Depression, anxiety and fear of missing out as correlates of social, non-social and problematic smartphone use

A meta-review of screening and treatment of electronic "addictions"

Concerns surrounding electronic addictions, an umbrella term including any clinically significant technology-based addictive problem, have increased as technology has advanced. Although researchers and clinicians have observed detrimental effects associated with excessive technology use, there is no agreed-on definition or set of criteria for these problems. The lack of a consistent understanding of electronic addictions has led to a lack of consistency in both assessment and treatment studies, precluding strong recommendations for effective screening and clinical intervention. This meta-review integrates findings from 22 systematic reviews and meta-analyses of electronic addictions to determine which measures and interventions may effectively measure and treat electronic addictions. We conducted a meta-review using Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines. Findings suggest that although some measures may have good internal consistency and reliability among college students, there was a general lack of consistency in how measures were used across studies, making comparison difficult. Psychological and exercise-based interventions were shown to reduce symptoms of electronic addictions short-term, but no treatment was superior to others in overall symptom reduction. Most included reviews raise serious concerns about the lack of consensus on what constitutes an electronic addiction. Consequently, it was not possible to draw conclusions about the overall efficacy of any measurement tools or interventions. We provide suggestions for next steps to establish the phenomenology of electronic addictions before additional research on assessment and intervention is conducted.

Examining the link between coach-athlete relationship and athlete burnout among college soccer players: the mediating role of training satisfaction

Purpose

Athlete burnout is an adverse factor that usually decreases athletes' sports performance and reduces their passion for athletic career development. The present study examined the association of coach-athlete relationship, training satisfaction, and athlete burnout, and then explored the training satisfaction as a mediating role of the effect of coach-athlete relationship on athlete burnout among college soccer players.

Methods

Soccer players from seven Chinese higher education institutions were recruited for the study. The participants were selected using stratified random sampling and included 218 participants. The Coach-Athlete Relationship Scale, Training Satisfaction Scale, and Athlete Burnout Questionnaire were used to collect data from the participants. Pearson's product-moment correlation analysis, linear regression analysis, and bootstrap method were conducted to analyze the collected data set.

Results

The results showed that (1) there was a significant correlation between coach-athlete relationship, training satisfaction, and athlete burnout. (2) coach-athlete relationship and training satisfaction significantly negatively predicted athlete burnout (β = -0.39, p < 0.001; β = - 0.29, p < 0.001). (3) training satisfaction had a significantly mediating effect on the relationship between coach-athlete relationship and athlete burnout (β = -0.15, p < 0.001, ES = 0.28).

Conclusion

Coach-athlete relationship can not only directly negative impact athlete burnout but can also negatively influence athlete burnout through the mediating effect of training satisfaction. Therefore, we suggest the following to alleviate athlete burnout: on one hand, coaches can provide more communication opportunities for athletes to improve the coach-athlete relationship. On the other hand, teams can enhance training satisfaction by building team culture.

Effects of childhood trauma on the symptom-level relation between depression, anxiety, stress, and problematic smartphone use: A network analysis

BACKGROUND

Childhood trauma experience is closely associated with depression, anxiety, stress, and problematic smartphone use (PSU). However, few studies have explored the complex symptom-level relations between these variables among people with and without trauma experiences, leaving a gap in treating and alleviating these mental disorders among individuals with childhood trauma.

METHODS

The current study used a convenience sampling method and recruited 2708 participants who completed Childhood Trauma Questionnaire-Short Form (CTQ-SF), Depression Anxiety and Stress Scales (DASS-21), and Mobile Phone Addiction Tendency Scale (MPATS), dividing them into trauma (n = 1454, Mean age = 19.67) and no-trauma (n = 1254, Mean age = 19.57) groups according to the cut-off scores of CTQ-SF. Symptom network analysis and network comparison test were conducted to construct and compare the network models between trauma and no-trauma groups.

RESULTS

The findings indicate that the trauma group and females exhibit greater average levels of DASS-21 and PSU symptoms compared to the no-trauma group and males, respectively. Additionally, the edge between "Stress" and "Anxiety" is the strongest across trauma and no-trauma groups. "Social comfort" is a bridge symptom of the trauma group network and the results of bridge symptoms in the no-trauma group are not stable.

LIMITATIONS

This study did not categorize all individuals according to specific types of trauma experiences and it is a cross-sectional design. The prevalences calculated in this study may not be generalizable.

CONCLUSIONS

Interventions targeting different bridge symptoms in the trauma and no-trauma network models may help reduce the severity of symptoms.

[The mediating role of social media addiction and sleep quality in the association between social media usage and depressive symptoms in university students]

Increase in time spent on social media and its association with depressive symptoms, especially among young adults, has generated the need to understand how this association occurs in order to support the development of policies to reduce harm and complications. In view of this fact, this study aimed to assess the mediating effect of social media addiction and sleep quality on the association between time spent on social media and depressive symptoms in Brazilian university students. This is a cross-sectional study conducted with 2,823 university students, who provided information regarding time spent on social media, social media addiction, depressive symptoms and sleep quality. The mediation analysis, adjusted for confounding factors, was performed using the PROCESS macro for SPSS to obtain the total (c), direct (c'), and indirect effects (EI1, EI2, and EI3). The results identified an association between time spent on social media and depressive symptoms, mediated by social media addiction (EI1 = 20%) and sleep quality (EI1 = 40%). These findings help expand knowledge about the mechanisms that mutually influence the relationship between time spent on social media and depressive symptoms, supporting the adoption of strategies to reduce harm resulting from excessive social media use.

Cross-Cultural Examination of Problematic Internet Use and Associated Psychological Variables: A Comparative Study in Italy, Spain, Ecuador, and Peru

Background: Several studies focused on the escalating prevalence of Problematic Use of Internet (PUI) and its consequential impact on mental health globally. This study investigates the relationship between PUI and associated psychological variables across different cultural contexts in Italy, Spain, Ecuador, and Peru. Method: A total of 675 participants, aged 18 to 54 (M = 22.73; SD = 4.05), completed measures assessing Internet addiction, social media addiction, Fear of Missing Out, Internet Gaming Disorder, and Phubbing. Results: Significant cultural variations were found, with Italian participants showing higher levels of Internet addiction but lower levels of social media addiction compared to other countries. Fear of Missing Out was higher in Italy, while the Italian sample exhibited lower Internet Gaming Disorder levels compared to Peru. As regards the communication disturbance caused by Phubbing, the Italian sample demonstrated significantly higher scores than the Peruvian sample. Linear regression analyses revealed distinct predictors for problematic Internet use in each country, emphasizing the importance of considering the cultural context in understanding this phenomenon. Conclusions: These findings contribute valuable insights into the interplay of cultural factors, psychological variables, and problematic Internet use, guiding future research and interventions.

