Personality differences in online and offline self-disclosure preference among adolescents: A person-oriented approach

- Person-oriented analyses were conducted.
- Found four personality types: overcontrollers, resilients, undercontrollers, and average
- Resilients are more likely to prefer offline self-disclosure.
- Undercontrollers/overcontrollers are more likely to prefer online self-disclosure.

This study analyzed the relationship between adolescents' personality types and their preference for online or offline self-disclosure. A sample of 1644 Chinese adolescents completed offline/online self-disclosure questionnaire, and personality scale (FFI-60). Latent profile analyses were conducted to get the personality types. Results revealed that adolescents' personality could be classified into four types: Overcontrollers, resilients, undercontrollers, and the average. Adolescents with a preference for offline self-disclosure showed a high probability of being resilients, and adolescents with a preference for online self-disclosure showed a high probability to be undercontrollers and overcontrollers. The implications and limitations are discussed.