin pairs (850 MZ pairs and 594 DZ pairs) completed the Toronto Alexithymia Scale-20. A subset of 494 same-sex twin pairs (287 MZ pairs and 207 DZ pairs) had earlier completed the Trait Emotional Intelligence Questionnaire. Individual differences in alexithymia were attributable to genetic, non-shared environmental, and shared environmental factors. All but one of the facets of alexithymia were negatively and significantly correlated with the factors of trait EI, and these phenotypic correlations were entirely attributable to correlated genetic and correlated non-shared environmental factors. These bivariate results provide a valuable replication of those of Baughman et al. (Twin Research and Human Genetics, Vol. 14, 2011, pp. 539–543), which was conducted with substantially smaller samples of twins.

The mothers of 603 pairs of 3- to 13-year-old twins in Korea completed the Emotionality, Activity, Sociability (EAS) Temperament Survey and the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire in reference to their twins. Principal factor analysis of the seven scales comprising these measures yielded a general factor on which all the scales had moderate to large loadings. Univariate behavioral genetic analyses showed that individual differences on this general factor could best be accounted for by additive genetic and non-shared environmental effects, with a heritability of 53%. The results strengthen the construct validity of the general factor of personality (GFP) by extracting this higher-order dimension from disparate measures, and have implications regarding social desirability criticisms applied to the GFP theory.

The present study investigated the extent to which individual differences in humor styles are attributable to genetic and/or environmental factors in an Australian sample. Participants were 934 same-sex pairs of adult twins from the Australian Twin Registry (546 monozygotic pairs, 388 dizygotic pairs) who completed the Humor Styles Questionnaire (HSQ). The HSQ measures four distinct styles of humor — affiliative, self-enhancing, aggressive, and self-defeating. Results revealed that additive genetic and non-shared environmental factors accounted for the variance in all four humor styles, thus replicating results previously obtained in a sample of twins from the United Kingdom. However, a study conducted with a U.S. sample produced different results and we interpret these findings in terms of cross-cultural differences in humor.

The present study is the first to examine relationships between alexithymia and trait emotional intelligence (trait EI or trait emotional self-efficacy) at the phenotypic, genetic, and environmental levels. The study was also conducted to resolve inconsistencies in previous twin studies that have provided estimates of the extent to which genetic and environmental factors contribute to individual differences in alexithymia. Participants were 216 monozygotic and 45 dizygotic same-sex twin pairs who completed the Toronto Alexithymia Scale-20. In a pilot study, a sub-sample of 118 MZ and 27 DZ pairs also completed the Trait Emotional Intelligence Questionnaire. Results demonstrated that a combination of genetic and non-shared environmental influences contribute to individual differences in alexithymia. As expected, alexithymia and trait EI were negatively correlated at the phenotypic level. Bivariate behavioral genetic analyses showed that that all but one of these correlations was primarily attributable to correlated genetic factors and secondarily to correlated non-shared environmental factors.

This study compared the validity of 2 different self-report approaches to the assessment of psychopathy in nonforensic samples: the Psychopathy Resemblance Index (PRI), derived from a measure of normal personality functioning, and the Self-Report Psychopathy Scale (SRP), developed specifically to assess the maladaptive traits associated with psychopathy. In 2 adult samples (n (1) = 260, n(2) = 250), the PRI and the SRP were positively correlated with each other and with measures of maladaptive personality traits related to Machiavellianism and narcissism. However, unlike the SRP, the PRI was independent of trait empathy and general psychopathology and was positively associated with trait emotional intelligence. These results suggest that the PRI captures a more adaptive variant of psychopathy than does the SRP.

The present study provides evidence supporting the presence of a General Factor of Personality (GFP), which has been proposed to represent the apex of the hierarchy of personality traits. Furthermore, the construct validity of this general factor is assessed to address recent criticisms suggesting that the GFP may merely be a statistical artefact rather than a genuine higher-order personality dimension. In this study, two samples of monozygotic (MZ) and same-sex dizygotic (DZ) twins completed the NEO Personality Inventory-Revised (NEO-PI-IR), assessing individual differences in the Big Five traits of personality, and the Dimensional Assessment of Personality Problems–Differential Questionnaire (DAPP-DQ) measuring variance in abnormal personality traits. First unrotated factors were extracted from each of the two measures separately within each sample. Correlations between these factors were significant and high in both samples (.78 and .77), indicating that the factors represent similar constructs. The manner in which these findings help to validate the GFP is discussed.

This study presents the first behavioral genetic investigation of the relationships between trait emotional intelligence (trait EI or trait emotional self-efficacy) and the Dark Triad traits of narcissism, Machiavellianism, and psychopathy. In line with trait EI theory, the construct correlated positively with narcissism, but negatively with the other two traits. Generally, the correlations were consistent across the 4 factors and 15 facets of the construct. Cholesky decomposition analysis revealed that the phenotypic associations were primarily due to correlated genetic factors and secondarily due to correlated nonshared environmental factors, with shared environmental factors being nonsignificant in all cases. Results are discussed from the perspective of trait EI theory with particular reference to the issue of adaptive value.

