Addiction to Social Media and Attachment Styles: A Systematic Literature Review

Adult attachment, social anxiety, and problematic social media use: A meta-analysis and meta-analytic structural equation model

The relationship between adult attachment (anxious attachment and avoidant attachment) and problematic social media use is controversial and contradictory. Hence, the present study clarified the relationship between adult attachment dimensions and problematic social media use through meta-analysis. To better explain the relationship, this study also established meta-analytic structural equation modeling to examine the mediating role of social anxiety in the relationship. This study used CMA and R software for data analysis. Forty-five effect sizes were included in the study, including 11,746 individuals. Results showed that anxious attachment was strongly correlated with problematic social media use (r = 0.319, 95 %CI[0.271, 0.366]), whereas avoidant attachment was weakly correlated with problematic social media use (r = 0.091, 95 %CI[0.011,0.170]). Moderating effects showed that the relationship between anxious attachment and problematic social media use was moderated by the measurement instrument. Meta-analytic structural equation modeling showed that anxious attachment had a significant positive effect on PSMU through social anxiety, anxious attachment had a significant positive effect on PSMU through social anxiety. This study clarifies inconsistencies in the existing literature through meta-analysis, providing reliable conclusions and novel perspectives. It assists clinical practitioners in developing tailored treatment programs for practical interventions. It is suggested that treatment for problematic social media use requires attention to individuals with insecure adult attachment and social anxiety. For individuals with high anxious attachment and social anxiety, it is essential to help them manage their social media use effectively and reduce their dependence on it. Concurrently, interventions for attachment avoidant individuals should focus on enhancing their social self-confidence to reduce the influence of social anxiety on their social media use.

Problematic smartphone use in a representative sample of US adults: Prevalence and predictors

The exponential growth in worldwide smartphone adoption has led to mounting concerns about problematic smartphone use (PSU), with some studies of variably defined PSU yielding prevalence rates as high as 20 to 30%. The present study aims to (a) estimate the prevalence of PSU while emphasizing functional impairment, and (b) examine the degree to which a set of demographic, contextual, behavioral and mental health variables can predict PSU. A representative U.S. sample of 1,989 participants completed an online survey using a cross-sectional design aimed at examining PSU. Data were analyzed using two different but complementary machine learning algorithms. The results indicate a PSU prevalence of 0.75% to 1.2 % when a functional impairment criterion is required. The most important predictors of PSU are related to smartphone use behavior, followed by contextual factors (being a parent of under-age children, increase in use during the COVID-19 pandemic), age and some psychopathological factors. Overall, the study suggests that the prevalence of functionally impairing PSU may be much lower than what has been reported based on less stringent definitions. The results highlight the necessity to account for impact on key spheres of functioning in diagnosing PSU to avoid pathologizing a ubiquitous behavior that may be intensive but not necessarily pathological. They also open up relevant perspectives for the prevention of PSU.

The impact of video game playing on Chinese adolescents' academic achievement: Evidence from a moderated multi-mediation model

Internet access for adolescents is becoming more prevalent around the world. Although video game playing has been verified to be negatively related to adolescent academic achievement, the mechanisms underlying this relationship are also unknown. Using a nationally representative sample of adolescents from the China Education Panel Survey (2014-2015), this study aims to explore the parallel mediation roles of self-educational expectation and learning attitude in the link between video game playing and academic achievement, and whether the direct and indirect effects are moderated by parent-child relationship. The results indicate that video game playing in adolescents is both directly and indirectly related to their academic achievement, and self-educational expectation and learning attitude partially mediate this association. Moreover, the results reveal that parent-child relationship moderates the direct association between video game playing and academic achievement as well as the indirect association of video game playing on academic achievement via self-educational expectation, respectively. By showing empirical evidence for the usefulness of social cognitive theory to adolescents' academics in the Internet Age, our research provides a supplement to existing literature.

Studyholism and Attachment Style: A Study among Italian University Students

Studyholism (or obsession with studying) is a new potential clinical condition introduced in the literature in 2017. Since then, growing research has supported its conceptualization as a clinical disorder and highlighted some potential intervention targets, namely trait worry, social anxiety, negative interpretation bias, and defense mechanisms. The present study aims to extend the literature concerning psychodynamic-related constructs that might constitute targets for interventions aimed at reducing Studyholism by investigating the role of attachment in 1073 students (Mage = 23.48 ± 3.77), balanced concerning civil status (i.e., currently being single or involved in a relationship/non-single). Among the main findings, we found that insecure attachment-mainly preoccupied attachment-is a positive predictor of Studyholism in both non-single and single students. However, there are also some differences depending on the civil status. Finally, (single) disengaged studyholics have a statistically significant lower level of secure attachment than (single) engaged studyholics. In conclusion, this study showed the value of distinguishing between non-single and single students when investigating the role of attachment. Regarding problematic overstudying specifically, the study provided support for its definition as a clinical disorder, also with evidence of the appropriateness of its OCD-related conceptualization. Finally, it suggests preoccupied (insecure) attachment as a target to reduce Studyholism by fostering in students the feeling of being loved and deserving of being loved in their current adult relationships.

Social media addiction and personality dimensions among Tunisian medical students

Purpose

Social media (SM) has become a common activity for today's young people. It is sometimes overused and potentially results in SM addiction. This study aims to assess SM addiction and its associated factors in medical students and to examine its relationship with dimensions of personality global self-esteem, and social self-esteem.

Materials and methods

We carried out a cross-sectional study among a sample of medical students in the region of Sfax in Tunisia. Social Media Addiction Scale-Student Form (SMAS-SF), Big Five Inventory, Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, and Social Self-Esteem Inventory were used to collect data.

Results

Overall, 116 medical students were included in the survey. The median age of the participants was 26 years, and 91 students (78.4%) were female. Almost half of them (55.20%) were enrolled in the third cycle. The most widely used SM was Facebook (98.3%). Students with the highest SMAS-SF scores had a significantly younger age of first use (p=0.011, r=-0.235), spent more time on their favorite SM (p=0.005, r=0.260), and performed more activities on SM, namely: making comments (p=0.005), browsing SM profiles (p=0.018), and posting videos (p=0.007) or pictures (p=0.002). The need to establish an identity was significantly associated with higher SMAS-SF scores (p=0.011). We also found that neuroticism and a low level of conscientiousness were linked to high SMAS-SF scores (p=0.006, r=0.252 and p=0.050, r=-0.183, respectively). Moreover, high SMAS-SF scores were significantly related to lower global and social self-esteem scores (p=0.015, r=-0.226 and p=0.032, r=-0.199, respectively).

Conclusion

Our results highlight the critical need to take into consideration the evaluation and intervention of self-esteem and personality dimensional issues to target interventions for SM addiction among medical students.

Problematic Social Media Use Among Italian Midadolescents: Protocol and Rationale of the SMART Project

BACKGROUND

Social media (SM) use constitutes a large portion of midadolescents' daily lives as a way of peer interaction. A significant percentage of adolescents experience intense or problematic social media use (PSMU), an etiologically complex behavior potentially associated with psychological distress. To date, studies longitudinally testing for risk or protective factors of PSMU, and collecting qualitative data are still scarce among midadolescents. Self-help interventions specifically targeting PSMU in this population and involving midadolescents in co-creation are needed.

OBJECTIVE

The 2-year SMART multicenter project aims to (1) advance knowledge on PSMU; (2) co-design an unguided self-help app for promoting awareness and functional SM use; and (3) test feasibility and provide preliminary findings on its effectiveness to further improve and adapt the app.