Exploring the role of fear of missing out in coping and risk-taking among alcohol use disorder and general young adult populations

A high level of fear of missing out (FOMO) is related to many adverse emotions and behaviors, including stress, maladaptive coping, risk-taking, and alcohol consumption. However, previous research on FOMO has not considered particularly vulnerable cohorts like individuals with alcohol use disorder (AUD). In this project, we have conducted two preliminary studies (N1 = 356; N2 = 66) investigating the role of FOMO in alcohol-related coping strategy in a general population of young adults as well as a clinical sample of AUD patients. Results showed that FOMO is a positive predictor of alcohol coping in both studied samples, and it is a positive predictor of health risk-taking among people with AUD. The study identifies high FOMO as a risk factor for adopting maladaptive coping strategies, specifically alcohol coping.

A Daily Diary Investigation of the Fear of Missing Out and Diminishing Daily Emotional Well-Being: The Moderating Role of Cognitive Reappraisal

With modern societies becoming ever-increasingly interconnected due to technology and media, we have gained unprecedented access and exposure to other people's lives. This has resulted in a greater desire to constantly be socially connected with the activities of others, or the fear of missing out (FoMO). While much of the present available research has established the association between FoMO and diminished emotional well-being, little has been done to identify protective factors that can help one cope with the negative psychological consequences of FoMO. Utilizing data from a 7-day diary study of a large sample of young adults (N = 261), the current study aimed to examine the moderating role of cognitive reappraisal in attenuating diminished emotional well-being associated with FoMO. Multilevel modeling showed that cognitive reappraisal attenuated the day-to-day within-person associations between daily FoMO and indicators of daily emotional well-being such as negative affectivity, anxiety, and depressive symptoms.

The effect of event impact on fear of missing out: the chain mediation effect of coping styles and anxiety

The fear of missing out is a generalized anxiety stemming from the possibility of not being present at new events or advantageous situations of others. To explore potential mechanisms, a survey measuring the impact of event, coping style, anxiety, and fear of missing out was conducted with 1,014 college students (367 males and 647 females, aged 19-24 years). In addition, the study delved deeper into the dimensions of intrusion, avoidance, and hyperarousal concerning the impact of event, examining their roles in coping style, anxiety, and fear of missing out. Results showed that: (1) The impact of event could predict the fear of missing out positively. (2) A more positive coping style is negatively associated with anxiety. (3) A chain mediation effect of coping style and anxiety is observed in the path from hyperarousal and avoidance to the fear of missing out. (4) In contrast to the hyperarousal or avoidance, the path from intrusion to the fear of missing out is mediated by anxiety but not coping style. These findings motivate us to implement different intervention tactics for varying impacts of events.

Unveiling the relationship between social anxiety, loneliness, motivations, and problematic smartphone use: A network approach

BACKGROUND

Previous studies suggested social anxiety as an essential risk factor for problematic smartphone use, but the complex interactions and the most influential components affecting this relationship remain unclear. This study capitalizes on network analysis to identify the central factors and possible mediating paths among social anxiety, loneliness, five types of motivation, and problematic smartphone use.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Employing 549 emerging adults, we obtained a stable network of the above variables. The central components and the stability of this network were also identified.

RESULTS

Within this network, the edge linking withdrawal behavior and use of application (APP) exhibits the most robust edge intensity. The central components include social comfort, use of APP, withdrawal behavior, and companionship while the bridge central nodes include social anxiety and escapism motivation. The direct link between social anxiety and PSU revealed only fragile edges with both withdrawal behavior and use of APP. Considering the possible mediating pathways, three pathways were observed in our network. Loneliness and escapism mediated the relationship between social anxiety and social comfort. Moreover, another mediating way was from social anxiety, loneliness, social interaction motivation, and escapism motivation to social comfort.

DISCUSSION

Based on the above identification of related components and pathways, future researchers could intervene against problematic smartphone usage in this socially anxious population.

The Vicious Cycle between Loneliness and Problematic Smartphone Use among Adolescents: A Random Intercept Cross-Lagged Panel Model

Despite extensive research on the psychological impacts of digital technology, the nuanced dynamics between adolescent loneliness and problematic smartphone use, particularly across different educational levels and genders, remain underexplored. This study aims to fill this gap by employing a Random Intercept Cross-Lagged Panel Model to dissect the bidirectional relationship between loneliness and problematic smartphone use among adolescents, with a focus on the moderating roles of educational levels and gender. Engaging 3132 students from various educational institutions in China, the research conducted a three-wave longitudinal analysis across 2022-2023. The final number of participants included 1120 adolescents (53.5% female; age in 2022: M = 14.57 years, SD = 1.57). Results reveal that loneliness significantly predicts problematic smartphone use, but not vice versa, highlighting a unidirectional influence. The study uncovers crucial differences across educational levels and gender, emphasizing the stronger effect of loneliness on problematic smartphone use among junior high students and female adolescents. These findings underscore the complexity of adolescent loneliness and its relationship with digital behavior, suggesting a need for tailored interventions considering both gender and developmental stages.

The Impact of Problematic Social Media Use on Inhibitory Control and the Role of Fear of Missing Out: Evidence from Event-Related Potentials

Introduction

The general deficit in inhibitory control of problematic social media users has received widespread attention. However, the neural correlates of problematic social media use (PSMU) and inhibitory control remain unclear. Additionally, the co-occurrence of the fear of missing out (FoMO) with social media use is common, yet its role in the relationship between PSMU and inhibitory control has not been investigated.

