Modelling smartphone addiction: The role of smartphone usage, self-regulation, general self-efficacy and cyberloafing in university students

Impact of problematic mobile phone use among nursing students in India: Exploring associations with depression, insomnia, self-esteem and satisfaction with life

AIM

This research aimed to determine the impact of problematic mobile phone use on negative mental health outcomes among nursing students in India, highlighting the necessity for targeted interventions and support mechanisms to enhance the overall well-being and adaptability of future healthcare professionals.

METHODS

A cross-sectional survey was conducted in three randomly selected nursing colleges in South India, employing validated and standardized tools such as the Mobile Phone Problematic Use Scale, Patient Health Questionnaire, Insomnia Severity Index Scale, Satisfaction with Life Scale and Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale.

RESULTS

The study included 402 nursing students with an average age of 20.47 years, revealing a 39% prevalence of severe problematic mobile phone usage. Positive correlations were observed between mobile phone problematic use and age, depression and insomnia. Additionally, strong negative correlations were found between satisfaction with life and self-esteem. Depression and satisfaction with life served as chain mediators in the impact of self-esteem on problematic mobile phone use, and both self-esteem and satisfaction with life negatively predicted problematic mobile phone use.

CONCLUSION

The study highlights a prevalent issue of problematic mobile phone use among nursing students, indicating a pressing need for timely intervention, as it correlates with depression, sleep insomnia, low self-esteem and life dissatisfaction.

Being a focused employee: Effects of job reattachment on cyberloafing

Cyberloafing, the use of the Internet for non-work-related activities while at work, has become a growing problem in the workplace. Since cyberloafing is commonly regarded as counterproductive, anticipating and controlling employees' cyberloafing behaviour is becoming increasingly important. Previous research suggests that individuals who engage in cyberloafing may have difficulties regulating their attention to important tasks. Based on self-regulation theory, our study examines the influence of job reattachment on cyberloafing through the mediating role of mindfulness and the moderating role of goal commitment. Data for this study were collected in China through surveys conducted with 275 employees at three different time points. The results showed that: (1) job reattachment was significantly negatively associated with cyberloafing; (2) mindfulness mediated this relationship between job reattachment and cyberloafing; and (3) goal commitment moderated the direct effect of job reattachment on mindfulness as well as the indirect effect of job reattachment on cyberloafing through mindfulness. Overall, our research findings emphasize the importance of the impact of job reattachment on cyberloafing through mindfulness. Theoretical and practical implications of this study are discussed.

Could physical activity alleviate smartphone addiction in university students? A systematic literature review

Objectives

Recently, the widespread surge in smartphone addiction (SA) has raised major global health concerns and prompted researchers to scrutinize the inverse relationship between physical activity (PA) and the risk of SA. This systematic literature review aims to synthesize the empirical research on the relationship between PA and SA among university students representing the most affected age group.

Methods

Adopting the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) guidelines, we explored five databases: PubMed, Social Sciences Research Network (SSRN), Oxford Research Archive, Journal Storage (JSTOR), and Google Scholar. We used the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tools (MMAT) for quality assessment.

Results

Thirty-one studies met the inclusion criteria. Twenty-eight of them were cross-sectional, and three were experimental. The 31 studies emerged from 12 countries, most stemming (45.16%) from China. Their findings suggest an inverse relationship between PA and SA in the examined population. However, the direct relationship may be weak based on correlational studies, while intervention research yields noteworthy effects. Still, other factors like resilience may mediate the studied relationship. Methodological concerns render the results of correlational studies tentative.

Conclusions

Regular PA could be a promising preventive measure for SA. Future work should use objective PA indices in longitudinal research designs while assessing the type and duration of smartphone applications used via device meters. In correlational studies, interviews should follow up on the high SA risk or too much device use. In conclusion, moderate evidence indicates that PA can reduce SA among university students.

Determination of cyberloafing level of speech and Language Therapy Department students

Cyberloafing is the use of (e.g. smartphones, tablets, laptops, and the Internet) for purposes other than work related reasons during work hours. Although cyberloafing in the workplace has been widely investigated, there is relatively a small number of studies on cyberloafing behaviors in educational settings, which refer to students' tendencies to use technology for non-class-related purposes during lectures. The goal of the current study is to determine how frequently and for what purposes speech and language therapy (SLT) students at Biruni University engage in cyberloafing during lectures. In this quantitative study, The Cyberloafing Scale was administered to 264 undergraduate students (235 female; 27 male; 2 preferred not to disclose). The results revealed that SLT students' cyberloafing behavior was very high. However, there is no statistically significant difference between the gender variable and the overall mean score for cyberloafing. There is a statistically significant difference between genders in gaming/gambling subscale favoring males and in shopping subscale favoring females. Further studies should be conducted to analyze cyberloafing behavior in health education.

The effect of nomophobic behaviors among nurses on their clinical decision-making perceptions

AIM

This study aimed to explore the impact of nomophobic behaviors among hospital nurses on their clinical decision-making perceptions. This understanding can offer insights to enhance the work environment, improve the clinical decision-making ability of nurses and guide medical institutions in the management of related equipment and policy development.

