The mediating role of binge-watchingin the relationship between type D personalityand loneliness

BACKGROUND: Individuals who have certain personality traits may be particularly at risk for developing technological addictions. Binge-watching, which includes watching several episodes of a television series consecutively, is seen as a behavior that is out of control and even addictive. Binge-watching also can isolate the individual socially, or it can be a buffer against the individual's feeling of loneliness. This study was conducted to examine the mediating role of binge-watching in the relationship between type D personality and loneliness. PARTICIPANTS AND PROCEDURE: 570 adults older than 18 years of age who were reached by the convenience sampling method participated in the study. The data were collected with the Type D Personality Scale, UCLA Loneliness Scale, and the Binge-Watching Engagement and Symptoms Questionnaire. RESULTS: As a result of the study, binge-watching mediated the relationship between type D personality and loneliness, and fit values of this model were within the acceptable range. It can be said that individuals with type D personality tend to decrease their loneliness by watching more series. CONCLUSIONS: These findings provide a nuanced explanation about how type D personality is associated with loneliness. The results also shed light on effective prevention and intervention strategies to reduce binge-watching. Therapeutic interventions are important especially for individuals with personality traits that cause a feeling of loneliness.