Methods

This study aimed to examine the electrophysiological correlates of PSMU and inhibitory control using a modified two-choice oddball task combined with event-related potentials (ERPs), and to explore the role of FoMO in this relationship. A total of 66 participants with varying degrees of PSMU were included in the analysis based on the Problematic Mobile Social Media Usage Questionnaire.

Results

The study found that PSMU could impact inhibitory control. Specifically, as the PSMU score increases, the N2 amplitude is greater for social media-related pictures, and the P3 amplitude is smaller, while no significant differences are observed for neutral pictures. This suggests that PSMU affects inhibitory control by consuming more cognitive resources in the early conflict detection stage and leading to insufficient cognitive resources in the later stages of the inhibitory process. Furthermore, FoMO played a mediating role between PSMU and inhibitory control. PSMU could further impact inhibitory control through FoMO.

Conclusion

This study provides electrophysiological evidence for deficits in inhibitory control in PSMU and suggests that FoMO may further reduce inhibitory control in PSMU individuals.

Bidirectional relations between problematic smartphone use and bedtime procrastination among Chinese university students: Self-control as a mediator

OBJECTIVE

Based on theoretical and empirical evidence, this study examined the longitudinal relationship between problematic smartphone use and bedtime procrastination and the potential mediating role of self-control.

METHODS

Between November 2021 and November 2022, a three waves longitudinal design was employed. Wave 1 included 622 Chinese college students (46.95% male, Mage = 18.16, SD = 0.73), with 6-month intervals between waves. The data was collected using self-report assessments.

RESULTS

The results of the cross-lagged panel models show that problematic smartphone use positively predicted later bedtime procrastination, and the bedtime procrastination also positively predicted later problematic smartphone use among college students. More importantly, self-control played a mediating role in their bidirectional predictive relationship.

CONCLUSIONS

These findings add to the understanding of the causal relationship between problematic smartphone use and bedtime procrastination and reveal the core psychological mechanisms underlying their vicious cycle, with important practical implications for the prevention and intervention of problematic smartphone use and sleep problems.

Depression and stress are associated with latent profiles of problematic social media use among college students

Background

The previous literature has demonstrated that depression, anxiety, and stress are significant predictors of problematic social media use. However, the manifestation of problematic social media use varies, and the predictive relationship between depression, anxiety, and stress with different subgroups of problematic social media use remains unclear. The aim of this research was to evaluate latent subgroups of problematic social media use among college students and to investigate the impact of depression, anxiety, and stress on these latent subgroups.

Methods

A survey was carried out among college students in China using a cross-sectional approach. A total of 955 participants were included, with a mean age of 19.50 ± 1.22 years. Participants completed questionnaires containing the Bergen Social Media Addiction Scale (BSMAS) and the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale-21 (DASS-21). The study employed latent profile analysis (LPA) to investigate latent subgroups of Chinese college students with problematic social media use, and a robust three-step approach was used to develop predictive regression mixed models of depression, anxiety, and stress on latent subgroups.

Results

Problematic social media use of Chinese college students can be categorized into four latent subgroups, namely, the high-risk group, the moderate-risk with pleasure group, the moderate-risk with compulsion group, and the low-risk group. The regression model showed that there was a significant difference between the high-risk group and the low-risk group on the stress scale. There was a significant difference between the moderate-risk with pleasure group and the moderate-risk with compulsion group on the depression scale.

Conclusion

Problematic social media use is heterogeneous, with depression and stress being potentially key factors influencing problematic social media use. Depression would make college students more likely to be moderate-risk with compulsion problematic social media users than moderate-risk with pleasure problematic social media users, and stress would make college students more likely to be high-risk problematic social media users than low-risk problematic social media users.

PTSD, FOMO and fake news beliefs: a cross-sectional study of Wenchuan earthquake survivors

BACKGROUND

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) sufferers show problematic patterns of Internet use such as fear of missing out (FOMO) and sharing misinformation and fake news. This study aimed to investigate these associations in survivors of the 2008 earthquake in Wenchuan, China.

METHODS

A self-reported survey was completed by 356 survivors of the Wenchuan earthquake. A mediated structural equation model was constructed to test a proposed pattern of associations with FOMO as a mediator of the relationship between PTSD symptoms and belief in fake news, as well as moderators of this pathway.

RESULTS

PTSD was directly associated with believing fake news (β = 0.444, p < .001) and with FOMO (β = 0.347, p < .001). FOMO mediated the association between PTSD and fake news belief (β = 0.373, p < .001). Age moderated the direct (β = 0.148, t = 3.097, p = .002) and indirect (β = 0.145, t = 3.122, p = .002) pathways, with effects more pronounced with increasing age. Gender was also a moderator, with the indirect effect present in females but not in males (β = 0.281, t = 6.737, p < .001).

CONCLUSION

Those with higher PTSD symptoms are more likely to believe fake news and this is partly explained by FOMO. This effect is present in females and not males and is stronger in older people. Findings extend knowledge of the role of psychological variables in problematic Internet use among those with PTSD.

The mediating role of FoMO and the moderating role of narcissism in the impact of social exclusion on compulsive buying: a cross-cultural study

BACKGROUND

There is an interrelationship between the concepts of social exclusion, compulsive buying behavior, fear of missing out (FoMO), and narcissism. Nevertheless, the extent to which these concepts mediate or moderate their relationships with each other has not been efficiently investigated.

OBJECTIVE

This research aims to investigate how FoMO mediates and narcissism moderates the correlation between social exclusion and compulsive buying behavior. In addition, the research aims to test a conceptual model and highlight the differences that may occur in the conceptual model proposed in two different countries.

METHODS

This model was analyzed among 1007 university students (Turkey = 506, Denmark = 501). The study used scales to measure social exclusion, compulsive buying behavior, FoMO, and narcissism. The study employed PROCESS Model 4 to analyze direct and indirect (mediation) effects and PROCESS Model 59 to assess conditional (moderation) effects. Furthermore, the Johnson-Neyman technique was utilized to investigate interaction terms.

RESULTS

The findings indicate that those who face social exclusion tend to participate more in compulsive buying, and this connection is partly explained by FoMO. This suggests that individuals who encounter social exclusion may have an increased likelihood of experiencing FoMO, which may subsequently contribute to compulsive buying behavior. Furthermore, the moderating effect of narcissism differed between the Turkey and Danish samples. Specifically, in the Turkey sample, narcissism only modified the connection between social exclusion and FoMO, while in the Danish sample, it impacted both the connection between social exclusion and FoMO and the connection between FoMO and compulsive buying.