BACKGROUND

The term "nomophobia" refers to the anxiety and fear individuals experience when they cannot use their smartphones or when smartphones are not accessible. Nursing clinical decision-making is a complex process, including a meticulous assessment of the patient's pathological condition and medical history, alongside the application of nursing knowledge and experiential learning rooted in critical thinking. The concept of clinical decision-making perceptions is defined as a deliberate cognitive understanding of one's decision-making processes, which significantly influences the clinical decision-making capabilities of healthcare professionals, thereby impacting the quality of patient care. The factors influencing these clinical decision-making perceptions have been the subject of extensive research. However, there is no Chinese research on the impact of nurses ' nomophobic behaviors on their clinical decision-making perception.

DESIGN

A cross-sectional descriptive survey using online-based delivery modes was used.

METHODS

A descriptive cross-sectional survey design was employed. Using convenience sampling, we surveyed the nurses from a tertiary hospital in Nanjing in May 2023. Data were gathered using a sociodemographic data form, the Nomophobia Questionnaire and the Clinical Decision-Making in Nursing Scale. Techniques including the independent sample t-test, one-way ANOVA, Pearson correlation analysis and linear regression analysis were employed to probe the degree of nomophobia and its effects on their perception of clinical decision-making. Out of 284 questionnaires gathered, 272 were deemed valid, resulting in a 95.8% effective response rate.

RESULTS

The data revealed that participants exhibited a medium level of nomophobia (54.01 ± 24.09) and clinical decision-making perceptions (144.94 ± 20.08). A robust negative correlation was discerned between nomophobia and clinical decision-making perceptions (r: -0.365, P<0.001). This study highlighted that as the degree of nomophobia intensified, nurses' clinical decision-making perceptions decreased with the increase in nomophobia.

CONCLUSION

Nomophobic behaviors can hamper nurses' perception of clinical decision-making, potentially leading to inaccuracies or errors. Nurses must use mobile phones judiciously, practice self-regulation and mitigate the disruptive effects of nomophobia on their decision-making. In addition, medical institutions should foster relevant education or craft policies to regularize mobile phone use, augmenting nurses' efficiency and decision-making prowess, enhancing patient care quality, diminishing medical errors and ensuring patient health and safety.

Challenge-obstacle stressors and cyberloafing among higher vocational education students: the moderating role of smartphone addiction and Maladaptive

The start of higher vocational education and training is a new stage for students with a challenge between theoretical classes and the new expectations and demands of companies during the internship period. To understand some of the implications of stress on cyberloafing, we can distinguish between stress perceived as an obstacle that can be overcome - challenge stress - or as a threat that can block work performance - obstacle stress - and stress perceived as an obstacle that can be overcome - challenge stress - or as a threat that can block work performance - obstacle stress-. The aim of this research is to find out the relationships between challenge-obstacle stress in Cyberloafing, as well as the moderating effect of Smartphone Addiction and Maladaptive. In this study, the Challenge-Hindrance Stressors, Smartphone addiction scale-short version (SAS-SV) instrument, the Maladaptive subscale of the Cognitive Emotional Regulation Questionnaire (CERQ) and Cyberloafing were applied to 403 upper-level vocational training students from different secondary schools in all provinces of the autonomous community of Andalusia, Spain, distributed throughout the provinces that make up this autonomous community. The findings show that students' challenge stressors do not increase Cyberloafing, enabling them to cope with the academic demands and work challenges during the theory and internship period. On the contrary, obstacle stressors generate stressful situations that undermine the acquisition of objectives and development of academic competences. In our research we observe that challenge-obstacle stressors have a disparate influence on cyberloafing. Challenge stressors are negatively related to Maladaptive. The same is not true for obstacle stressors.

The Impact of Social Media on Users' Self-Efficacy and Loneliness: An Analysis of the Mediating Mechanism of Social Support

Purpose

The integration of social media into all areas of society has become a typical phenomenon of the Internet era. This study's core objective is to dissect the relationship between social media, self-efficacy and loneliness, especially emphasizing the mediating function of social support.

Patients and Methods

The research data is derived from the pooled cross-sectional data combined from the four-period data of the China Family Panel Studies (CFPS). The study employs Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) regression as the basic research method, and utilizes Instrumental Variables (IV) and other methods to conduct robustness checks.

Results

Social media usage frequency (SMUF) enhances self-efficacy and loneliness through social support. Social support promotes self-efficacy and alleviates users' loneliness. In self-efficacy, social support plays a fully mediating role. Moreover, education (human capital) has a significant moderating effect. There are noticeable differences in the response of different characteristics groups to SMUF.

Conclusion

This study reveals how social media impacts self-efficacy and loneliness through social support. Based on the research results, avoiding prolonged usage of social media and improving digital literacy are the crucial means to exert the positive benefits of social media.