METHODS

The SMART project is organized in 3 phases: phase 1 will focus on knowledge advancement on PSMU and its risk and protective factors using a longitudinal design; phase 2 will explore adolescents perspectives using qualitative approach and will co-design an unguided self-help app for reducing PSMU, which will be evaluated and adapted in phase 3. Around 1500 midadolescents (aged 14-18 years) will be recruited in northern, central, and southern Italy to investigate the potential intra- and interpersonal psychological risk and protective factors for PSMU and define specific PSMU profiles and test for its association with psychological distress. Subjective (self-report) PSMU's psychosocial risk or protective factors will be assessed at 3 different time points and Ecological Momentary Assessment (EMA) will be used. Moreover, focus groups will be performed in a subsample of midadolescents to collect the adolescents' unique point of view on PSMU and experiences with SM. Those previous results will inform the self-help app, which will be co-designed through working groups with adolescents. Subsequently, the SMART app will be deployed and adapted, after testing its feasibility and potential effectiveness in a pilot study.

RESULTS

The project is funded by the Italian Ministry of University and Research as part of a national grant (PRIN, "Progetti di Rilevante Interesse Nazionale"). The research team received an official notice of research funding approval in July 2023 (Project Code 2022LC4FT7). The project was preregistered on Open Science Framework, while the ethics approval was obtained in November 2023. We started the enrollments in December 2023, with the final follow-up data to be collected within May 2025.

CONCLUSIONS

The innovative aspects of the SMART project will deepen the conceptualization of PSMU and of its biopsychosocial antecedents among midadolescents, with relevant scientific, technological, and socioeconomic impacts. The advancement of knowledge and the developed self-help app for PSMU will timely respond to midadolescents' increased loneliness and psychological burden due to COVID-19 pandemic and humanitarian crisis.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

OSF Registries; https://osf.io/2ucnk/.

INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID)

DERR1-10.2196/58739.

Current opportunities and challenges of immersive virtual reality for psychological research and application

Immersive virtual reality (iVR), that is, digital stereoscopic 360° scenarios usually presented in head-mounted displays, has gained much popularity in medical, educational, and consumer contexts in the last years. Recently, psychological research started to utilize the theoretical and methodological advantages of iVR. Furthermore, understanding cognitive, emotional, and behavioral processes in iVR similar to real-life is a genuinely psychological, currently understudied topic. This article briefly reviews the current application of iVR in psychological research and related disciplines. The review presents empirical evidence for opportunities and strengths (e.g., realism, experimental control, effectiveness of therapeutic and educational interventions) as well as challenges and weaknesses (e.g., differences in experiencing presence, interacting with VR content including avatars, i.e., graphical representation of a person). The main part discusses areas requiring additional basic research, such as cognitive processes, socio-emotional processes during social interactions in iVR, and possible societal implications (e.g., fraud, VR-addiction). For both research and application, iVR offers a contemporary extension of the psychological toolkit, offering new avenues to investigate and enhance core phenomena of psychology such as cognition, affect, motivation, and behavior. Still, it is crucial to exercise caution in its application as excessive and careless use of iVR can pose risks to individuals' mental and physical well-being.

Consumers' Psychology Regarding Attachment to Social Media and Usage Frequency: A Mediated-Moderated Model

Although there are studies in the literature investigating the effect of social media marketing activities (SMMAs) on brand equity and purchase intentions, scant information is available regarding consumers' attachment to social media (ASM) and usage frequency considering the abovementioned variables. Accordingly, one of the main purposes of this study is to investigate the effect of consumers' ASM on their perceptions of SMMAs. The second main purpose of this study is to test whether social media usage frequency has a moderating effect regarding the impact of perceived SMMAs on brand equity and purchase intentions. Questionnaires were collected face-to-face and a data set of 907 Turkish youth consumers were evaluated. Two major international technology brands were selected for the purposes of this study. Hypotheses were tested using structural equation modeling and the bootstrapping method for mediation analysis. The results showed that ASM and social media usage frequency are distinctive factors in the context of perceived SMMAs. Consumers' ASM creates a psychological difference that positively affects their perceptions of brands' SMMAs. Moreover, social media usage frequency negatively moderates the effect of perceived SMMAs on brand equity and purchase intentions. Another important finding is that brand equity partially mediates the impact of perceived SMMAs on purchase intentions. The present article describes the first study to test the effect of consumers' ASM on perceived SMMAs and to investigate the moderating effect of social media usage frequency regarding the effect of perceived SMMAs on brand equity and purchase intentions. The conceptual framework contains both a mediator and moderator that generated additional insights into the literature regarding the context of this study.

Disclosure in psychotherapy versus in anonymous and non-anonymous online spaces

Objective The primary aim of this study was to investigate the factors affecting individuals' decisions to discuss specific personal issues in psychotherapy vs on social media, either non-anonymously or pseudonymously/anonymously.Method A heterogeneous sample of participants (N = 443) completed an online survey that included assessments of their therapy experience, attachment style, attitudes towards seeking mental healthcare, and the extent of their disclosures about personally distressing topics in therapy and online under different conditions.Results Results suggest that attachment style plays a significant role in determining individuals' likelihood of discussing personally distressing topics online and in determining the extent to which they find disclosures in therapy and in anonymous and non-anonymous online spaces to be helpful.Conclusion Clinicians may find it helpful to monitor the extent to which patients disclose personal issues online, checking as to whether patients, especially younger patients and those with avoidant and ambivalent attachment styles, view psychotherapy as an appropriate domain to disclose specific personally distressful issues.

Intimate Partner Violence and Attachment Styles as Factors Associated with Coping Stress Styles Among Iranian Women

The current study sought to examine attachment styles as mediators between intimate partner violence (IPV) and stress coping styles among Iranian women. Data were collected from September to December 2020. The study population was composed of 102 women who were referred to Social Emergency Centers in Isfahan and affected by domestic violence. They were given self-report questionnaires to measure IPV (the Haj-Yahia Violence Questionnaire), Stress Coping Styles (CISS), and Attachment Styles (AAQ). Structural Equation Modeling was used to test the hypothesized relationships. Sexual IPV victimization was related to both avoidant attachment (β = .229, p = .015) and anxious attachment (β = .245, p = .008). Anxious attachment style was related to emotion-oriented coping (β = .437, p = .000). There was a negative relationship between avoidant attachment and anxious attachment (β = -.237, p = .032) with avoidance-oriented coping. Sexual IPV victimization and economic IPV victimization were associated with avoidance-oriented coping (β = -.225, t = 0.816, p = .015; β = .188, t = 0.816, p = .044). Women who had experienced IPV and had an insecure attachment style were more likely to utilize avoidance and emotional coping strategies. For women who had a secure attachment style, there was no association was found between IPV victimization and coping styles. Attachment styles may influence the relationship between IPV and coping strategies in Iranian women who have experienced violence.

Antecedents of social media addiction in high and low relational mobility societies: Motivation to expand social network and fear of reputational damage

Contrary to previous studies on the antecedent factors of social media addiction, we focused on the social environmental factor of relational mobility (i.e., the ease of constructing new interpersonal relationships) and investigated its relationship with social media addiction. People in low relational mobility societies have fewer opportunities to select new relationship partners and consequently feel a stronger need to maintain their reputation. We hypothesized that (1) people in low relational mobility societies are more strongly addicted to social media because they estimate that greater reputational damage will be caused by ignoring messages and (2) people in low relational mobility societies estimate greater reputational damage than actual damage. We conducted two online experiments with 715 and 1,826 participants. Our results demonstrated that (1) there is no relationship between relational mobility and social media addiction and (2) people in both high and low relational mobility societies overestimate reputational damage. Furthermore, we demonstrated that the social media addiction mechanism differs between societies: (3) people in low relational mobility societies estimate greater reputational damage, whereas (4) people in high relational mobility societies are more motivated to expand their social networks; both mechanisms strengthen their social media addiction. Based on these results, we propose interventions for moderating social media addiction in both high and low relational mobility societies.