CONCLUSION

The obtained results show that the regulating role of narcissism is different in Turkey and Denmark within the conceptual model we studied.

Anonymity as a Moderator of the Relationship Between FoMO (Fear of Missing Out) and Psychological Well-Being

With the increasing use of technology, different psychological effects of social media emerge. These psychological effects can be negative as well as positive, and in general psychological well-being and different psychological variables related to social media can affect the daily life of individuals. Also, new constructs associated with social media, such as anonymity, have begun to show up as people seek protection of their identities online. This study aims to determine the moderating role of anonymity in the relationship between FoMO and psychological well-being. The sample of this study consisted of 232 participants (69.8% female) between the ages of 18-59. Two different scales were used in this study: Fear of Missing Out (FoMO) and Psychological Well-being. In addition, to measure anonymity, participants were asked a single question about whether they use anonymous accounts on social media. The analysis of the study found a positive and significant relationship between FoMO and anonymity as well as a negative and significant relationship between psychological well-being and anonymity. Moreover, the results indicated that anonymity moderated the relationship between FoMO and psychological well-being. That is, FoMO was negatively associated with psychological well-being for individuals with anonymous accounts, while there was no significant relationship between FoMO and psychological well-being for those without anonymous accounts. The limitations and contributions of the study were discussed in line with the relevant literature and suggestions for future research were presented.

Rumination as a Transdiagnostic Phenomenon in the 21st Century: The Flow Model of Rumination

Rumination and its related mental phenomena share associated impairments in cognition, such as executive functions and attentional processes across different clinical conditions (e.g., in psychotic disorders). In recent decades, however, the notion of rumination has been increasingly narrowed to the "self-focused" type in depressive disorders. A closer review of the literature shows that rumination may be construed as a broader process characterized by repetitive thoughts about certain mental contents that interfere with one's daily activities, not only limited to those related to "self". A further examination of the construct of rumination beyond the narrowly focused depressive rumination would help expand intervention opportunities for mental disorders in today's context. We first review the development of the clinical construct of rumination with regard to its historical roots and its roles in psychopathology. This builds the foundation for the introduction of the "Flow Model of Rumination (FMR)", which conceptualizes rumination as a disruption of a smooth flow of mental contents in conscious experience that depends on the coordinated interactions between intention, memory, affect, and external events. The conceptual review concludes with a discussion of the impact of rapid technological advances (such as smartphones) on rumination. Particularly in contemporary societies today, a broader consideration of rumination not only from a cognition viewpoint, but also incorporating a human-device interaction perspective, is necessitated. The implications of the FMR in contemporary mental health practice are discussed.

The relationship between anxiety and internet gaming disorder in children during COVID-19 lockdown: a network analysis

Background

Internet gaming disorder (IGD) has become a social problem in children. Evidence from previous studies has proven that anxiety is associated with IGD. However, IGD was always assessed as a whole based on total scores, and the fine-grained relationship between anxiety and IGD was hidden.

Objective

The present study aims to investigate the fine-grained relationship between anxiety and IGD in elementary school students during the COVID-19 lockdown, and to identify potential targets for psychological interventions.

Methods

During the lockdown caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, 667 children from a primary school in China were investigated by the Spence Children's Anxiety Scale-Short Version and Internet Gaming Disorder Scale. R4.1.1 software was used to construct a network model, assess bridge centrality, and test the robustness of the network and conduct a network.

Results

There were 23 cross-community edges (weight ranged from -0.03 to 0.12), and each node of anxiety was connected to different nodes of IGD. The nodes with the top 80th percentile bridge expected influence were A2 "social phobia" (0.20), A3 "panic disorder" (0.21) and IGD5 "escape" (0.22). The robustness of the network was acceptable.

Conclusion

From the perspective of network analysis, the present study explored the correlation pathways between anxiety and IGD in children and identified social phobia and panic disorder as the best targets for intervention to reduce IGD.

The effect of fear of missing out on mental health: differences in different solitude behaviors

BACKGROUND

Depression, anxiety, and stress are the main issues that affect the mental health of individuals. Solitude behavior, fear of missing out, and mental health are all closely related.

OBJECTIVE

This study was intended to investigate the relationship between solitude behavior, fear of missing out, and mental health.

METHODS

Short Form of Solitude Behavior Scale, Fear of Missing Out scale, and Depression Anxiety Stress Scale-21 were employed in this study to investigate 616 college students. The collected data were analyzed using SPSS 26.0 for basic data organization, and Mplus 8.3 was used to complete the analysis of the mediation model.

RESULTS

(1) Positive solitude was positively associated with eccentricity and negatively related to loneliness; social avoidance positively correlated with eccentricity and loneliness. (2) Social avoidance and loneliness affected mental health through the mediating effect of fear of missing out, whereas positive solitude and eccentricity did not affect mental health through fear of missing out. Moreover, the results still held in the model with depression, anxiety, and stress as dependent variables.

CONCLUSION

The roles of different solitude behavior in the relationship between fear of missing out and mental health differed. Social avoidance and loneliness as not self-determined solitude could activate the fear of missing out, which could affect mental health.

Offline and online basic need satisfaction and smartphone use behaviors: A mediation model

Based on the self-determination theory, this study compared the offline and online need satisfaction during the COVID-19 period and investigated how the fulfilment experienced in the different settings affected an individual's smartphone use outcomes. 546 Chinese undergraduate students participated in the study and were measured with their levels of offline and online basic need satisfaction, smartphone use patterns, and problematic smartphone use. The results showed that offline basic need satisfaction negatively predicted problematic smartphone use via the information seeking pattern, whereas online basic need satisfaction positively predicted problematic smartphone use via the use patterns of transaction and entertainment. Our study expands the research scope of the pertinent topic and pinpoints the mechanism between the basic need satisfaction and problematic smartphone use.

The relationship between anxiety and smartphone addiction in the context of Covid-19: The mediating effect of attentional control and executive dysfunction

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.