The relationship between mobile phone addiction and time management disposition among Chinese college students：A cross-lagged panel model

Previous research has identified a negative association between mobile phone addiction and time management disposition among college students; however, the direction of this relationship remains divergent. This study utilized a cross-lagged panel model to elucidate the directionality of the relationship between mobile phone addiction and time management disposition. A total of 466 college students completed two measures at seven-month intervals. The findings revealed a prevalence of mobile phone addiction at 10.94 % and 13.73 % in the two surveys. Notably, both mobile phone addiction and time management disposition demonstrated stability over time. Furthermore, a discernible negative bidirectional relationship was observed between the two. The present findings underscore the importance of timely intervention for college students facing challenges in mobile phone usage and time management.

The Dual Systems Model-Impulsivity and Narcissism as the Reflexive System and Self-Regulation as the Reflective System-of Smartphone Addiction

The exploration of underlying mechanisms leading to the development of smartphone addiction has been limited, with only a few studies incorporating theories to provide explanations. Drawing upon the Dual Systems Model, this study tested the hypothesis that the reflective system of self-regulation would mediate the relation between the reflexive system of impulsivity and narcissism, and smartphone addiction in a sample of 298 undergraduate students. Participants completed a self-administrated web-based questionnaire containing measures of impulsivity (the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale), narcissism (the Narcissistic Personality Inventory), self-regulation (the Self-Regulation Scale), and smartphone addiction (the Smartphone Addiction Inventory). The findings from structural equation modeling revealed that self-regulation served as a significant mediator between impulsivity and smartphone addiction, as well as between narcissism and smartphone addiction. These findings offer insights that can contribute to the development of interventions and strategies that target impulsivity and narcissism by enhancing self-regulation skills.

Self-esteem mediates the relationship between physical activity and smartphone addiction of Chinese college students: a cross-sectional study

Objective

Smartphone addiction, as a key topic in the current field of behavioral addictions and public health, has brought many negative impacts on the physical, psychological, interpersonal communication, and even academic performance among contemporary college students. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to offer ideas for solving smartphone addiction among college students through investigating the potential mediating effect of self-esteem in the relationship between physical activity and smartphone addiction.

Methods

By the quota sampling, a cross-sectional study was conducted to investigate 650 college students from 10 colleges in Guangzhou Higher Mega Center, and several self-reported instruments including physical activity rating scale-3 (PARS-3), mobile phone addiction tendency scale (MPATS), self-esteem scale (SES) were used to collect the related data needed for the present study. The descriptive analysis, correlation analysis, hierarchical regression analysis, and mediating effect analysis in this study were performed in turn.

Results

The results showed that physical activity (r = -0.124, p < 0.01) and self-esteem (r = -0.360, p < 0.01) were all negatively correlated with smartphone addiction, and both could also significantly and negatively predict smartphone addiction. There was a positive correlation between physical activity and self-esteem (r = 0.084, p < 0.05), and self-esteem could be significantly predicted by physical activity. And more important, the relationship between physical activity and smartphone addiction could be partially mediated by self-esteem, and the indirect effect value was -0.346 (95% Boot CI = -0.695; -0.023), along with the mediating effect accounted for 24% of the total effect between physical activity and smartphone addiction.

Conclusion

The current study shows that physical activity could not only directly reduce smartphone addiction, but also decrease smartphone addiction by indirectly improving self-esteem, which is important in practice for solving this troublesome issue and then gradually developing a healthy behavior in daily life for college students in China, and even across the world in near future.

Nomophobia and Its Relationship with Social Anxiety and Procrastination in Nursing Students: An Observational Study

Nomophobia is a phenomenon that describes the fear of not having one's mobile phone accessible. This study aimed to evaluate the presence of nomophobia among nursing students as well as its relationship with procrastination and social anxiety.

METHODS

An observational, descriptive, cross-sectional study was conducted in a sample of 308 nursing students. Data were collected using the Nomophobia Questionnaire, Academic Procrastination Scale-Short Form, and Social Anxiety Questionnaire for Adults. Additionally, sociodemographic variables related to academic performance and smartphone use were collected. We performed a descriptive, bivariate, and multivariate analysis of the Nomophobia Questionnaire score.

RESULTS

19.5% (n = 60) of the students presented with or were at high risk of nomophobic behaviour. Moreover, nomophobic behaviour was positively correlated with high levels of social anxiety (p < 0.001), longer daily smartphone usage time (p < 0.001), and a high frequency of smartphone checking in class (p < 0.001). The predictive variables for nomophobic behaviour included age, variables related to smartphone use, social anxiety levels, work, procrastination tendency, sex, and self-reported average grade.

CONCLUSION

One out of five students in the sample studied presented with or were at high risk of nomophobic behaviour. Additionally, nomophobic behaviour was associated with social anxiety and variables related to smartphone use. This study was not registered.

Cyberloafing: Exploring the Role of Psychological Wellbeing and Social Media Learning

Due to the advances in internet communications technology (ICT), the use of digital devices, such as laptops, tablets, or smartphones, in the educational setting has become very common among young people. A considerable body of research has shown that there are adverse effects of in-class internet usage, termed "cyberloafing" on students' academic performance, making it a rising concern for scholars. Within this context, the present study examines cyberloafing as a multidimensional construct and studies the mediating effects of psychological wellbeing and social media learning between cyberloafing behaviour and cyberloafing activities of students. Using an online survey, data was collected from 240 undergraduate and graduate students at a private university in India. The data were analyzed using structural equation modelling and mediation analysis. The results indicate that cyberloafing behaviour negatively influences student's psychological wellbeing, whereas psychological wellbeing is positively related to cyberloafing activities. It was also found that, on one hand, cyberloafing behaviour negatively influences social media learning, whereas social media learning did not have any effect on cyberloafing activities in students. This study highlights that it is crucial for educators and course instructors to incorporate appropriate practices and interventions to manage the misuse of the internet through cyberloafing in classrooms.