Social media addiction: associations with attachment style, mental distress, and personality

BACKGROUND

Social media bring not only benefits but also downsides, such as addictive behavior. While an ambivalent closed insecure attachment style has been prominently linked with internet and smartphone addiction, a similar analysis for social media addiction is still pending. This study aims to explore social media addiction, focusing on variations in attachment style, mental distress, and personality between students with and without problematic social media use. Additionally, it investigates whether a specific attachment style is connected to social media addiction.

METHODS

Data were collected from 571 college students (mean age = 23.61, SD = 5.00, 65.5% female; response rate = 20.06%) via an online survey administered to all enrolled students of Sigmund Freud PrivatUniversity Vienna. The Bergen Social Media Addiction Scale (BSMAS) differentiated between students addicted and not addicted to social media. Attachment style was gauged using the Bielefeld Partnership Expectations Questionnaire (BFPE), mental distress by the Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI-18), and personality by the Big Five Inventory (BFI-10).

RESULTS

Of the total sample, 22.7% of students were identified as addicted to social media. For personality, it was demonstrated that socially media addicted (SMA) students reported significantly higher values on the neuroticism dimension compared to not socially media addicted (NSMA) students. SMA also scored higher across all mental health dimensions-depressiveness, anxiety, and somatization. SMA more frequently exhibited an insecure attachment style than NSMA, specifically, an ambivalent closed attachment style. A two-step cluster analysis validated the initial findings, uncovering three clusters: (1) secure attachment, primarily linked with fewer occurrences of social media addiction and a lower incidence of mental health problems; (2) ambivalent closed attachment, generally associated with a higher rate of social media addiction and increased levels of mental health problems; and (3) ambivalent clingy attachment, manifesting a medium prevalence of social media addiction and a relatively equitable mental health profile.

CONCLUSIONS

The outcomes are aligned with previous research on internet and smartphone addiction, pointing out the relevance of an ambivalent closed attachment style in all three contexts. Therapeutic interventions for social media addiction should be developed and implemented considering these findings.

Clinical differences between outpatients with and without internet addiction and emotional disorders: a prospective naturalistic outcome study

Background/Objective

as internet use becomes increasingly ingrained in contemporary society, internet addiction (IA) has emerged as a global public health concern. There is ongoing debate regarding whether IA represents a distinct psychological disorder or a secondary manifestation of other existing disorders. This study aimed to examine the pathological relationship between IA and emotional disorders (ED).

Method

this study compared pre-treatment characteristics and treatment process of three groups of patients (N=1292) in a naturalistic treatment setting: IA only, ED only, and comorbidity of IA and ED.

Results

the IA only group differed from the other groups by reporting the highest levels of life satisfaction, adaptive emotion regulation, as well as risk behavior urges at intake. In addition, the IA only group displayed the lowest level of depressive and anxiety symptoms throughout the treatment.

Conclusion

our findings contribute to a better understanding of the discreteness of IA as a potential psychological disorder and inform more effective treatment strategies for IA and its comorbid conditions.

Status and Influencing Factors of Social Media Addiction in Chinese Workers: Cross-Sectional Survey Study

BACKGROUND

Social media addiction (SMA) caused by excessive dependence on social media is becoming a global problem. At present, most of the SMA studies recruit college students as research participants, with very few studies involving workers and other age groups, especially in China.

OBJECTIVE

This study aims to investigate the current status of SMA among Chinese workers and analyze its influencing factors.

METHODS

From November 1, 2022, to January 30, 2023, we conducted an anonymous web-based questionnaire survey in mainland China, and a total of 5176 participants completed the questionnaire. The questionnaire included the Social Networking Service Addiction Scale, Maslach Burnout Inventory-General Survey scale, Mindful Attention Awareness Scale, as well as questionnaires regarding participants' social media use habits and demographic information.

RESULTS

Through strict screening, 3468 valid questionnaires were included in this study. The main findings of this study revealed the following: the average SMA score of workers was higher (mean 53.19, SD 12.04), and some of them (393/3468, 11.33%) relied heavily on social media; there were statistically significant differences in SMA scores among workers in different industries (F14,3453=3.98; P<.001); single workers (t3106=8.6; P<.001) and workers in a relationship (t2749=5.67; P<.001) had higher SMA scores than married workers, but some married workers (214/3468, 6.17%) were highly dependent on social media; the level of SMA among female workers was higher than that of male workers (t3466=3.65; P<.001), and the SMA score of workers negatively correlated with age (r=-0.22; P<.001) and positively correlated with education level (r=0.12; P<.001); the frequency of using social media for entertainment during work (r=0.33; P<.001) and the frequency of staying up late using social media (r=0.14; P<.001) were positively correlated with the level of SMA in workers; and the level of SMA in workers was significantly positively correlated with their level of burnout (r=0.35; P<.001), whereas it was significantly negatively correlated with their level of mindfulness (r=-0.55; P<.001).

CONCLUSIONS

The results of this study suggest that SMA among Chinese workers is relatively serious and that the SMA problem among workers requires more attention from society and academia. In particular, female workers, young workers, unmarried workers, highly educated workers, workers with bad social media habits, workers with high levels of job burnout, and workers with low levels of mindfulness were highly dependent on social media. In addition, occupation is an important influencing factor in SMA. Thus, the government should strengthen the supervision of social media companies. Medical institutions should provide health education on SMA and offer intervention programs for those addicted to social media. Workers should cultivate healthy habits while using social media.

New Addictions in Late Adolescence and Emerging Adulthood: How Attachment Style May Predict Problematic Use of Social Networks and Binge-Watching

As behavioral addictions (BAs) significantly affect well-being, paying attention to the characteristics associated with their onset is relevant. Current studies suggest that BAs should be addressed from an adaptive-maladaptive continuum perspective to define what and how some behaviors became problematic. The multi-faceted nature of behaviors attributed to possible BA involves psychological and individual backgrounds (e.g., attachment style). Given its role in affecting personality processes, social development, and motivational drives, the attachment style would be involved in addiction-like behaviors from adolescence, defined as a critical period for BA onset. This study analyzed the association between the attachment dimensions and two possible BAs that can be included in an adaptive-maladaptive continuum (i.e., social network use and TV series watching). A sample consisting of 493 late adolescents/emerging adults (age range: 18-24) completed questionnaires assessing social network use, TV series watching, and attachment style. The results showed a positive association between problematic attachment styles and BAs. High worry and need for relationships (anxious attachment) would be risk factors for problematic social network use and relationships as secondary (avoidant attachment) would be a risk factor for problematic TV series watching. These findings suggest the importance of further analyzing the role of attachment styles and their dimensions in influencing behavioral expression early to prevent the occurrence of BA.

Prevalence of Eating Disorders and Their Association with Social Media Addiction among Youths

Eating disorders and excessive attachment to social media are a matter of great concern among youths. This study assessed the prevalence of eating disorders and their association with social media addiction among youths. A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted on 350 participants aged 14-25 years. Two pre-validated tools were used, i.e., the Eating Attitude Test and the Social Networking Addiction Scale. SPSS was used to analyze the data. Out of the 350 students, 42% had probable eating disorders, and 41.7% had social media addictions. The findings revealed that the chances of having eating disorders were significantly higher among youths who lived in separate places, smoked, and had a family history of eating disorders (p ≤ 0.05). Furthermore, the dieting domain displayed notably higher scores for youths living separately (p ≤ 0.05) and smokers (p ≤ 0.01). Moreover, the scores for bulimia and food preoccupation were significantly higher among participants who were married (p = 0.038), were smokers (p = 0.027), and had a family history of eating disorders (p = 0.001). Higher scores in the oral control domain were reported by females (p ≤ 0.05) and severely obese youths (p ≤ 0.01). Moreover, social media addiction was significantly higher among students aged 18-21 (p ≤ 0.01). Spearman's correlation revealed that social media addiction has a weak positive relationship with eating disorders (r = 0.133, p ≤ 0.01), particularly bulimia and food preoccupation (r = 0.173, p ≤ 0.001). This reflects the need to address the harmful consequences of social media addiction that might raise the likelihood of developing eating disorders, particularly bulimia nervosa.