Resilience and problematic smartphone use: a moderated mediation model

BACKGROUND

Problematic smartphone use (PSU) is adversely correlated with resilience. To completely comprehend the mechanism underlying this relationship, however, more investigation is required.

METHODS

For this cross-sectional study, the method of stratified random cluster sampling was applied. 834 Chinese undergraduate students (aged 17 to 24) were recruited, and self-reported questionnaires were administered to measure their levels of resilience, perceived social support, the sense of school belonging, and habitual and problematic smartphone use.

RESULTS

The findings showed that resilience both directly and indirectly predicted PSU through perceived social support and the sense of school belonging. Additionally, there were significant moderating effects of habitual smartphone use between resilience and perceived social support, the sense of school belonging, and PSU.

CONCLUSIONS

Our research identified the negative influence of resilience on PSU, and specifically, highlighted the mediation effects of perceived social support and the sense of school belonging. Of significance, we also found the moderation effect of habitual smartphone use in the development of PSU.

Negative School Gossip and Youth Adolescents' Mobile Phone Addiction: Mediating Roles of Anxiety and Experiential Avoidance

Being the target of negative school gossip, a form of relational aggression, has been shown to be associated with psychological and behavioral problems in youth adolescents. Based on the experience avoidance model, this study tested the association between negative school gossip and youth adolescents' mobile phone addiction, and the serial mediation roles of anxiety and experience avoidance in this relationship. Junior high school students (N = 837; ages 12-15; 50% girls) completed the Negative School Gossip Scale, Anxiety Scale, Acceptance and Action Questionnaire (AAQ-II), and Mobile Phone Addiction Scale in their classrooms. The results of regression-based analyses showed that after controlling for age and gender, (1) negative school gossip was significantly associated with mobile phone addiction; (2) anxiety and experience avoidance each significantly mediated this association; (3) anxiety and experience avoidance serially mediated this association. The results support the experience avoidance model and highlight emotional factors as an internal mechanism by which negative school gossip is associated with youth adolescents' mobile phone addiction. The results also have implications for preventing and reducing youth adolescents' mobile phone addiction.

The relationship between anxiety and depression with smartphone addiction among college students: The mediating effect of executive dysfunction

Smartphone addiction symptom is increasing globally. Many studies have found that negative emotion is associated with smartphone addiction, but few explore the mediating effect of executive dysfunction. In a large-scale, cross-sectional survey, 421 Chinese college students completed measures on anxiety, depression, smartphone addiction, and executive dysfunction. We surveyed the prevalence of depression, impaired executive function, and smartphone addiction. A confirmatory factor analysis was performed on the questionnaire structure, and the mediation models were used to examine the relationship between anxiety, depression, impaired executive function, and smartphone addiction. The main finding indicated that anxiety, depression, and executive dysfunction were positively and significantly associated with smartphone addiction. Executive dysfunction plays a mediation role between anxiety and depression with smartphone addiction. Specifically, executive dysfunction completely mediates the pathway of anxiety and smartphone addiction and partly mediates the path of depression and smartphone addiction. Depression directly predicted smartphone addiction positively but anxiety did not. The sample consisted of Chinese college students, which limits generalizability and self-reported lack of objectivity. The result suggests that we should pay more attention to the mediating role of executive dysfunction between negative emotion and smartphone addiction.

The association between fear of Covid-19 and smartphone addiction among individuals: the mediating and moderating role of cyberchondria severity

The coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) has quickly spread all over the world and has contributed to psychological consequences including fear of the virus. Depending upon the severity of their problems, individuals often search the internet via their mobile devices to understand whether the symptoms they perceive are symptoms of the disease. This condition has been termed 'cyberchondria'. In this context, the aim of this study is examine the mediating and moderating role of cyberchondria severity in the association between smartphone addiction and the fear of COVID-19. The sample comprised 520 participants (335 females [64.4%], 185 males [35.6%] aged 17 to 65 years [Mean = 28.61 years, SD = 10.60]). A survey included the Cyberchondria Severity Scale Short-Form, The Smartphone Addiction Scale-Short Version, and The Fear of COVID-19 Scale. Structural equation modeling and SPSS Process Macro moderator variable analysis were used to test the research model. The study found a positive association between smartphone addiction, fear of COVID-19, and cyberchondria severity. Cyberchondria severity had both moderating and mediating role in the association between smartphone addiction and the fear of COVID-19. In conclusion, it has been determined that during the COVID-19 pandemic, cyberchondria severity has negative effects on individuals' fear of COVID-19.

Problematic smartphone use and specific problematic Internet uses among university students and associated predictive factors: a systematic review

University students are a high-risk population with problematic online behaviours that include generalized problematic Internet/smartphone use and specific problematic Internet uses (for example, social media or gaming). The study of their predictive factors is needed in order to develop preventative strategies. This systematic review aims to understand the current state of play by examining the terminology, assessment instruments, prevalence, and predictive factors associated with problematic smartphone use and specific problematic Internet uses in university students. A literature review was conducted according to the PRISMA guidelines using four major databases. A total of 117 studies were included, divided into four groups according to the domain of problem behaviour: problematic smartphone use (n = 67), problematic social media use (n = 39), Internet gaming disorder (n = 9), and problematic online pornography use (n = 2). Variability was found in terminology, assessment tools, and prevalence rates in the four groups. Ten predictors of problematic smartphone use, five predictors of problematic social media use, and one predictor of problematic online gaming were identified. Negative affectivity is found to be a common predictor for all three groups, while social media use, psychological well-being, and Fear of Missing Out are common to problematic smartphone and social media use. Our findings reaffirm the need to reach consistent diagnostic criteria in cyber addictions and allow us to make progress in the investigation of their predictive factors, thus allowing formulation of preventive strategies.

Social Overview of Smartphone Use by Teenagers

Information and Communication Technologies have led to a new way of life and, in particular, of socialization. The objective of this study is to analyse the image social media disseminate of news taken from digital newspapers, based on the opportunities and drawbacks attributed to smartphone use by teenagers. An essentially qualitative methodology was used, on a sample of 1704 news items published in digital newspapers. The results and conclusions show that smartphone use by teenagers improves development of their digital competence, presents new academic opportunities (through gamification or mobile learning) and provides them with digital tools for school and leisure. The widespread drawbacks reflect the effects of the device on the deterioration of health (dependence, stress, psychosocial problems) and emotions, thereby succinctly affecting academic performance. A noticeable increase of positive news about smartphones was published in the major newspapers in December, while that on its negative effects, in September.

