Exploring the relationships between college students' cell phone use, personality and leisure

College students are more likely to use their cell phones for leisure than for school or work. Because leisure is important for health and well-being, and cell phone use has been associated with mental and physical health, the relationship between cell phone use and leisure should be better understood. This research classified college students into distinct groups based on their cell phone use and personality traits, and then compared each group's leisure experiences. Methods: A random sample of students (N = 454) completed validated surveys assessing personality (Big 5) and dimensions of the leisure experience (boredom, challenge, distress, awareness). Cell phone use and demographics were also assessed. Results: A cluster analysis produced a valid, three-group solution: a “High Use” group characterized primarily by cell phone use (over 10 h/day), and two Low Use groups (3 h/day) characterized by divergent personalities (extroverted and introverted). ANOVA compared each group's leisure experiences and found the “Low Use Extrovert” had significantly less boredom, greater preference for challenge, and greater awareness of opportunities and benefits than the other groups (p < .01). The “High Use” group experienced significantly more leisure distress than the other groups (p < .05). Implications for health and well-being are discussed.