The Role of Personality, Self-Disclosure, and Envy in Maladaptive Social Media Engagement

Through online social networks (OSNs), individuals establish and maintain social connections to satisfy their need to belong. Recent research suggests that taken too far, one's need to belong can increase envy and lead to maladaptive social media behavior aligned with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). This study examines the role of two personality traits, one's intrinsic need to belong and trait reactance, on feelings of envy and the self-disclosure processes that lead to OCD on social networks. A sample of 354 U.S. adult users of Facebook completed a survey measuring individuals' need to belong, trait reactance, envy, self-disclosure, and OSN-OCD. Regression analyses reveal that need to belong and trait reactance both independently and interactively relate to envy, and that self-disclosure mediates the relationship between envy and OCD on social networks. Those with low trait reactance appear at the lowest risk of OSN-OCD no matter their need to belong. The highest risk profile for online OCD is found in those with both high trait reactance and high need to belong. Overall, our findings support further exploration of one's intrinsic need to belong and trait reactance as personality indicators of risk for OSN-OCD.

Self-Control and Digital Media Addiction: The Mediating Role of Media Multitasking and Time Style

Introduction

As being an initiating actions and resisting short-term temptations, self-control is negatively related to digital media addiction. However, many studies indicate that there are variables that may mediate this relationship. The present study investigated the mediating role of media multitasking and time style in the relationship between self-control and digital media addiction.

Methods

The study included N= 2193 participants with a mean age of M = 23.26 (SD = 6.98) from seven countries: Brazil, Hong Kong, Israel, Italy, Poland, Turkey, and the United States. The authors used the Brief Self-Control Scale, the Media Multitasking Scale, the Time Styles Scale, the Problematic Smartphone Use Scale, the Problematic Internet Use Scale, and the Problematic Facebook Use Scale.

Results

Results revealed that self-control was negatively related to all assessed types of problematic digital media use, namely problematic Internet use, problematic smartphone use, and problematic Facebook use. Media multitasking was found to be a significant mediator of the relationship between self-control and problematic digital media use.

Discussion

High self-control can be preventative against uncontrolled and automatic social media checking, whereas low self-control fosters the habit of continuously remaining current.

The Role of Attachment in Gambling Behaviors and Gambling Disorder: A Systematic Review

In recent years, a growing number of attachment-based studies have contributed to the understanding of both substance and behavioral addictions. Although gambling is a form of addictive behavior widespread all over the world, both among young people and adults, the evidence on the association between attachment-related phenomena and gambling has not yet been systematized in literature. The aim of the present study, therefore, is to provide a systematic literature review aimed at summarizing the empirical evidence on this topic. Following the updated 2020 PRISMA guidelines, a systematic search in four electronic scientific databases (Scopus, PubMed, PsycInfo and Web of Science) was conducted. After removing duplicates, 146 records were double-screened, with 12 articles meeting the inclusion criteria. Additionally, by means of a backward search a further article was selected. Altogether, 13 articles were selected for the present systematic review. With few exceptions, the results underline the significant role played by attachment-related phenomena in gambling behaviors, highlighting that specific attachment contexts have a different influence on gambling, also depending on whether gamblers are youths or adults. In particular, while secure attachment has proven to be a protective factor for the onset of gambling behavior, insecure attachment has emerged to be a vulnerability factor in two ways. On the one hand, it directly favors gambling behaviors; on the other, it affects coping strategies and the individual's ability to identify and regulate emotions, which in turn predict gambling. Limitations, strengths, and implications of the present systematic review are discussed.

The associations between attachment, self-esteem, fear of missing out, daily time expenditure, and problematic social media use: A path analysis model

The present study investigated the factors that may be associated with a dysfunctional use of social media use, by exploring the association between adult attachment patterns and problematic social media use and analyzing the sequential mediation of self-esteem, fear of missing out (FoMO), and time spent on social media. A sample of 470 social media users (M_age = 33.76 years; SD = 14.267; 70 % women) completed the Bergen Social Media Addiction Scale, Fear of Missing Out Scale, Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, and Relationship Questionnaire. Results showed a path analysis model providing an excellent fit to the data (χ² = 2.939, p = 0.230; GFI = 0.998, TLI = 0.987, CFI = 0.998, RMSEA = 0.032, SRMR = 0.016). A significant and positive total effect in the associations between preoccupied and fearful attachment patterns and problematic social media use emerged. Both preoccupied and fearful attachment patterns were also related to self-esteem, FoMO, and time spent on social media, which were sequentially associated and were, in turn, significantly related to problematic social media use. Finally, when self-esteem, FoMO, and time spent on social media were added into the model, they totally mediated the relationships between preoccupied and fearful attachment patterns and problematic social media use, suggesting a full multiple mediation model (R² = 0.33). Such data may provide useful information for clinical practice to develop tailored interventions and prevention programs to address the compensatory and problematic use of social media.

Can Inflammation Predict Social Media Use? Linking a Biological Marker of Systemic Inflammation with Social Media Use Among College Students and Middle-Aged Adults

Drawing on recent evidence that inflammation may promote social affiliative motivation, the present research proposes a novel perspective that inflammation may be associated with more social media use. In a cross-sectional analysis of a nationally representative sample, Study 1 (N = 863) found a positive association between C-reactive protein (CRP), a biomarker of systemic inflammation, and the amount of social media use by middle-aged adults. Study 2 (N = 228) showed that among college students CRP was prospectively associated with more social media use 6 weeks later. Providing stronger evidence of the directionality of this effect, Study 3 (N = 171) showed that in college students CRP predicted increased social media use in the subsequent week even after controlling for current week's use. Additionally, in exploratory analyses of CRP and different types of social media use in the same week, CRP was only associated with using social media for social interaction and not for other purposes (e.g., entertainment). The present research sheds light on the social effects of inflammation and highlights potential benefits of using social media as a context for studying the impact of inflammation on social motivation and behavior.

Problematic Media Use among Children up to the Age of 10: A Systematic Literature Review

INTRODUCTION

Digital screen media use has significantly grown in all age groups and at an increasingly young age, including toddlers, schoolers, and primary school children. Although there is evidence that excessive early childhood media exposure can lead to several negative developmental outcomes, no systematic review on Problematic Media Use (PMU) of children under 10 years old have been provided. The aim of the present systematic review was to identify (i) the main instruments used to measure children's PMU across different studies; (ii) the risk and protective factors which might increase or reduce children's PMU; and (iii) the negative outcomes associated with children's PMU.

METHODS

This study was conducted following the systematic review guidelines proposed in the PRISMA statement. A total of 35 studies published between 2012-2022 and with a mean sample age between 0 and 10 years old were ultimately included in this literature review.

RESULTS

Use of media for more than 2 h a day, male gender, and higher age increased the risk of developing PMU among children. PMU led to several negative consequences for children's development and well-being (e.g., more problematic behaviors, sleep problems, higher depressive symptoms, lower emotional intelligence, and lower academic achievements). Children who experienced negative psychological symptoms, a dysfunctional parent-child relationship, and difficulties in school context were more prone to develop PMU. However, an authoritative parenting style and restrictive parental mediation reduced the risk of developing PMU among children. Finally, self-report measures specifically designed to get the younger children's perspective are still few and not so widely used.

CONCLUSIONS

Overall, this research field is still in its infancy and needs further investigation. Likely, a dysfunctional family system can lead children to experience emotional distress and negative psychological symptoms, which they try to manage by escaping into the virtual world, thus increasing the risk of developing PMU. As the children's PMU is closely affected by the family environment, future prevention interventions should target both children and their parents to improve their self-regulatory and mentalizing capabilities, as well as parental mediation strategies and general parenting practices.