The Relationship between Intolerance of Uncertainty and Problematic Social Media Use during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Serial Mediation Model

The COVID-19 pandemic has brought significant interruptions to life certainty, and there has been a lack of research on the influence of uncertainty. The present research aimed to explore how intolerance of uncertainty, maladaptive coping strategies, and fear of missing out affect social media use in a Chinese community sample (N = 311) during the pandemic. Serial mediation analysis was applied, integrating the mediating role of maladaptive coping strategy and fear of missing out. Intolerance of uncertainty, maladaptive coping strategies, and fear of missing out was positively related to PSMU. Based on the mediation analysis, when age and gender were controlled, the direct effect of intolerance of uncertainty on PSMU was significant. The total indirect effect was also significant. The effect of intolerance of uncertainty on PSMU was mediated by maladaptive coping strategies and fear of missing out. Taken together, maladaptive coping strategies and fear of missing out played a serial mediating role between intolerance of uncertainty and PSMU. The findings imply that strategies to improve the tolerance of uncertainty, reduce fear of missing out, and relevant coping strategies could be potentially helpful in mitigating problematic social media use, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Life aspirations, school engagement, social anxiety, social media use and fear of missing out among adolescents

Fear of Missing Out (FoMO) – people’s intense concerns that they might miss pleasant moments that their peers may enjoy—has been found to relate to a variety of undesired outcomes, including poor academic functioning. Yet, little is known about why some students may exhibit more FoMO than others. In this cross-sectional study with a sample of Turkish adolescents (N1 = 506; 50.8% males; Mage = 15.8 years; SD = 0.83), we examined to what extent intrinsic and extrinsic life goals for using social media predict FoMO over and above social anxiety. We found through path analyses that extrinsic goals of attaining popularity, garnering attention, and conveying a positive image of oneself to others related to FoMO which in turn related to lower grades by means of in-class distraction and out-of-class study interference. Taken together, the present results suggest that the goals that adolescents try to attain through social media use may explain why FoMO might be more prevalent in that age group.

Psychological distress and internet addiction following the COVID-19 outbreak: Fear of missing out and boredom proneness as mediators

COVID-19 has caused major changes in people's mental health and behavior. This study aimed to investigate whether boredom proneness and fear of missing out acted as mediators between psychological distress and Internet addiction (IA). A cross-sectional survey was conducted in 2020, including 552 youths aged 17-28 years. The recruited participants were asked to complete a series of self-reported questionnaires regarding psychological distress, fear of missing out, boredom proneness and IA. The results indicate that during the COVID-19 pandemic, the reporting rate of IA in young adults was 28.1%, and fear of missing out and boredom proneness played multiple mediation roles in the relationship between psychological distress and IA. Governments and education departments should focus on young people with psychological deficits to prevent them from succumbing to IA.

Psychological Morbidities Associated With Excessive Usage of Smartphones Among Adolescents and Young Adults: A Review

Adolescents and young adults have progressively become smartphone and internet-dependent. Its addiction is affecting them mentally and physically. Due to its overutilization, it is causing a detrimental effect on them. These dilemmas need to be acknowledged. Furthermore, the goal is to reduce overutilization and overreliance, and the task is to reduce the heavy toll on their mental and psychological condition. We need to review the evidence linking smartphone and social media use with psychological morbidities among adolescents and young adults. The aim of this study is to summarize the present situation and the correlation between smartphones and mental health. Cognitive, emotional difficulties, poor cognitive function, impulsivity, shyness, social networking addiction, low self-esteem, and some medical issues like insomnia, anxiety, depression, and a lack of cognitive control have been linked to excessive smartphone use.

Relationship between insecure attachment and mobile phone addiction: A meta-analysis

OBJECTIVE

Many studies have explored the relationship between insecure attachment and mobile phone addiction from different theoretical perspectives; however, the results have been different. This meta-analysis aimed to explore the relationship between insecure attachment and mobile phone addiction.

METHODS

Studies published before November 2021 were identified through a systematic online search. A total of 22 studies, including 38 independent effect sizes were included from a systematic search of multiple databases, with a total sample size of 11,810 cases. Stata Version 16.0 was used for meta-analysis.

RESULTS

The meta-analysis based on random-effects model showed that mobile phone addiction was highly positively associated with attachment anxiety (r = 0.395, 95%CI [0.345, 0.442]) and weakly positively correlated with attachment avoidance (r = 0.194, 95%CI [0.137, 0.250]). The relationship between attachment anxiety and mobile phone addiction and that between attachment avoidance and mobile phone addiction were both moderated by mobile phone addiction measures but not moderated by gender and attachment measures.

CONCLUSION

There is a positive correlation between mobile phone addiction and insecure attachment. In the future, measures to prevent mobile phone addiction should focus on insecure attachment individuals and help them construct a healthy attachment relationship and secure attachment model.

The Relationship between Cellphone Usage on the Physical and Mental Wellbeing of University Students: A Cross-Sectional Study

(1) Background: The study aims to examine the use of cell phones on physical and mental health status and their impact on personality among university students. (2) Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted using a semi-structured questionnaire. The association of physical and mental health variables with the demographic variables was examined using Pearson’s correlation and χ2-test. The binary logistic regression model was further used to predict the probabilities of negative impact on personality due to excessive use of cell phones. (3) Results: A total of 400 participants participated with a mean age of 24.45 ± 3.45 years. The average eye strain was more in High cell phone users HCPU than in LCPU and that difference was significant p = 0.000. The average neck pain was more in (HCPU) than Low cell phone users (LCPU) and there was a significant difference between the two groups with p = 0.006. The average weight gain was more in HCPU than LCPU and that difference was significant p = 0.000. Considering back pain, back pain was found more in HCPU as compared to LCPU with a statistical difference at p = 0.027. Cell phone usage significantly correlated with eye strain (r = 0.577, p = 0.000), neck pain (r = 0.543, p = 0.000), back pain (r = 0.611, p = 0.000), weight gain (r = 0.423, p = 0.000), depression (r = 0.430, p = 0.000), loneliness (r = −0.276, p = 0.002), and mood disorder (r = 0.608, p = 0.000). Eye strain, neck pain, and back pain was observed more in HCPU than in LCPU. HCPU felt they gained more weight when compared to the respondents in the LCPU group. HCPU felt more changes in mood and feeling low when compared to the LCPU, while LCPU group felt more lonelier when compared to the HCPU group. (4) Conclusions: The study highlights a significant association between excess use of cell phones and negative effects on physical and mental health wellbeing. Based on the results, it is recommended that more physical activities and alternative to minimize cell phone usage should be planned for the students. Public health policy makers and stakeholder need to address the ill effects of excessive use of cell phones through novel policies., especially young students, and alternatives to reduce their cell phone activities.