A Positive View of Excessive Smartphone Utilization and Its Relationship With Other Academic-Related Variables Within the Online Course Setting

The continual use of smartphones is a global problem that requires scholars' attention. This study investigates the impact of excessive smartphone use, self-regulation, and procrastination on students' online academic performance. A total of n = 238 university students participated in the study. Mean comparisons unveiled clear discrepancy scores on procrastination, self-regulation, and daily hours spent on smartphones between the smartphone-addicted and non-addicted students. Structural Equation Modeling helps us to answer our hypothesis. Unusually, smartphone use had a significant and positive effect on online students' academic performance. Also, the study provides a better understanding of the procrastination factor that significantly impacts students' smartphone use and online academic performance. Results are discussed considering possible interventions at the academic level.

Gamifying Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Techniques on Smartphones for Bangkok's Millennials With Depressive Symptoms: Interdisciplinary Game Development

BACKGROUND

There is serious concern over the annual increase in depressive symptoms among millennials in Bangkok, Thailand. Their daily routine revolves around the use of their smartphones for work and leisure. Although accessibility to mental health care is expanding, it cannot keep up with the demand for mental health treatment. Outside Thailand, multiple projects and studies have attempted to merge gamification mechanisms and cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) to create mobile health intervention apps and serious games with positive feedback. This presents an opportunity to explore the same approach in Thailand.

OBJECTIVE

This study investigated the development process of gamifying CBT techniques to support game mechanics in a visual narrative serious game, BlueLine. The primary target of this research is Bangkok's millennials. In the game, players play as Blue, a Bangkok millennial who struggles to live through societal norms that influence his digital life and relationships. Through in-game scenarios, players will learn and understand how to lessen the impact of depressive symptoms via gamified interactions on their smartphones.

METHODS

First, this paper follows each development step of solidifying BlueLine's game structure by integrating the Activating Events, Beliefs, Consequences, Disputation of Beliefs and Effective New Approaches (ABCDE) model and narrative in games. Second, the approach to select CBT and related therapeutic elements for gamification is based on suitability to the game structure. Throughout the process, CBT experts in Thailand have reviewed these scenarios. The approach forms the base of the player's interactions throughout the scenarios in BlueLine, broken down into 4 types of gamified mechanisms: narrative, verbal interactions, physical interactions, and social media interactions.

RESULTS

With the game structure based on the ABCDE model, BlueLine scenarios implement gamified mechanisms in conjunction with the following CBT and related therapeutic elements: behavioral activation, self-monitoring, interpersonal skills, positive psychology, relaxation and mindful activities, and problem-solving. In each scenario, players guide Blue to overcome his triggered dysfunctional beliefs. During this process, players can learn and understand how to lessen the impact of depressive symptoms through gamified interactions.

CONCLUSIONS

This paper presents the development process of gamifying CBT and related therapeutic techniques in BlueLine game scenarios. A scenario can harbor multiple techniques, including behavioral activation, self-monitoring, interpersonal skills, positive psychology, relaxation and mindful activities, and problem-solving. BlueLine's game structure does not limit the fact that the same combination of CBT elements ties each gamified mechanism.

Relationships between adolescent smartphone usage patterns, achievement goals, and academic achievement

As smartphones are emerging as a common device for adolescent, prior studies have provided theoretical and empirical evidence for the factors affecting adolescent smartphone use. However, mainstream research has tended to focus on the negative effects of smartphone. Even though smartphone use can have adverse outcomes, it may also allow students to engage in flexible mobile learning, gain access to important information about their possible future careers and achieve their personal goals. To fill this gap in adolescent smartphone usage, this study explored the smartphone usage patterns of adolescent subpopulations and the associations with their self-control, achievement goals, and academic achievements. Data were collected from 2341 s-year high school students as part of a larger longitudinal panel study. Three distinct smartphone usage profiles were identified in the latent profile analysis: learning, recreational use, and minimal use. Respondents with high perseverance were assigned to the learning group, and respondents with lower compliance and perseverance were assigned to the recreational group. The achievement goal score was found to be the highest in the learning group and lowest in the recreational group. Academic achievement was found to be higher in both the learning and minimal use groups than the recreational use group. Based on these findings, the implications of this study for research and practice are discussed.

Smartphone addiction is more harmful to adolescents than Internet gaming disorder: Divergence in the impact of parenting styles

Background

The adverse effects of smartphone addiction (SPA) and Internet gaming disorder (IGD) on adolescents' mental health have been widely recognized. However, the influence of parenting styles on these high-risk Internet use behaviors of adolescents still remain elusive. Aiming to identify preventable patterns for adolescents with SPA or IGD, this study compared the mental health status between adolescents with SPA and IGD and used path analysis to confirm actual effects of parenting styles on SPA and IGD.