In this study, four humor styles (affiliative, self-enhancing, aggressive, self-defeating) were assessed in conjunction with a measure of the HEXACO model of personality, in order to gain greater insight into the etiology of these humor styles, and to situate them better in the framework of human personality. Participants were 664 monozygotic twin pairs and 522 dizygotic twin pairs from the United Kingdom who completed the Humor Styles Questionnaire and the HEXACO Personality Inventory. Univariate behavioral genetic analyses of the HEXACO revealed that individual differences in all of its dimensions were entirely attributable to additive genetic and non-shared environmental factors. Significant phenotypic correlations were found between many of the HEXACO factors and the four humor styles, and bivariate behavioral genetic analyses revealed that these correlations were themselves accounted for entirely by correlated genetic and correlated non-shared environmental factors. Our study adds to the literature validating humor as a personality construct and assessing its relations to psychological well-being.

The present study investigated the location of trait emotional intelligence (trait EI or trait emotional self-efficacy) within the context of the HEXACO model — a more comprehensive personality framework than the conventional Big Five structure. A total of 666 MZ and 526 DZ adult twin pairs from the United Kingdom completed the short form of the Trait Emotional Intelligence Questionnaire (TEIQue-SF) and the short form of the HEXACO Personality Inventory (HEXACO-60). Many significant phenotypic correlations between the TEIQue-SF and the HEXACO-60 were obtained, which were strongest for HEXACO Extraversion, and weakest for HEXACO Honesty–Humility. As was expected, Emotionality was the only HEXACO dimension to correlate negatively with TEIQue-SF scores. Bivariate behavioral genetic analyses revealed that all phenotypic correlations were attributable to common genetic and common nonshared environmental factors. The study confirms the validity of trait EI as a constellation of emotional self-perceptions located at the lower levels of personality.

The purpose of the present study was to determine if a general factor of personality (GFP) could be extracted from the six dimensions of the HEXACO model and four factors of trait emotional intelligence. Participants were 1,192 pairs of twins (666 MZ pairs, 526 DZ pairs) between the ages of 19 to 86 years, who completed the Trait Emotional Intelligence Questionnaire — Short Form and the HEXACO Personality Inventory — Revised. Principal components analysis yielded a strong GFP accounting for 33% of the variance, on which all variables with the exception of honesty-humility from the HEXACO showed moderate to large loadings. Behavioral genetic (BG) analyses revealed that individual differences in the GFP were entirely attributable to additive genetic and non-shared environmental factors — results that are in accord with previous BG analyses of a GFP. The present study adds to the body of evidence in support of a heritable GFP but an alternative perspective is also discussed.

The aim of the present study was to determine if a general factor of personality (GFP) could be extracted from a collection of sub-clinical antisocial personality traits. A total of 1505 adults completed the Short-D3 assessing the Dark Triad traits of narcissism, psychopathy, and Machiavellianism. Additionally, they filled out the Vices and Virtues Scale (VAVS) measuring the seven deadly sins—anger, envy, gluttony, greed, lust, pride, and sloth. Principal components analysis yielded a GFP accounting for 47% of the variance in the data. All variables exhibited high loadings on this general factor, ranging from .45 (sloth) to .79 (pride). The loadings remained high even when the scores were adjusted for the effect of social desirability. The implications of these results on the ongoing debate regarding the nature and meaning of a potential GFP are discussed in the context of existing evolutionary theories of human personality.

The Dark Triad represents a cluster of antisocial personality variables that may be valuable in the revision of the conventional Five Factor Model (FFM). This socially malevolent collection of traits exhibits compelling associations with alternative personality frameworks, and therefore appears to lie, in part, outside of the FFM. To obtain a clearer understanding of additional variables that may also occupy this potentially overlooked component of personality structure, the present study assessed correlations between the Dark Triad and the seven capital vices—anger, envy, gluttony, greed, lust, pride, and sloth. Participants were 1505 adults who completed the Short-D3 and the Vices and Virtues Scale (VAVS). Results reveal significant positive correlations between all variables, with the exception of narcissism and sloth. These results help to identify additional domains of antisocial behaviour that exist beyond the FFM, adding strength to criticisms of the completeness of the conventional model.

The present study is the first to assess phenotypic correlations between alexithymia and the Dark Triad traits of personality in a community sample, as well as the common genetic and environmental factors underlying these correlations. Participants were 232 North American adult twin pairs who completed the Narcissistic Personality Inventory, the Self-Report Psychopathy Scale, the MACH-IV, and the Toronto Alexithymia Scale. Results revealed that alexithymia correlates significantly and positively with psychopathy and Machiavellianism, and negatively with narcissism. Subsequent bivariate behavioural genetic analysis demonstrated that these phenotypic correlations were primarily attributable to common genetic and common non-shared environmental factors. The implication of these findings regarding the maladaptive functions of alexithymia within the antisocial realm of behaviour and the need for replication are discussed.

This replication study examines relations between alexithymia and trait emotional intelligence (trait EI) at the phenotypic, genetic, and environmental levels. A sample of 1444 same-sex twin pairs (850 MZ pairs and 594 DZ pairs) completed the Toronto Alexithymia Scale-20 (TAS-20). A subset of 494 same-sex twin pairs (287 MZ pairs and 207 DZ pairs) had earlier completed the Trait Emotional Intelligence Questionnaire (TEIQue). Individual differences in alexithymia were attributable to genetic, non-shared environmental, and shared environmental factors. All but one of the facets of alexithymia were negatively and significantly correlated with the factors of trait EI, and these phenotyoic correlations were entirely attributable to correlated genetic and correlated non-shared environmental factors. These bivariate results provide a valuable replication of those of Baughman et al. (2011), which was conducted with substantially smaller samples of twins.