Fear of missing out and fear of not being up to date: investigating different pathways towards social and process problematic smartphone use

The present study introduces a new construct potentially associated with problematic smartphone use, that is the fear of not being up to date, and tests two serial mediation models, in which it was hypothesised that: (i) metacognitions and social smartphone use would be serial mediators of the relationship between the fear of missing out (FoMO) and problematic smartphone use (PSU); and (ii) metacognitions and process smartphone use would be serial mediators of the relationship between and the fear of not being up to date and PSU. A sample of 364 participants (F = 72.8%; mean age = 36.80 ± 15.32 years; age range: 18–75 years), recruited online, were administered a battery of self-report measures assessing FoMO, the fear of not being up to date, metacognitions about smartphone use, process and social smartphone use, and PSU. The serial mediation effect of metacognitions about smartphone use and process use on the relationship between the fear of not being up to date and PSU was significant (indirect effect = 0.004; 95% CI: [0.0006, 0.009]). Conversely, the serial mediation effect of metacognitions about smartphone use and social use on the relationship between FoMO and PSU was not significant (indirect effect = 0.002; 95% CI: [-0.003, 0.009]). Smartphone social use did not predict PSU. The current study highlights a possible pathway towards process smartphone use via a relatively new phenomenon termed “fear of not being up to date” within a metacognitive framework.

The More Internet Access, the More Mental Symptoms Students Got, the More Problematic Internet Use They Suffered: a Meta-analysis of Mainland Chinese Adolescents and Young Adults

The traditional view is that mental symptoms and problematic Internet use are positively related. Still, other researchers have questioned this view, and they believe that mental symptoms are negatively associated with problematic Internet use. Since then, this controversy has continued yet. The current study attempts to use meta-analysis to explore the relationship between mental symptoms and problematic Internet use in mainland Chinese students to provide a reliable basis for resolving this dispute. Sixty-three articles were included in this study, including 66 sample sizes and 47,968 subjects. It found that mental symptoms are positively correlated with problematic Internet use (r = .288, 95% confidence interval [.255, .320]). The correlation is affected by regions. Compared with coastal areas, problematic Internet users in the non-coastal areas are more likely to be affected by mental symptoms. In addition, gender differences also significantly affect the relationship between mental symptoms and problematic Internet use. The correlation coefficient between mental symptoms and problematic Internet use of girls is significantly higher than that of boys. Moreover, year also significantly affects the relationship between mental symptoms and problematic Internet use-the correlation increases by growing years.

Stress, academic burnout, smartphone use types and problematic smartphone use: The moderation effects of resilience

Few studies have investigated stress in association with social and process smartphone use and how these types of use influence problematic smartphone use during the COVID-19 pandemic; furthermore, the moderation effects of resilience have been rarely tested in this model. For these, a cross-sectional survey was conducted involving 766 Chinese undergraduate students (74.4% female; M = 20.1 years, SD = 1.15) who were measured with their levels of stress, academic burnout, smartphone use types (social/process smartphone use), resilience, and problematic smartphone use. Based on the I-PACE theory, we built a structural equation model, and the results indicated that compared with social smartphone use, process smartphone use more related to problematic smartphone use; academic burnout fully mediated between stress and process smartphone use, and between stress and problematic smartphone use. Moreover, resilience moderated between stress and academic burnout, between academic burnout and process smartphone use, and between academic burnout and problematic smartphone use. We discuss the process smartphone use as a key indicator of problematic smartphone use and the role of academic burnout for linking stress and smartphone use behaviors. In addition, interventions for enhancing resilience should be launched in the future.

Multidimensional Profiles of Addictive Smartphone Use: A Latent Profile Analysis

Given that crucial psychological attributes of smartphone addiction have been studied in isolation from each other, we examined latent profiles of emotional distress (depression, stress, loneliness, and fear of missing out; i.e., FoMO); protective traits (self-control, mindfulness, grit); the behavioral inhibition system (BIS) and approach system (BAS; drive, reward responsiveness, and fun seeking) in relation to addictive smartphone use. We identified three distinctive profiles, using five fit statistics: AIC, BIC, adjusted BIC, an entropy, and LRT. The self-controlled, gritty, and mindful profile (22.7%) was characterized by heightened levels of self-control, grit, and mindfulness but lower levels of emotional distress, BIS, and BAS. The emotionally distressed profile (29.8%) was distinguished by elevated levels of depression, stress, loneliness, FoMO, and BIS, but relatively lower protective traits and BAS. Lastly, the approach sensitive profile (47.5%) corresponded to the normative group characterized by relatively higher BAS but mostly average levels of emotional distress and protective traits. When both global and pairwise comparisons between profiles were performed using Wald tests, we found that the self-controlled, gritty, and mindful profile was associated with significantly lower smartphone addiction tendencies than emotionally distressed or approach sensitive profiles, while the latter two did not differ from each other. These results still held when multiple covariates (age, sex, and income) were controlled for. Using a sophisticated person-centered approach, our findings underscore multidimensional psychological profiles that have different associations with smartphone addiction.

Anxiety, Depression, and Stress Are Associated With Internet Gaming Disorder During COVID-19: Fear of Missing Out as a Mediator

BACKGROUND

Many teenagers suffered negative emotional states, especially anxiety and depression, during the COVID-19 outbreak, and most teenagers choose Internet games to cope with negative emotion. Previous evidence indicated that fear of missing out is related with anxiety and depression in teenagers with Internet gaming disorder, but it is unclear how fear of missing out influences depression, anxiety, or stress.