Problematic social networking sites use and online social anxiety: The role of attachment, emotion dysregulation and motives

Problematic Social Networking Sites Use (PSNSU) and social anxiety are associated. SNSs users may develop online social anxiety that may become a standalone problem. The present study aims to test the mediating role of emotion dysregulation and motives (coping, conformity, social, and enhancement) between attachment (anxiety and avoidance) and two outcomes (PSNSU and online social anxiety) in an integrated theory-driven model. Self-report questionnaires were completed by 756 SNSs users (50.4 % females; mean age = 28.74 years, SD = 8.00). Results of the path analysis supported the partial mediating role of emotion dysregulation in the association between attachment anxiety and both the outcomes and the serial mediating role via four and three motives in the association with PSNSU and online social anxiety, respectively. This study highlighted the role of several relational, emotional, and motivational factors that should be taken into account to tackle PSNSU and online social anxiety through clinical and prevention interventions.

Effects of a Life Skills Enhancement Program on the Life Skills and Risk Behaviors of Social Media Addiction in Early Adolescence

Objective

This research aimed to develop and investigate the effects of a life skills enhancement program on the life skills and risk behaviors of social media addiction in early adolescence.

Methods

This research used a quasi-experimental design for a controlled study with a pre-test and post-test that collected data through a general information questionnaire, Social Media Addiction Screening Scale: S-MASS, and a life skills test. There were 48 samples recruited by purposive sampling from 5 schools in Chiang Mai, Thailand. The life skills enhancement program was developed under the theory of cognitive and behavioral therapy in combination with group therapy or occupational therapy. The program had a total of 10 sessions, with 1 session per week for 60 minutes and 10 weeks in total.

Results

For the results, a statistically significant difference in post-test SMASS scores between the control and experimental group was found (p<0.01). Moreover, a statistically significant difference in the experimental group between pre-test and post-test using S-MASS scores decreased significantly after participating in the program but not in the control group. This result is similar to the comparative data of life skills scores that revealed there was a statistically significant difference between the pre-test and post-test only in the experimental group. For the comparative data between the control and experimental group, however, there were no statistically significant differences in pre-test and post-test life skills scores between the two groups.

Conclusion

From the results, it can be summarized that the life skills enhancement program had affected an increase in life skills and a decrease in risky social media usage among adolescents.

Love Addiction, Adult Attachment Patterns and Self-Esteem: Testing for Mediation Using Path Analysis

Love addiction is a dysfunctional relational modality that takes on the addiction characteristics and which, for the individuals who suffer from it, can have a negative and pervasive impact on various areas of functioning. The objective of this research was the analysis the factors that can be associated with love addiction, particularly focusing on adult attachment patterns and self-esteem. A sample group of 300 individuals who declared themselves to have a romantic relationship was involved in this research (M_age = 37.83 years, SD = 12.937). They completed an online survey including the Love Addiction Inventory-Short form, Relationship Questionnaire, and Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale. Results showed significant and positive associations between preoccupied and fearful adult attachment and love addiction. Furthermore, these relationships were totally mediated by self-esteem. Gender and age were controlled as potential covariates and showed significant effects in influencing the levels of self-esteem and love addiction. Such findings may provide useful information for orienting future research and supporting an effective clinical practice.

Problematic Smartphone Use and Social Media Fatigue: The Mediating Role of Self-Control

Background

Excessive social media consumption leads to addiction and affects mental health. It is a phenomenon that is difficult to avoid. Previous research on the effects of excessive Internet use shows that people who engage in social media (SM) without restraint experience over-involvement, over-disclosure, technostress, and social media fatigue (SMF). SMF, conceptualized as an emotional and cognitive feeling of being overwhelmed, manifests itself in mindless browsing of content, limiting the amount of time spent on SM, or quitting SM altogether. Self-control, although present in the technology addiction literature and psychology research, has been rarely described in relation to both excessive SM use and SMF. Therefore, the main goal of the present study was to verify whether there is a direct relationship between problematic smartphone use and SMF, and whether this association is mediated by self-control.

Methods

The study included 210 respondents (M = 25.85, SD = 9.84) living in different Polish cities. The survey was conducted online, and the respondents consented to participate in the study. They completed the following measures: the Mobile Phone Problematic Use, the Self-Control Scale, the Social Media Fatigue Scale, and a brief questionnaire with socio-demographic data.

Results

Statistical analysis was performed to verify the relationship between problematic mobile phone use, level of self-control, and SMF. The outcomes indicate that there are significant interrelationships between the three studied variables. The association between problematic smartphone use and SMF is mediated by self-control.

Conclusion

A lack of impulse-inhibition skills, such as compulsive checking of notifications, can be a significant factor in SM exhaustion, fatigue, or frustration. SMF can also be understood as a natural defensive response, triggered in situations where individuals are overwhelmed, when the self-control is insufficient to stop the compulsion to use SM, and the use of a smartphone for this purpose is excessively engaging.

Fear of Missing Out, Emotional Intelligence and Attachment in Older Adults in Argentina

In recent years, the rise of social networks has changed relationships and lifestyles around the world. This has led to the emergence of the Fear of Missing Out (FoMO), which consists of the need to constantly check social media and the anguish that comes from feeling a lack of rewarding experiences. The impact derived from the use of technologies in a digital environment has been widely studied in young people but not so much in older adults. The main aim of this study was to analyze FoMO levels in older adults and their relationships with sociodemographic and formative factors. Another aim of this study was to analyze whether the dimensions of emotional intelligence, the different forms of attachment and psychological symptomatology affect the FoMO levels of older adults. A total of 690 older adults from Argentina aged between 60 and 90 years (M = 69.01; SD = 5.48) participated, 54.5% of whom were women, responding using a geolocated online questionnaire. The main results confirmed that older people show FoMO levels similar to other general samples. In addition, results show several predictor variables with respect to FoMO: emotional attention, insecure attachment, depression and difficulties in interpersonal relationships. The implications of the results observed in older adults are discussed.

An addictive disorders severity model: a chained mediation analysis using structural equation modeling

BACKGROUND

The clinical relevance of the degree of severity in addiction disorders supports the need to investigate the variables underlying this aspect of the phenomenon.

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to explore the relationships between factors that may influence the severity of addiction disorder, with a particular focus on temperamental disinhibition, emotion dysregulation, interpersonal vulnerability, and their interactions.

METHODS

A clinical sample of 502 (77% males and 22% females) was involved. All participants received a DSM-5 clinical diagnosis of "Substance-Related and Addictive Disorders" and were recruited from the Italian National Health System. The collected data were analyzed by implementing a chained mediation model using structural equation modeling.

RESULTS

The statistical appropriateness of the hypothesized latent 4- factors model was confirmed. Specifically, temperamental disinhibition (composed of impulsiveness, compulsiveness, and obsessiveness), emotion dysregulation (composed of affect dysregulation, alexithymia, and dissociation), interpersonal vulnerability (composed of traumatic experiences, preoccupied, avoidant and unresolved attachment), and Addictive Disorders Severity (composed by substance use severity, alcohol use severity, gambling severity, and Internet use severity) were the four factors which have been identified. Furthermore, a total chained mediation model emerged, where emotion dysregulation and interpersonal vulnerability mediated the relationship between temperamental disinhibition and Addictive Disorders Severity.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings offer a better understanding of the variables associated with addictive disorder severity, providing important indications for therapeutic interventions.

The effect of mindfulness on social media addiction among Chinese college students: A serial mediation model

Introduction

The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated social media addiction (SMA), making it urgent to find effective interventions for social media addiction. Evidence has shown that mindfulness might be an effective intervention for social media addiction. However, psychological mechanisms by which mindfulness reduce social media use remain unclear. Here, we further addressed this issue to examine whether attentional control and fear of missing out (FOMO) mediate the relationship between mindfulness and SMA.

