Structural Relationship Between Dark Personality Traits, Morbid Curiosity, and Cognitive Abilities with Addiction Vulnerability

Background: Drug addiction represents a global crisis with increasing rates, particularly in regions like Iran. The widespread impact of addiction on individuals and societies underscores the need for comprehensive research. Providing further context on the global and national scope of the addiction crisis would strengthen the introduction. Objectives: This study aimed to examine the structural relationship between dark personality traits, morbid curiosity, and cognitive abilities, and their influence on vulnerability to addiction among Zanjan University students during the 2020 - 2021 academic year. Methods: A total of 479 students from Zanjan University were selected through a cluster random sampling method during the 2020 - 2021 academic year. The study utilized the Addiction Vulnerability Scale (Zinali), the Dark Personality Traits Scale (Webster and Johnson), the Morbid Curiosity Scale (Scrivener), and a Cognitive Abilities Scale. Descriptive statistics and structural equation modeling were employed, using tools such as Pearson correlation and structural equations through SPSS 25 and AMOS 24 software. Results: The findings indicated that the model proposed by the researchers demonstrated an acceptable fit. Furthermore, a significant structural relationship was observed between dark personality traits and vulnerability to addiction (P < 0.05) with a path coefficient of 0.37. Additionally, the structural relationship between morbid curiosity and addiction vulnerability was significant (P < 0.05) with a path coefficient of 0.31. Cognitive abilities also had a significant structural relationship with vulnerability to addiction (P < 0.05) with a path coefficient of 0.46. Conclusions: The results of this study provide important insights for the prevention and early identification of addiction in vulnerable populations. These findings have practical applications for educational institutions, addiction treatment centers, and correctional facilities.