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Bali C, Feher Z, Arato N, Kiss BL, Labadi B, Zsido AN. The mediating role of ICT learning confidence and technostress between executive functions and digital skills. Sci Rep 2024; 14:12343. [PMID: 38811760 PMCID: PMC11136953 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-63120-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2023] [Accepted: 05/24/2024] [Indexed: 05/31/2024] Open
Abstract
Having good digital skills is essential today, yet little is known about the cognitive factors that influence the development of these skills. Given the importance of executive functions (EFs) in adapting to environmental changes and acquiring skills, EFs might contribute to acquiring digital skills too. EFs might also influence people's approach toward ICTs and affect digital skills through emotional variables. Therefore, here, we tested whether cognitive control and flexibility are connected to computer and smartphone skills through emotional factors (learning confidence, stress, and attitude). A total of 269 participants (56 males, M = 30 years) filled out our survey which included questionnaires on demographic variables (age, education, and socioeconomic status), ICT motivation, digital skills, EFs, and technology-related emotional factors. EFs were also investigated through two performance-based measures. We used generalized linear models and structural equation modeling to test the associations between these variables. The results showed that smartphone skills were positively associated with self-reported cognitive flexibility through ICT learning confidence and technology-induced stress. Self-reported cognitive control and age were connected to smartphone skills directly. Self-reported cognitive flexibility was also associated with computer skills through ICT learning confidence. In addition, performance-based cognitive control and the level of education were directly linked to computer skills. These results may provide guidance to support digital skills and create digital skill training.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cintia Bali
- Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, Institute of Psychology, University of Pécs, 6 Ifjusag Street, Pecs, 7624, Hungary.
- Contemporary Challenges Research Centre, University of Pécs, Pecs, Hungary.
| | - Zsuzsanna Feher
- Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, Institute of Psychology, University of Pécs, 6 Ifjusag Street, Pecs, 7624, Hungary
| | - Nikolett Arato
- Institute of Psychology, Eotvos Lorand University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Botond Laszlo Kiss
- Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, Institute of Psychology, University of Pécs, 6 Ifjusag Street, Pecs, 7624, Hungary
| | - Beatrix Labadi
- Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, Institute of Psychology, University of Pécs, 6 Ifjusag Street, Pecs, 7624, Hungary
| | - Andras Norbert Zsido
- Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, Institute of Psychology, University of Pécs, 6 Ifjusag Street, Pecs, 7624, Hungary
- Contemporary Challenges Research Centre, University of Pécs, Pecs, Hungary
- Szentagothai Research Centre, University of Pécs, Pecs, Hungary
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Rozgonjuk D, Blinka L, Löchner N, Faltýnková A, Husarova D, Montag C. Differences between problematic internet and smartphone use and their psychological risk factors in boys and girls: a network analysis. Child Adolesc Psychiatry Ment Health 2023; 17:69. [PMID: 37309011 DOI: 10.1186/s13034-023-00620-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2023] [Accepted: 05/23/2023] [Indexed: 06/14/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Problematic internet and smartphone use are significant health challenges for contemporary adolescents. However, their mutual relationship is unclear because studies investigating these phenomena are scarce. The present study aimed to investigate the psychological risks and protective factors associated with problematic internet and smartphone use. METHOD A representative sample of Slovak adolescents (N = 4070, Mage = 14.38, SDage = 0.77, 50.5% girls) from the Health Behavior in School-aged Children project was analyzed using network analysis separately for boys and girls. RESULTS The results showed weak (for boys) and moderate (for girls) associations between problematic internet use and problematic smartphone use. Risk factors showed stronger associations with problematic internet use than problematic smartphone use, with the exception of fear of missing out, which was strongly associated with problematic smartphone use. The central nodes were externalizing problems for boys and internalizing problems, externalizing problems, and resilience for girls. CONCLUSION The study concluded that while problematic internet use and problematic smartphone use are somewhat related, they differ at the psychological level. In addition, the phenomena are rather different between boys and girls.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dmitri Rozgonjuk
- Department of Molecular Psychology, Institute of Psychology and Education, Ulm University, Helmholtzstraße 8/1, 89081, Ulm, Germany
- Institute of Mathematics and Statistics, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia
| | - Lukas Blinka
- Psychology Research Institute, Faculty of Social Studies, Masaryk University, Joštova 10, 60200, Brno, Czech Republic.
| | - Nana Löchner
- Department of Molecular Psychology, Institute of Psychology and Education, Ulm University, Helmholtzstraße 8/1, 89081, Ulm, Germany.