Methods

Participants were enrolled at a junior high school in Hunan Province and a senior high school in Shanxi Province, China [n = 3,049, female (male): 50.5% (49.5%), mean age = 15.68 ± 1.54]. All participants reported their socio-demographic characteristics and undertook standardized assessments of SPA, IGD, parenting styles, depression, anxiety, insomnia, self-control, and support utilization.

Results

High levels of parental care and low levels of parental overprotection benefited adolescents' mental health with SPA and IGD. However, despite having a more positive parenting style, adolescents with only SPA showed more severe mental health problems than adolescents with only IGD. Furthermore, the results showed that the parenting style of encouraging autonomy might be a protective factor against IGD, but it might reinforce SPA indirectly by reducing abilities of support utilization and self-control in whole sample.

Conclusion

Compared to IGD, SPA which included different kinds of Internet addiction behaviors, was more hazardous for adolescents' mental health. The divergent effects of an autonomy-encouraging parenting style on SPA and IGD may reflect the different impacts of self-control in different types of Internet addiction.

Nomophobia and its effects on seafarers

BACKGROUND: New technologies for ships affect many aspects of seafarers’ lives at work. Nowadays, many shipowners provide their ships with internet access for the personal use of the crew. After all these developments, nomophobia is no longer a phenomenon far from seafarers. Nomophobia affects mental health and motivation in seafarers, like all people who can use smartphones. Until now, there has been no study investigating nomophobia in seafarers and its effects on life at sea. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to determine the prevalence of nomophobia among seafarers and examine the causes and consequences of differences between groups. METHODS: A previously designed and tested questionnaire was used to determine nomophobia and its effects on seafarers. Three hundred fifty one seafarers participated in the study. ANOVA and T-tests were performed with SPSS 22 package program to find significant differences. RESULTS: Nomophobia differed significantly according to age groups, gender, and education level. Headache and fatigue increased in direct proportion to the level of nomophobia. CONCLUSION: It was found that 65.2% of the seafarers had moderate to severe nomophobia.

Unique and interactive effects of parental neglect, school connectedness, and trait self-control on mobile short-form video dependence among Chinese left-behind adolescents

BACKGROUND

Mobile short-form video is becoming increasingly popular among Chinese adolescents. Mobile short-form video dependence has become a pressing issue in Chinese adolescents, especially in left-behind adolescents. Previous studies, however, have focused on general mobile phone dependence and neglected specific types of mobile phone dependence. Few studies have explored the environmental and individual predictors of mobile short-form video dependence.

OBJECTIVE

Based on theoretical and empirical evidence, the present study examined the unique and interactive effects of parental neglect, school connectedness, and trait self-control on mobile short-form video dependence among Chinese left-behind adolescents.

METHODS

A total of 618 left-behind adolescents between 11 and 15 years of age completed the anonymous self-report survey. The PROCESS macro for SPSS was applied for data analysis.

RESULTS

Parental neglect was positively associated with mobile short-form video dependence, whereas school connectedness and trait self-control were negatively associated with mobile short-form video dependence in left-behind adolescents. Examination of the two-way interactions indicated that school connectedness and trait self-control could buffer the association between parental neglect and left-behind adolescents' mobile short-form video dependence. However, self-control could not moderate the association between school connectedness and mobile short-form video dependence. In addition, the three-way interaction of parental neglect, school connectedness, and trait self-control showed a significant effect on mobile short-form video dependence. The moderating role of school connectedness was stronger for left-behind adolescents with low trait self-control than for those with high trait self-control, and the moderating role of trait self-control was stronger for left-behind adolescents with low school connectedness than for those with high school connectedness.

CONCLUSIONS

The findings contribute significantly to revealing the complex mechanisms of mobile short-form video dependence and providing comprehensive and specific practical suggestions for the prevention and intervention of mobile short-form video dependence among left-behind adolescents.

Perceived Parental Monitoring of Smartphones and Problematic Smartphone Use in Adolescents: Mediating Roles of Self-Efficacy and Self-Control

Adolescents are vulnerable for problematic smartphone use (PSU), which is associated with adverse psychological and physical health outcomes. Prior studies have debated whether the association between parental monitoring of smartphones and PSU is positive, negative, or nonsignificant. The present study investigated the relationship between parental monitoring of smartphones and PSU and the potential mediation mechanism involving self-efficacy and self-control. Eight hundred ninety-nine middle- and high-school students from a metropolitan city in China completed a questionnaire containing measurements of demographic information, perceived parental monitoring of smartphones, self-control, self-efficacy, and PSU. The results showed that (a) perceived parental monitoring of smartphones was negatively related to adolescent PSU; (b) self-control partially mediated the link between perceived parental monitoring of smartphones and adolescent PSU; and (c) self-efficacy and self-control sequentially mediated the link between parental monitoring of smartphones and PSU. The current study highlights the mediating mechanisms linking perceived parental monitoring of smartphones and adolescent PSU, and this may contribute to the development of family-based prevention and intervention strategies for adolescent PSU.