Methods

We recruited 446 college students from two universities in China and analyzed the data.

Results

The results suggest that there are mediation effects of attentional control and FOMO between mindfulness and SMA through 3 paths: path 1, mindfulness → attention control → SMA (-0.04); path 2, mindfulness → FOMO → SMA (-0.22); and path 3, mindfulness → attention control → FOMO → SMA (-0.05).

Discussion

Therefore, mindfulness-based interventions may be an effective way to alleviate social media addiction, especially mindfulness-based interventions targeting FOMO. At the end of the article, we also discussed the limitations of this study.

The influence of job search stress on college students' addictive social media use: Seeking of social support and perceived social support as serial mediators and sense of coherence as a moderator

Resulting from an enlarged number of graduating college students and shrinkage of work opportunities, stress in relation to job search and employment is becoming an increasingly noticeable issue in China. Previous psychiatry research has suggested that social support can be conducive to reducing stress from multiple sources, while the effectiveness hinges on whether it is actually recognized and perceived by the recipients. The prevalence of social media has greatly facilitated the communication and exchange of social support information. However, they can also lead to overuse and addiction problems. This study aims to investigate how job search stress affects graduating college students' social media addiction severity using a serial mediation model and test the potential moderation effect of sense of coherence. Based on a sample of graduating college students (n = 144), our findings point out a significant pathway for the impacts of stress sequentially through seeking of social support and perceived social support. Furthermore, job search stress seems to have pronounced effects on the psychological need for social support only at low- and mid-levels of sense of coherence.

Smartphone addiction, gender and interpersonal attachment: A cross-sectional analytical survey in Taiwan

Overview

Smartphone use has dramatically increased worldwide, contributing to a profound change in interpersonal interactions. They have become the primary medium of human interaction, and smartphone addiction, consequently, has become a modern-day reality. Recent research on smartphone addiction has provided diverse explanations regarding the correlation between gender and addiction. Therefore, this study aims to analyse the correlation and variance among smartphone addiction, gender and interpersonal attachment.

Methods

The participants included Taiwanese citizens and the questionnaires were randomly distributed; 1190 valid questionnaires (534 males, 656 females) were collected. Descriptive statistics were computed to observe the average value and standard deviation between interpersonal attachment and gender. Next, Spearman's ρ was conducted to interpret the correlation among smartphone addiction, gender and interpersonal attachment. Finally, the participants were divided into three groups based on their pre-determined level of smartphone addiction: high, moderate and low addictions. The Analysis of variance (ANOVA) was performed based on interpersonal attachment as the independent variable to determine any statistically significant difference among the three levels.

Results

There are four patterns of interpersonal attachment: secure, avoidant, dismissing and anxious attachments. The correlation analysis revealed a significant positive correlation between interpersonal attachment and smartphone addiction (p > 0.000), while revealing no relationship between gender and smartphone addiction or gender and interpersonal attachment. Additionally, the ANOVA indicated the difference was statistically significant in the groups of high and moderate addictions; no statistical significance was identified in the group of low addiction (p < 0.204).

Conclusion

This study revealed that there was no correlation between gender and smartphone addiction, but rather, a positive correlation between smartphone addiction and interpersonal attachment. This positive correlation suggests both high and moderate addiction groups display insecurity in their interpersonal attachment. Therefore, to lower the prevalence of unhealthy smartphone addiction, maintaining healthy interpersonal relationships is suggested.

The Generalized Problematic Internet Use Scale 2 in a Polish sample: psychometric validation and relationship with specific Internet-related disorders and psychosocial functioning

BACKGROUND

The present study aimed to adapt and psychometrically validate the Generalized Problematic Internet Use Scale 2 (GPIUS2) based on the cognitive-behavioral model of problematic Internet use. Furthermore, the study aimed to examine the relationship between problematic Internet use and other specific Internet-related disorders (i.e., social networking sites addiction, Facebook addiction, and problematic pornography use), as well as the relationships with indicators of poor psychosocial functioning.

PARTICIPANTS AND PROCEDURE

GPIUS2 was administered to 1155 young Internet users. Participants completed a survey assessing problematic Internet use, specific Internet related-disorders, and indicators of poor psychosocial functioning (anxious and avoidant attachment, social anxiety, and loneliness) via two measuring contexts (online and offline).

RESULTS

The results support a four-factor internal structure of the GPIUS2, similar to that initially proposed and the results of the previous studies. GPIUS2 demonstrated good reliability as well as scalar invariance across online and offline measured contexts.

CONCLUSIONS

Problematic Internet use is a multidimensional construct rather than a one-dimensional construct with strong but not overlapping positive relations with the other specific Internet-related disorders. Those relationships are especially strong among problematic activities related to the social context of Internet use. Furthermore, our findings prove the theoretical assumptions that psychosocial problems and poor social skills are related to problematic Internet use.

Research trends in social media addiction and problematic social media use: A bibliometric analysis

Despite their increasing ubiquity in people's lives and incredible advantages in instantly interacting with others, social media's impact on subjective well-being is a source of concern worldwide and calls for up-to-date investigations of the role social media plays in mental health. Much research has discovered how habitual social media use may lead to addiction and negatively affect adolescents' school performance, social behavior, and interpersonal relationships. The present study was conducted to review the extant literature in the domain of social media and analyze global research productivity during 2013-2022. Bibliometric analysis was conducted on 501 articles that were extracted from the Scopus database using the keywords social media addiction and problematic social media use. The data were then uploaded to VOSviewer software to analyze citations, co-citations, and keyword co-occurrences. Volume, growth trajectory, geographic distribution of the literature, influential authors, intellectual structure of the literature, and the most prolific publishing sources were analyzed. The bibliometric analysis presented in this paper shows that the US, the UK, and Turkey accounted for 47% of the publications in this field. Most of the studies used quantitative methods in analyzing data and therefore aimed at testing relationships between variables. In addition, the findings in this study show that most analysis were cross-sectional. Studies were performed on undergraduate students between the ages of 19-25 on the use of two social media platforms: Facebook and Instagram. Limitations as well as research directions for future studies are also discussed.

Social Media Use and Health-Related Quality of Life Among Adolescents: Cross-sectional Study

BACKGROUND

Using social media is a time-consuming activity of children and adolescents. Health authorities have warned that excessive use of social media can negatively affect adolescent social, physical, and psychological health. However, scientific findings regarding associations between time spent on social media and adolescent health-related quality of life (HRQoL) are not consistent. Adolescents typically use multiple social media platforms. Whether the use of multiple social media platforms impacts adolescent health is unclear.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between social media use, including the number of social media platforms used and time spent on social media, and adolescent HRQoL.

METHODS

We analyzed the data of 3397 children (mean age 13.5, SD 0.4 years) from the Generation R Study, a population-based cohort study in the Netherlands. Children reported the number of social media platforms used and time spent on social media during weekdays and weekends separately. Children's HRQoL was self-reported with the EuroQol 5-dimension questionnaire-youth version. Data on social media use and HRQoL were collected from 2015 to 2019. Multiple logistic and linear regressions were applied.

RESULTS

In this study, 72.6% (2466/3397) of the children used 3 or more social media platforms, and 37.7% (1234/3276) and 58.3% (1911/3277) of the children used social media at least 2 hours per day during weekdays and weekends, respectively. Children using more social media platforms (7 or more platforms) had a higher odds of reporting having some or a lot of problems on "having pain or discomfort" (OR 1.55, 95% CI 1.20 to 1.99) and "feeling worried, sad or unhappy" (OR 1.99, 95% CI 1.52 to 2.60) dimensions and reported lower self-rated health (β -3.81, 95% CI -5.54 to -2.09) compared with children who used 0 to 2 social media platforms. Both on weekdays and weekends, children spent more time on social media were more likely to report having some or a lot of problems on "doing usual activities," "having pain or discomfort," "feeling worried, sad or unhappy," and report lower self-rated health (all P<.001).