| | - Anna Faltýnková
- Psychology Research Institute, Faculty of Social Studies, Masaryk University, Joštova 10, 60200, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Daniela Husarova
- Department of Health Psychology and Methodology Research, Faculty of Medicine, P.J. Safarik University in Kosice, Košice, Slovakia
| | - Christian Montag
- Department of Molecular Psychology, Institute of Psychology and Education, Ulm University, Helmholtzstraße 8/1, 89081, Ulm, Germany
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Müller V, Mellor D, Piko BF. How to Procrastinate Productively With ADHD: A Study of Smartphone Use, Depression, and Other Academic Variables Among University Students With ADHD Symptoms. J Atten Disord 2023:10870547231171724. [PMID: 37119209 DOI: 10.1177/10870547231171724] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/01/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE The association between chemical dependency and Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder is widely recognized, but there is less data regarding modern behavioral addictions among young adults. METHOD In this cross-sectional study, a sample of 408 Hungarian college students (67.2% female, mean age 23.37 years [SD = 3.87]) responded to an online survey including the Adult ADHD Self-Report Scale, the Center for Epidemiologic Studies-Depression Scale (CES-D), the Procrastination Scale, the Short College Boredom Scale, and the Smartphone Addiction Scale (SAS-SV). RESULTS Regression analyses showed that passive procrastination (ß = .31, p < .001), depression (ß = .20, p < .001), academic boredom (ß = .18, p < .001), active procrastination (ß = -.12, p < .001), and smartphone addiction (ß = .13, p < .001) were significantly related to ADHD symptoms, accounting for 41% of the variance. CONCLUSION Findings provide important additions to knowledge of mental health challenges among young adults with ADHD.
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Ge J, Liu Y, Zhang A, Shu T. The relationship between anxiety and smartphone addiction in the context of Covid-19: The mediating effect of attentional control and executive dysfunction. Heliyon 2023; 9:e13273. [PMID: 36743853 PMCID: PMC9886567 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e13273] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2022] [Revised: 12/26/2022] [Accepted: 01/24/2023] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
In the context of Covid-19, the present study examined the relationship between anxiety and smartphone addiction and tested the mediation role of attentional control and executive dysfunction. Four hundred and twenty-one Chinese undergraduate students completed anxiety, attentional control, executive dysfunction, and smartphone addiction measures. The findings of correlation analysis indicated that anxiety was negatively associated with attentional control, and positively with executive dysfunction and smartphone addiction. The results of structural equation model showed that attentional control and executive dysfunction played a mediation role between anxiety and smartphone addiction in series. Moreover, anxiety did not directly predict smartphone addiction in the final model including attentional control and executive dysfunction as mediators, suggesting that attentional control and executive dysfunction were full mediators in the relation between anxiety and smartphone addiction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiamin Ge
- School of Educational Sciences, Chongqing Normal University, Chongqing, 401331, China
- Key Laboratory of Applied Psychology, Chongqing Normal University, Chongqing, 401331, China
| | - Ya Liu
- School of Educational Sciences, Chongqing Normal University, Chongqing, 401331, China
- Key Laboratory of Applied Psychology, Chongqing Normal University, Chongqing, 401331, China
| | - Anbang Zhang
- School of Educational Sciences, Chongqing Normal University, Chongqing, 401331, China
- Key Laboratory of Applied Psychology, Chongqing Normal University, Chongqing, 401331, China
| | - Tengyou Shu
- School of Educational Sciences, Chongqing Normal University, Chongqing, 401331, China
- Key Laboratory of Applied Psychology, Chongqing Normal University, Chongqing, 401331, China
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Associations between smartphone use and mental health and well-being among young Swiss men. J Psychiatr Res 2022; 156:602-610. [PMID: 36372003 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpsychires.2022.10.036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2021] [Revised: 09/30/2022] [Accepted: 10/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS Intense use of smartphones is associated with mental health problems and low well-being. However, little is known about the mental health and well-being of non- and low-level users. This study investigated the possibly non-linear associations between time spent using a smartphone, including non-users, and mental health and well-being among young adults. METHODS Between 2016 and 2018, 5315 young Swiss men (M = 25.45 years old, SD = 1.25) completed a questionnaire assessing smartphone use, daily time spent using a smartphone, mental health and well-being (i.e. depression, social anxiety, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, life satisfaction, stress) and potential confounding variables (social capital, personality, education). The associations of smartphone use and time spent using a smartphone (linear and quadratic associations) with mental health and well-being were tested using regression models. RESULTS Non-users (4.3%) reported worse mental health and well-being than smartphone users on all outcomes. Time spent using a smartphone was linearly associated with higher rates of social anxiety, depression, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and lower levels of life satisfaction. The association with stress was non-linear, with significant linear and quadratic coefficients of time spent using a smartphone. Associations were partially attributable to confounding variables (i.e. social capital, personality, and education). CONCLUSIONS Non-users and intense users of smartphones have lower levels of mental health and well-being than low-level users. Although society and mental health professionals are deeply concerned about the potentially negative consequences of the ever-increasing use of smartphones, the present study suggested that not using a smartphone may also indicate problems.