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.

Effects of Physical Exercise on Mobile Phone Addiction in College Students: The Chain Mediation Effect of Psychological Resilience and Perceived Stress

Smartphones have become an integral part of people's daily lives. While bringing convenience, mobile phone addiction caused by overuse of smart phones has become a common phenomenon among college students. The current study aimed to examine the serial mediating role of psychological resilience and perceived stress between physical exercise and mobile phone addiction of college students. Using the PARS-3 scale, CD-RISC-10 scale, PSS-10 scale, and MPA scale, 257 college students were investigated and Structural Equation Model (SEM) was conducted. The results show that: (1) Physical exercise has no significant direct impact on mobile phone addiction. (2) Psychological resilience has a significant mediating effect between physical exercise and mobile phone addiction. But perceived stress does not. (3) Psychological resilience and perceived stress play a chain mediation role. Physical exercise can enhance psychological resilience firstly, thus relieving perceived stress and eventually mitigating mobile phone addiction.

Academic Cyberslacking: Why Do Students Engage in Non-Academic Internet Access During Lectures?

Introduction

University students, as members of the digital generation, often access the internet for non-academic purposes while attending lectures in the classroom. Internet access for non-academic purposes during lectures is known as academic cyberslacking. This study aims to test the effects of media multitasking, self-efficacy, self-regulation, social media engagement, and Attention, Relevance, Confidence, and Satisfaction (ARCS) motivation, on the engagement in academic cyberslacking by university students.

Methods

The participants were 1485 university students, who had previously engaged in academic cyberslacking during lectures. The research instruments in this study were an academic cyberslacking scale, a media multitasking self-efficacy scale, a self-regulation scale, a social media engagement scale, and an ARCS motivation scale. The research model and hypotheses are tested using structural equation model (SEM) by Lisrel. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) is also used to analyze all the instruments. The respondents’ demographic data were analyzed using SPSS.

Results

The results showed that it is only media multitasking self-efficacy and social media engagement which have any significant effects regarding academic cyberslacking. Self-regulation and ARCS motivation do not have direct association with academic cyberslacking.

Conclusion

Students do academic cyberslacking during lectures. Media multitasking self-efficacy and social media engagement can predict students’ academic cyberslacking. It is recommended that students direct their involvement in the digital environment to more constructive efforts during lectures.

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.

An investigation of the relationship between smartphone addiction and job performance of healthcare employees

PURPOSE

To determine the smartphone addiction and employee performance levels of healthcare personnel working in a university hospital and to investigate their relationship.

DESIGN AND METHOD

This study is descriptive and correlational design. The data collection tool consisted of the Descriptive Information Form, Smartphone Addiction Scale, and Employee Performance Scale.

FINDINGS

The majority of participants were female, aged 30 and younger, working night shifts, and physicians. The majority of those who run out of monthly data bundles said they purchase once-off bundles. There was a negative statistically significant relationship between smartphone addiction and employee performance.

PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS

Healthcare employees' level of smartphone addiction adversely affects employee performance and it is recommended for the managers of the institution to develop internal strategies to prevent those effects.

The Influence of Technostress on Cyberslacking of College Students in Technology-Enhanced Learning: Mediating Effects of Deficient Self-Control and Burnout

College students frequently experience technostress and engage in cyberslacking whilst participating in technology-enhanced learning (TEL). This research aimed to investigate the influence mechanism of technostress on college students' cyberslacking. This research recruited 634 students from two Chinese colleges to complete a web-based questionnaire adapted from previous research. Structural equation modelling was adopted and the research results showed that: in TEL (1) college students' technostress significantly and positively affected cyberslacking; (2) deficient self-control partially mediated college students' technostress and cyberslacking; (3) burnout partially mediated college students' technostress and cyberslacking; and (4) deficient self-control and burnout played a chain mediating role between college students' technostress and cyberslacking. These findings improve our understanding of the influence college students' technostress has on cyberslacking in TEL, and several suggestions to reduce college students' cyberslacking in TEL are proposed.

The Impact of Smartphone Addiction on Chinese University Students' Physical Activity: Exploring the Role of Motivation and Self-Efficacy

Background

Previous studies showed that smartphone addiction (SA) can lead to reduced physical activity (PA), but only a few studies have explored the impact of SA from psychological perspective closely related to PA. This study aimed to examine the extrinsic and partial psychological factors leading to decrease in PA using structural equation modelling analysis.

Methods

We conducted an online survey on 628 males and 1159 female students from 10 universities in Henan Province, China, through a questionnaire survey application “Questionnaire Star”. This study used three models to test the mediating effects of three types of motives (intrinsic motives, body-related motives, and social motives) and self-efficacy, respectively, in the relationship between smartphone addiction and physical activities.

Results

Our result confirmed that smartphone addiction leads to lower physical activities. Secondly, self-efficacy mediates smartphone addiction and physical activities, but the mediating effect of all three types of motivation is not significant. Thirdly, smartphone addiction did not affect intrinsic motivation and body-related motivation, but positively affects social motivation. Finally, as the motivation type changes from internal to external, the mediating effect of self-efficacy becomes stronger.