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings indicate that using more social media platforms and spending more time on social media were significantly related to lower HRQoL. We recommend future research to study the pathway between social media use and HRQoL among adolescents.

Motivational brief interventions for adolescents and young adults with Internet use disorders: A randomized-controlled trial

BACKGROUND

Adolescents and young adults (AYA) have an increased risk for Internet use disorders (IUD) compared to older individuals that may lead to functional impairments in daily life. To date, evidence-based brief interventions are lacking. This study aimed to test the efficacy of a low-threshold counseling approach based on Motivational Interviewing (MI) in a vocational school setting.

METHODS

Of 8.230 vocational students (age M=20.56, SD=4.68; 51.85% female) being proactively screened for IUD, 937 with positive screenings took part in telephone-based diagnostic interviews. IUD were assessed in line with the criteria of the Internet Gaming Disorder in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th edition (DSM-5). Readiness to change, self-efficacy, and impairments in daily life were additionally assessed with standardized screening instruments. Participants fulfilling at least two IUD criteria were randomized to the intervention group (n=240, up to three MI-based counseling sessions via telephone) or the control group (n=257, information brochure on responsible Internet use). Follow-up interviews were conducted after five and ten months. The primary outcome was the reduction of IUD criteria. Secondary outcomes were improvements of readiness/ self-efficacy to change and the reduction of daily impairments. Data were analyzed with Intention-to-Treat (ITT) and complier average causal effect (CACE) analyses.

RESULTS

Overall, 153 (63.75%) individuals assigned to the intervention group participated at least in one counseling session (=compliers). Both groups reduced the number of IUD criteria over time. In ITT analyses, however, we did not find intervention effects for primary and secondary outcomes. Bayes statistics were inconclusive. Based on low participation rates in the intervention group, explorative CACE analyses were conducted to compare compliers in the intervention group to potential compliers in the control group. Again, we did not find intervention effects apart from improvements in self-efficacy after five months.

DISCUSSION

Telephone-based counseling seems not appropriate to address AYA at risk for IUD. Low participation rates in the intervention group caused underpowered analyses. Besides, dealing with the own Internet use during intensive assessments and receiving an information brochure led to behavioral changes also in the control group. Since the efficacy of brief interventions under the condition of higher participation rates cannot be fully ruled out, further research is required by taking the implications of this study into account.

A Study of Occupational Therapy Strategies and Psychological Regulation of Students' Internet Addiction in the Mobile Social Media Environment

This paper provides an in-depth research analysis of occupational therapy strategies and psychological regulation of students' Internet addiction in the existing mobile social media environment. Based on the definition of Internet use peer pressure, a preliminary scale with 2 dimensions of specific behavioral pressure and psychological cognitive pressure was developed. First, a professor of mental health education and a master's degree student in mental health education were invited to rate the scale, while 47 junior high school students were selected to try the scale to ensure that the questions of the scale were clearly expressed. Secondly, 461 subjects were selected to take the initial test of the scale, and item tests and exploratory factor analysis were conducted to ensure that the structure of the scale was as expected and the scale was expressed to psychometric standards. Finally, 810 subjects were selected for the scale retest, and item analysis and validated factor analysis were conducted, and their results met the psychometric criteria. Student peer attachment significantly and positively predicted adolescent Internet addiction; Internet use peer pressure played an incomplete mediating role in the prediction of peer attachment to Internet addiction; loneliness played a moderating role in the pathway of peer attachment to Internet addiction, and loneliness also played a moderating role in the pathway of peer attachment to Internet use peer pressure. The attitude towards online games is entertainment to kill time, a tool to escape the pressure of study and to gain the fun of friends comparing with each other. The main online motivations of adolescents included individual and situational factors, and behaviors were characterized by pan-entertainment and gamification, mainly through mobile social networks to obtain external information and knowledge, maintain interpersonal relationships, and gain a sense of belonging; they were characterized by a fixation on time, space, and online content. The interaction of family members is more of a behavioral habit, and the communication habits and behavior patterns established in the family will influence the construction of children's relationships with others, while parents' head-down behavior will also influence children's attention to various needs of an Internet-dependent behavior problem, which in turn affects children's problem-solving and intimate relationships with family members.

Interpersonally-Based Fears and Problematic Social Networking Site Use: The Moderating Role of Online Social Support

Within the Compensatory Internet Use Theory (CIUT) framework, online activities may compensate for psychosocial problems. However, those who attempt to satisfy their needs or mitigate their fears via Social Networking Sites (SNSs) may be at heightened risk for problematic use of SNSs (PSNSU), especially in cases when these fears have an interpersonal basis, and the individual effectively finds online social support. The current study hypothesizes that interpersonally-based fears (i.e., fear of no mattering, fear of intimacy, and fear of negative evaluation) predict PSNSU, and online social support moderates these associations. Four hundred and fifty Italian participants (Mage = 27.42 ± 7.54; F = 73.5%) take part in the study. As examined by path analysis, the three interpersonal fears were positively associated with PSNSU, and online social support significantly moderates the relationship between fear of negative evaluation and PSNSU. The model accounted for 19% of the variance of PSNSU and showed good fit indices. The associations' strengths decrease as age increases. Overall, the current study finds further support for the theory that motivations need to be taken into account when it comes to internet uses (i.e., CIUT) and extends our understanding by highlighting that online social support might reinforce the link between the fear of being negatively evaluated and PSNSU.

The association between parent-child relationship and problematic internet use among English- and Chinese-language studies: A meta-analysis

As past studies of the association between parent-child relationship and problematic internet use show mixed results and are influenced by many factors, this meta-analysis of 75 primary Chinese and English language studies from 1990 to 2021 with 110,601 participants (aged 6−25 years) explored (a) the overall association between parent-child relationship and problematic internet use, and (b) whether the association is affected by their types, country, measures, objects of the parent-child relationship, gender, age, year and publication types. We used funnel plots, Classic fail-safe N and Egger's test to test for publication bias and for moderation with the homogeneity tests. The results showed a negative association between quality of parent-child relationship and problematic internet use (r = −0.18, 95% CI = [−0.20, −0.15]). The moderation analysis found that compared with internet addiction tendency, the association between social media addiction and parent-child relationship was stronger. Moreover, the association between the parent-child relationship and problematic internet use of emerging adults (18–25 years old) was stronger than that of adolescents (12−18 years old). Furthermore, the negative association between parent-child relationship and problematic internet use was weaker (a) in Italy than those in Turkey and China, (b) when using CPS (Closeness to Parents Scale), IPPA (Inventory of Parent and Peer Attachment), or PARQ (Parent-Child Relationship Questionnaire) measuring parent-child relationship than using PCCS (Parent-Child Communication Scale), (c) when using IAT measuring problematic internet use rather than using IGDS or APIUS. Hence, these results indicate a negative association between parent-child relationships and problematic internet use, and the association is moderated by types of problematic internet use, age, country, scales of both parent-child relationship and problematic internet use.

Self-Consciousness, Self-Objectification, and Social Anxiety as Predictors of Photo Editing Behavior among Emerging Adults

This study aims to assess the impact of self-consciousness, self-objectification, and social anxiety on photo editing behavior among emerging adults. Correlational research strategy was used for the present quantitative research, and convenient sampling strategy was used to collect data of 444 university students (135 males and 309 females) with the age range of 18-25 years. The self-consciousness scale, objectified body consciousness scale, photo manipulation scale, and social anxiety scale were used as assessment tools for this study. For data analysis, $t$ -test for independent samples, correlation, and regression analysis were implied. The results revealed that women had higher self-consciousness and social anxiety in contrast to men. Moreover, self-objectification and evaluation anxiety were positively correlated with photo editing behavior. Lastly, overall self-objectification and body shame, one of the three aspects of self-objectification resulted as significant predictors of photo manipulation behavior among emerging adults. This study contributes to the indigenous literature of clinical and social psychology.