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Arness DC, Ollis T. A mixed-methods study of problematic social media use, attention dysregulation, and social media use motives. CURRENT PSYCHOLOGY 2022; 42:1-20. [PMID: 35967489 PMCID: PMC9358364 DOI: 10.1007/s12144-022-03472-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
Problematic social media use (PSMU) refers to excessive uncontrolled use of social media which impacts upon daily functioning (Blackwell et al., 2017). Self-regulation is central to the development and experience of PSMU, and conceptually interrelates with individual usage motivations (Reinecke et al., 2022). While there is a growing body of research on social media use motivations, how usage motivations and self-regulation combined influence PSMU is not well understood. There are also persistent questions around the effectiveness of addiction-based measures of PSMU. The quantitative component of this nested mixed-methods study (N = 607) employed hierarchical regression and structural equation modelling, principally identifying that impulsive social media usage mediates the pathway between perceived executive/attentional functioning and the Bergen Social Media Addiction Scale (BSMAS, Andreassen et al., 2012, 2016), a popular tool used to measure PSMU. In contrast, social-engagement motivations had a negative influence on the BSMAS. The qualitative component, comprising interview/open-ended questionnaire, explored individual experiences self-regulating social media use. Participants (N = 24) were recruited from the survey study, based on meeting screening criteria for executive dysfunction (Adult Self-Report ADHD Scale, Kessler et al., 2005), with sub-groups defined by top and bottom quartile BSMAS scores (evenly grouped). Thematic analysis found that most individuals with attention dysregulation, regardless of their BSMAS category, perceive self-regulation of social media use as highly challenging and effortful, describing broadly problematic relationship with social media. They also described rich combination of motivations and context of using social media, and strategies for managing use. This research questions the effectiveness of the BSMAS as a measure of general PSMU (lacking a formed self-regulation component), especially in individuals with attentional dysregulation. Future research investigating self-regulation strategies and focusing on characteristics of positive social media use is needed.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Theodora Ollis
- School of Psychology, Western Sydney University, Sydney, NSW Australia
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Lederer Y, Artzi H, Borodkin K. The effects of maternal smartphone use on mother-child interaction. Child Dev 2021; 93:556-570. [PMID: 34807453 DOI: 10.1111/cdev.13715] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
This study assessed the effects of maternal smartphone use on mother-child interaction. Thirty-three Israeli mothers and their 24- to 36-month-old toddlers (16 boys) from middle-high socioeconomic status participated in three within-subjects experimental conditions: maternal smartphone use, maternal magazine reading, and uninterrupted dyadic free-play. The mothers produced fewer utterances, provided fewer responses to child bids, missed child bids more often, and exchanged fewer conversational turns with their children when engaged with a smartphone or printed magazines compared to uninterrupted free-play. The quality of maternal responsiveness was also decreased. These findings suggest maternal smartphone use compromises mother-child interaction, which given smartphone ubiquity in daily life may have negative effects on child development in various domains, including language, cognition, and socioemotional regulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yael Lederer
- Department of Communication Disorders, Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Hallel Artzi
- Department of Communication Disorders, Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Katy Borodkin
- Department of Communication Disorders, Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
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Throuvala MA, Griffiths MD, Rennoldson M, Kuss DJ. Mind over Matter: Testing the Efficacy of an Online Randomized Controlled Trial to Reduce Distraction from Smartphone Use. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2020; 17:E4842. [PMID: 32635650 PMCID: PMC7369880 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph17134842] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2020] [Revised: 06/29/2020] [Accepted: 06/30/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Evidence suggests a growing call for the prevention of excessive smartphone and social media use and the ensuing distraction that arises affecting academic achievement and productivity. A ten-day online randomized controlled trial with the use of smartphone apps, engaging participants in mindfulness exercises, self-monitoring and mood tracking, was implemented amongst UK university students (n = 143). Participants were asked to complete online pre- and post-intervention assessments. Results indicated high effect sizes in reduction of smartphone distraction and improvement scores on a number of self-reported secondary psychological outcomes. The intervention was not effective in reducing habitual behaviours, nomophobia, or time spent on social media. Mediation analyses demonstrated that: (i) emotional self-awareness but not mindful attention mediated the relationship between intervention effects and smartphone distraction, and (ii) online vigilance mediated the relationship between smartphone distraction and problematic social media use. The present study provides preliminary evidence of the efficacy of an intervention for decreased smartphone distraction and highlights psychological processes involved in this emergent phenomenon in the smartphone literature. Online interventions may serve as complementary strategies to reduce distraction levels and promote insight into online engagement. More research is required to elucidate the mechanisms of digital distraction and assess its implications in problematic use.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melina A. Throuvala
- International Gaming Research Unit, Psychology Department, Nottingham Trent University, Nottingham NG1 4FQ, UK; (M.D.G.); (D.J.K.)
| | - Mark D. Griffiths
- International Gaming Research Unit, Psychology Department, Nottingham Trent University, Nottingham NG1 4FQ, UK; (M.D.G.); (D.J.K.)
| | - Mike Rennoldson
- Psychology Department, Nottingham Trent University, Nottingham NG1 4FQ, UK;
| | - Daria J. Kuss
- International Gaming Research Unit, Psychology Department, Nottingham Trent University, Nottingham NG1 4FQ, UK; (M.D.G.); (D.J.K.)
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