Conclusion

This study showed that smartphone addiction lead to increase social motivation and decreased self-efficacy, and is a potential barrier to personal participation in physical activities. Our findings provide a new perspective for future design physical activities interventions in China and worldwide especially among university students where smartphone addiction is a problem.

Use of Digital Technologies in Home Office Work during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Background

Social distancing as a preventive measure to contain the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in many people working from home, using online digital resources. Staying at home has led to the adaptation of many work activities to allow continuity of people´s jobs. It can also affect home routines and ways of working, thereby leading to changes in behavior, as the main interest of this study.

Objective

The study aimed to assess the impact on human behavior of working conditions in home office format due to social distancing.

Methods

Data collection was done online, using a specific computational tool (Google Forms) for this type of research, using the Home Office Work Scale (HOWS) validated and published in Mental Health and Addiction Research in 2021, with a total sample of 1,056 valid questionnaires. After the data collection, a database was created for statistical analysis of the results.

Results

More women than men volunteered to answer the questionnaire, although the results were similar between women and men. Home office work has impacts on human behavior and results in changes in routines and adaptations in people´s personal and professional lives.

Conclusion

Proportionally, more women participated, and there was low participation by young and elderly people. In general, people accepted home office work and the possibility of continuing to work in this format. Changes to routines and restrictive adaptations were necessary. The limitations reported for applying the scale did not compromise the results.

Predicting Patterns of Problematic Smartphone Use among University Students: A Latent Class Analysis

University students are consistently ranked among the highest users of smartphones. As such, recent research has focused on examining the antecedents and consequences of problematic smartphone use among university students. While this work has been instrumental to our understanding of the risk and protective factors of developing problematic smartphone use, it has been largely variable-centered and thus fails to recognize the diversity with which problematic smartphone use is experienced among university students. As such, this study employed a person-centered approach (i.e., latent class analysis) to classify individuals based on patterns of problematic smartphone use feature/symptom cooccurrence among a sample of 403 Canadian university students. The relationships between these subgroups (or classes) and potential covariates (i.e., self-regulation, attachment anxiety, and attachment avoidance) were then examined to gain a more complete understanding of university students’ experiences of problematic smartphone use. Three classes of problematic smartphone use were identified: (1) “connected” displaying the features/symptoms of problematic smartphone use associated with being constantly connected to smartphones; (2) “problematic” displaying all of the features/symptoms of problematic smartphone use; (3) “distracted” displaying the features/symptoms associated with being distracted by smartphones. Findings indicate that attachment anxiety and avoidance were significantly associated with membership in the most pathological (i.e., “problematic”) class, suggesting that this may be an especially important risk factor for developing problematic smartphone use among university students. Moreover, self-regulation was significantly related to membership in the least pathological class (i.e., “connected”) suggesting that this may function as an important protective factor in developing more concerning patterns of problematic smartphone use. Findings from this work provide empirical evidence of a heterogeneity in patterns of problematic smartphone use associated with distinct individual-level risk factors. This has important implications for conceptualizations of problematic smartphone use and the development of intervention and prevention efforts.

Scale development of apparel customization brand value: From the perspectives of practitioners and consumers

China apparel customization brands (CACBs) have been recently growing in massive quantities despite being in their infancy stages of brand value building. Although scholars have proven brand value's importance in sustainable brand growth, studies on the specific context of CACBs are still limited. This research proposes a conceptual framework of CACBs' brand value measured dimension based on previous studies and divides brand value into both general and specific dimensions. Accordingly, qualitative (semi-structured interviews) and quantitative (online survey) studies were conducted from the perspectives of practitioners and consumers. Ultimately, a scale of 30 items with nine dimensions was generated. Results reveal that brand association in the general dimensions and brand service in the special dimensions were the largest promoters of CACB brand value. Hence, practitioners should pay more attention to dimensions of cognitive conflicts. Practical suggestions for apparel customization marketers are proposed to build and enhance brand value.

Validity test of the theory of planned behavior in college students’ withdrawal from smartphone dependence

Smartphone usage has brought great convenience to our daily life. However, the detrimental consequences of smartphone dependence also require special attention. Based on the theory of planned behavior (TPB), this study designed a questionnaire to investigate college students’ withdrawal from smartphone dependence. The reliability and validity of the questionnaire were tested. The results showed that the reliability of the questionnaire was good (α = 0.84–0.94). The principal component analysis was conducted, contribution rates of these factors were moderately high (62.06%–82.35%). The validity was verified through confirmatory factor analysis. All the model fit indices were higher than the acceptable standard, which indicated the construct validity of the TPB questionnaire is good. The results of the multi-group structural equation model revealed that the model provided excellent fit to the data in each demographic group. The results of structural equation model presented that, in most demographic groups, students’ attitude, subjective norm, and perceived behavioral control of withdrawal from smartphone dependence positively influenced their behavioral intention. Furthermore, subjective norm was the most effective predictors in each group. However, part of the paths from intention to behavior failed to reach the significant level, and their coefficients are relatively small. This reveals the gap between college students’ withdrawal intention and their actual behavior, and there may be other factors influence the relationship between the two variables.