Validation of the Social Media Disorder Scale using network analysis in a large representative sample of Czech adolescents

Background

The importance of studying the excessive use of social media in adolescents is increasing and so is the need for in-depth evaluations of the psychometric properties of the measurement tools. This study investigated the properties of the Social Media Disorder Scale (SMDS) in a large representative sample of Czech adolescents.

Methods

We analyzed the representative sample of 13,377 Czech adolescents (50.9% boys), 11-16 years old, who participated in the Health Behavior in School-aged Children (HBSC) survey (2017-18), using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and network models. Furthermore, we evaluated the measurement invariance and constructed the validity of the SMDS.

Results

We found support for a single dominant factor but not for strict unidimensionality. Several residual correlations were identified. The strongest were for: problems-conflicts-deceptions; persistence-escape; and preoccupation-tolerance-withdrawal. Girls, particularly 13- and 15-year-olds, scored higher than boys in the same age group, and 13- and 15-year-olds achieved higher scores than 11-year-olds, although some items were not invariant between the groups. The SMDS was positively related to other online activities, screen time, and falling asleep late, but negatively related to well-being and mental health.

Discussion and conclusions

The SMDS showed solid psychometric properties and construct validity. However, small violations of measurement invariance were detected. Furthermore, the network analysis showed important residual relationships between the items.

Attachment anxiety and smartphone addiction among university students during confinement: Teacher–student relationships, student–student relationships and school connectedness as mediators

Learning at home during the COVID-19 confinement might affect students' relationships with their peers, teachers, and schools and increase the possibility of smartphone addiction. We hypothesized that attachment anxiety directly and indirectly affects smartphone addiction, with teacher–student relationships, student–student relationships, and school connectedness as mediators. The participants were 999 university students from different regions of China. The results showed that six of the paths were significant except the one between student–student relationships and smartphone addiction. Also, the association between attachment anxiety and smartphone addiction was mediated by teacher–student relationships and school connectedness not but student–student relationships. The current study highlights the mediating effect of school connectedness and teacher–student relationships in the multiple mediation model, and suggests that universities can alleviate the risk of smartphone addiction in distance teaching by cultivating good teacher–student relationships and strengthening students' sense of belonging to their schools.

Think-aloud analysis of commonly used screening instruments for Internet use disorders: The CIUS, the IGDT-10, and the BSMAS

Background

Despite the constant publication of new screening instruments for Internet use disorders (IUD), little is known about their content validity. This study aimed to identify potential mismatches between the items' intention and young adults' interpretation of these items when answering three screening instruments that are commonly used in research and clinical settings: The Compulsive Internet Use Scale (CIUS), the 10 Item-Internet Gaming Disorder Test (IGDT-10), and the Bergen Social Media Addiction Scale (BSMAS).

Methods

In total, 30 vocational students (50% female, age = 21.3; SD = 2.1) took part in individual think-aloud interviews. All participants were asked to report their thoughts while completing the CIUS. In addition, participants who reported online games (OG) as their main Internet activity (n = 11) answered the IGDT-10. Participants who reported social networks (SN) as their main Internet activity (n = 18) answered the BSMAS. One participant used OG and SN equally and completed both screening instruments. All interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed, and content-analysed.

Results

Overall, four potential sources for errors were identified: (1) High scorings were often not congruent with the underlying diagnostic criteria. In particular, such discrepancies were found in items aimed to assess dysfunctional emotional regulation strategies and cognitive involvement. (2) Some participants were uncertain which time frame or Internet activity should be considered in their answers. (3) Long and complex items led to the building of mean values or the choice of the middle answer category. (4) Some wordings were perceived to be outdated and difficult to understand.

Discussion

These findings might help to provide recommendations on how to improve screening instruments for IUD. Most important, items should more clearly distinguish between Internet use as a "normal" leisure activity and Internet use that leads to functional impairments in daily life.

Adaptation and validation of the Online-Fear of Missing Out Inventory into Turkish and the association with social media addiction, smartphone addiction, and life satisfaction

Background

In online environments, fear of missing out (FoMO) is where individuals become constantly preoccupied with what others are doing online and feel unable to log off in case they miss something. FoMO is a concept associated with the use of online social media (OSM; e.g., Facebook use, Instagram use) and various scales have been developed to assess the concept. One such scale is the Online Fear of Missing Out (On-FoMO) Inventory. The present study translated the On-FoMO Inventory into Turkish and its main aim was to test the validity and reliability of the scale. The secondary aim was to investigate the relationships between FoMO, social media addiction, smartphone addiction, and life satisfaction.

Methods

A total of 419 participants (289 females and 130 males, mean age = 25.43 years, SD = 6.37) completed a self-report questionnaire including the On-FoMO Inventory, Fear of Missing Out Scale, Bergen Social Media Addiction Scale, Smartphone Addiction Scale-Short Version, and Satisfaction with Life Scale. In the adaptation process of the On-FoMO Inventory, confirmatory factor analysis, concurrent validity, and reliability analyses were performed.

Results

The four-factor structure of the On-FoMO Inventory was confirmed and the Turkish version of the scale demonstrated good reliability. Online FoMO was positively related to social media addiction and smartphone addiction, and negatively related to life satisfaction.

Conclusion

The results showed that the Turkish version of the On-FoMO Inventory has strong psychometric properties.

The Higher the Life Satisfaction, the Better the Psychological Capital? Life Satisfaction and Psychological Capital: A Moderated Mediation Model

This study investigates the mediator role of attachment avoidance and the moderator role of rejection sensitivity on the links between life satisfaction and psychological capital (PsyCap). This study uses the Experiences in Close Relationship Scale, Rejection Sensitive Scale, Positive Psychological Capital Scale, and Life Satisfaction Scale among 999 Chinese young adults as subjects. The results presented that life satisfaction had a significant positive predictive effect on PsyCap. Mediation analysis of this study shows that attachment avoidance mediated the association between life satisfaction and PsyCap. Furthermore, moderated mediation analysis indicated that rejection sensitivity moderates the link between life satisfaction and attachment avoidance (first-stage moderation). Compared with individuals with low rejection sensitivity, individuals with high rejection sensitivity show more attachment avoidance under low life satisfaction. This study helps understand the relationship between life satisfaction and PsyCap from the perspective of rejection sensitivity theory and attachment theory and has implications for guiding college students toward strengthening PsyCap and weakening rejection sensitivity.

The relationship between problematic Internet use in adolescents and emotion regulation difficulty and family Internet attitude

The study aims to determine the relationship between problematic Internet use in adolescents and emotion regulation difficulty and family Internet attitude. The study used a descriptive and correlational design. The sample of the study consisted of 5916 students. The data were collected using the "Problematic Internet Use Scale," "Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale," "Internet Parental Style Scale." The total score on the Problematic Internet Use Scale was 55.41 ± 19.60 while the total score on the Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale was 97.51 ± 17.84. Considering the Internet parental styles, it was found that 42.89% of the parents had a negligent attitude. According to the results of the logistic regression analysis performed, grade level was found to affect problematic Internet use. A highly significant correlation was found between problematic Internet use and emotional regulation difficulties and family control of family Internet attitude (p < 0.01). This study determined that adolescents' grade level and excessive Internet use of the father were effective in the problematic Internet use of the adolescents. Adolescents' difficulties in emotion regulation and the type of families' attitudes towards Internet use were associated with problematic Internet use. In accordance with these results, it can be recommended to form programs to decrease problematic Internet use.