Linking five-factor personality model to alcohol consumption in adolescence: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

AIMS: This meta-analysis synthesizes empirical research on the association between alcohol consumption, operationalized as both volume and frequency, and Five Factor Model of Personality Traits.

METHODS

A systematic literature search was conducted on June 18, 2025, in PsycINFO and PubMed. The search strategy employed the following terms: tiab("big 5" OR "big five" OR "5 factor" OR "five factor") AND tiab(alcohol). Studies meeting predefined inclusion criteria were included in both a narrative synthesis and a quantitative meta-analysis.

RESULTS

Six studies met the inclusion criteria and were included. The results showed that the FFM trait extraversion demonstrated a small but positive association with alcohol consumption, and the trait conscientiousness showed a stable inverse relationship with alcohol consumption. In contrast, findings for the FFM traits agreeableness, openness to experience, and neuroticism were heterogeneous and did not reveal consistent patterns of association. Overall, the associations between FFM traits and alcohol consumption in adolescence were modest and generally weaker than those reported in adult populations and underscore the importance of adopting a developmental perspective when interpreting the results.

CONCLUSION

This meta-analysis highlights contradictory findings regarding the associations between adolescent alcohol consumption and the FFM of personality traits. While extraversion and conscientiousness appear to be modestly related to alcohol use, evidence concerning agreeableness, openness, and neuroticism remains inconclusive. Accordingly, future research should investigate potential moderating factors, including peer influence and family environment, to further clarify how personality traits interact with contextual influences in the development of alcohol consumption during adolescence.