METHODS

Based on an I-PACE model, using Depression, Anxiety, Stress Scale (DASS-21), Fear of Missing Out Scale, and Internet Gaming Addiction Scale, and 324 middle school students as participants, this study explored the mediating effect of fear of missing out on depression, anxiety, or stress and Internet gaming disorder.

RESULTS

The results showed that depression and stress are significantly related to Internet gaming disorder through the partial mediating of fear of missing out. Anxiety is not significantly related to Internet gaming disorder through the full mediating of fear of missing out, and anxiety and stress have a greater predictive effect on Internet gaming disorder through fear of missing out. Results also demonstrated that students who play Honor of Kings or Player Unknown's Battlegrounds have more risk to develop Internet gaming disorder.

CONCLUSIONS

The results indicated that fear of missing out as a mediator regulates the relationship among depression, anxiety, and stress and Internet game disorder. Specifically, under the mediation of fear of missing out, teenagers with anxiety are more likely to develop Internet gaming disorder, while teenagers with depression or stress might be prone to other types of Internet use disorders.

A Double-Edged Impact of Social Smartphone Use on Smartphone Addiction: A Parallel Mediation Model

Evidence supports predictive roles of non-social smartphone use for smartphone addiction, but the relationship of social smartphone use and smartphone addiction is unclear. This study explored whether social smartphone use has a double-edged impact on smartphone addiction. Using data from a sample of 909 Chinese undergraduates, we tested a parallel mediation model that considered online social support and realistic social support as mediators. As predicted, social smartphone use weakened smartphone addiction through realistic social support and contributed to smartphone addiction through online social support. Moreover, we tested the moderating role of agreeableness in the mediation path of online social support. Agreeableness only moderated the indirect effects. Specifically, the predictive effects of online social support on smartphone addiction was greater for lower rather than higher agreeableness. The results suggest that social needs play an important role in the formation of smartphone addiction. Several limitations and implications are also discussed herein.

Exploring Association Between Social Media Addiction, Fear of Missing Out, and Self-Presentation Online Among University Students: A Cross-Sectional Study

BACKGROUND

Social media addiction (SMA) is known to be associated with excess use of social media. However, few studies have focused on the links of self-presentation on social media, fear of missing out (FoMO) and SMA. The present study investigated the relationships of self-presentation, FoMO and SMA among university students.

METHODS

Online survey was conducted with 2,744 respondents, who completed online survey including social media use, FoMO and SMA. Self-presentation on social media and privacy information protection were assessed via researcher-designed questionnaires. Self-presentation on social media was composed of basic information shown on social media and expression willingness. Privacy information protection contained information viewed by others and privacy settings in social media platforms.

RESULTS

The most common information posted on social media were gender, hobby, age, personal photos, videos, and birthday. The most common social platforms with privacy setting were QQ zone (62.2%), WeChat (60.1%), and QQ (40.3%). FoMO (OR = 2.852, P = 0.000), information viewed by others (OR = 4.261, P = 0.000), managing a personal homepage (OR = 1.339, P = 0.002), accept a stranger's "friend request" (OR = 1.251, P = 0.028) and undergraduate students and above (OR = 1.439, P = 0.001) predicted expression willingness. FoMO (OR = 5.278, P = 0.000), information viewed by others (OR = 9.673, P = 0.000), privacy setting in QQ (OR = 0.817, P = 0.002) and in Tik Tok (OR = 0.536, P = 0.019) and female (OR = 0.588, P = 0.004) significantly influenced basic information shown on social media. Furthermore, FoMO (OR = 4.165, P = 0.000), expression willingness (OR = 1.645, P = 0.000), and information viewed by others (OR = 1.406, P = 0.000) positively affected the level of SMA. Risk of SMA increased as time spent on social media per day. However, basic information shown on social media did not significantly influence SMA.

CONCLUSION

In general, students with higher level of FoMO and expression willingness are more likely to experience SMA. These results highlight individual behaviors on social media should be considered as essential elements for assessing problematic engaging to social media.

Problematic Social Networking Site use-effects on mental health and the brain

The association between excessive use of Social Networking Sites (SNS) and mental health is raising serious concern among health and education professionals. Problematic SNS use has been associated with an increased rate of depression, anxiety, stress, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and propensity to excessive alcohol use. It may also lead to vulnerability to aggression, cyberbullying and fear of missing out (FOMO). There is little evidence for cognitive impairments, but there is some preliminary event-related potentials (ERPs) evidence for inefficiency in allocating and monitoring resources and inhibitory control. Problematic SNS has been associated with the personality traits of conscientiousness agreeableness and neuroticism, and with narcissism. There is evidence for reduced sleep quality and quantity, longer sleeping latency and more sleep disturbance. The few brain imaging studies show some similarity between problematic SNS use and other addictions related to inhibitory-control mechanism, reduced gray matter volumes in the nucleus accumbens, amygdala, and the insula, suggesting rewarding effects of SNS use on the brain. Finally, there is preliminary evidence that treatment with Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT) can assist in short-term abstinence intervention to treat problematic SNS use. We conclude that problematic SNS use may have deleterious effects on emotional and social relationships, and more research is required on its effects on cognitive and brain function.

From Emotional (Dys)Regulation to Internet Addiction: A Mediation Model of Problematic Social Media Use among Italian Young Adults

Internet addiction (IA) has mostly been investigated with the fear of missing out and difficulties in emotional regulation. The present study examined the link between IA and variables related to problematic social media use (i.e., fear of missing out, social media addiction), together with emotional (dys)regulation and personality traits, providing new insights and an integrated assessment of IA. In total, 397 participants, aged 18-35 years (M = 22.00; SD = 3.83), were administered a set of questionnaires pertaining to IA, problematic social media use, emotional (dys)regulation, and personality traits. Pearson's correlations showed significant associations between IA and the investigated variables, and the tested mediation model highlighted the crucial role played by emotional (dys)regulation in the fear of missing out and problematic use of social networks. Overall, the findings provide support for a new integrated model for understanding the features, predictors, and risk factors of IA.