Impact of Mobile Game Addiction Tendency on Chinese University Students: A Hierarchical Linear Modeling Study

This study used hierarchical linear modeling (HLM) to investigate the differences in mobile game addiction tendencies among universities (i.e., double first-class universities, ordinary colleges and universities, and higher vocational colleges), and to examine the influencing factors of mobile game addiction tendency at the individual and university levels. The participants of this study were 4,024 college students who completed the Chinese Mobile Phone Game Addiction Scale, UCLA Loneliness Scale, and Positive and Negative Affect Scale. Loneliness (β = 0.052), positive emotions (β = −0.126), negative emotions (β = 0.232), and double first-class universities (γ = 0.368) significantly predicted mobile game addiction tendencies. A significant cross-level interaction between double first-class universities and other factors (i.e., positive emotions, negative emotions, and mobile game addiction) was observed. The novelty of this study is that it distinguishes the various effects of mobile phone addiction tendency at the individual and university levels.

Individual Differences in a Multidimensional Measure of Compulsive Mobile Phone Use

Due to their ubiquity, compulsive mobile phone use (CMPU) should include cognitive, psychological, and behavioral dimensions. This study has two main objectives-(a) explicate a multidimensional measure of CMPU and examine individual differences in the various dimensions and (b) conceptualize mobile phone self-efficacy and examine its relationship with CMPU. A survey with 446 U.S. adults was conducted in which respondents completed assessments related to CMPU, mobile phone self-efficacy, and mobile phone use frequency. Results showed the presence of a three-dimensional factor structure for CMPU. While gender, age, and mobile phone activity were associated with CMPU, mobile phone self-efficacy was not. The relevance of the findings is discussed along with implications for future research.

Self-Control, Parental Monitoring, and Adolescent Problematic Mobile Phone Use: Testing the Interactive Effect and Its Gender Differences

Previous studies have revealed that self-control was one of the critical factors of adolescent problematic mobile phone use. Few studies, however, have explored the interaction of internal control force (i.e., self-control) and external control force such as parental monitoring. The present study tested the interactive effect of self-control and parental monitoring on adolescent problematic mobile phone use and its gender differences. A sample of 926 adolescents completed our anonymous self-report survey. Results showed that self-control and parental monitoring negatively predicted problematic mobile phone use, while gender positively predicted problematic mobile phone use. Self-control and parental monitoring had an interactive effect on problematic mobile phone use, with the effect of self-control on problematic mobile phone use being stronger for adolescents with low levels of parental monitoring than for those with high levels of parental monitoring. Self-control and gender had an interactive effect on problematic mobile phone use, with the effect of self-control on adolescent problematic mobile phone use being stronger in girls than in boys. Moreover, there were significant gender differences in the interaction of self-control and parental monitoring, in that the interactive effect of self-control and parental monitoring on problematic mobile phone use was more potent in girls than in boys. The findings reveal how the internal control force (i.e., self-control) and external control force (i.e., parental monitoring) work together in explaining adolescent problematic mobile phone use and uncover the potential gender differences in exploring adolescent problematic mobile phone use from the individual-environment perspective. Limitations and implications are discussed.

An Intervention Utilizing the Salience Principle to Reduce Pharmacy Students' Psychological Attraction to Smartphones

Objective. To determine pharmacy student reactions to and experiences with an intervention based on the principle of salience to reduce psychological attraction and attention to smartphones.Method. For a period of three weeks, participants were directed to change their smartphone's color setting to grayscale mode, turn off social media notifications, remove social media icons from smartphone home screen, and place the device away from their bed when sleeping. A thematic analysis was performed on responses to an anonymous, open-ended survey question that asked participants to record any positive/negative changes to their life and well-being as a result of participating in the study.Results. Thematic analysis revealed 20 unique themes and a variety of notable observations, including a reduction in both smartphone and social media use, reduced allure because of grayscale mode, frustrations caused by grayscale mode, increased productivity, and general improvements in sleep, face-to-face interactions, and overall well-beingConclusion. Results of this study provide initial evidence that changes to smartphone settings and physical placement at night may lead to positive outcomes. Participants reported primarily positive effects regarding well-being and reduced smartphone usage as a result of participating in the study. In many cases, less time on smartphones meant improved sleep, more productivity, more time for social/leisure activities, improved face-to-face interactions, and/or improvement in well-being.

Factors Associated with Smartphone Addiction during COVID-19 Pandemic Lockdown in Students of Faculty of Medicine in North Sumatera

Introduction: The popularity of cell phones among the younger generation has increased rapidly in a short period leading to the high prevalence of smartphone addiction among adolescents worldwide, especially during the Covid-19 pandemic lockdown period. This study aimed to investigate the factors associated with smartphone addiction measured by the Indonesian version of the Smartphone Addiction Scale-Short version (SAS-SV) score in both preclinical and clerkship students.  Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted from November 2020 to December 2020 in preclinical and clerkship students of the Faculty of Medicine from the Universitas Sumatera Utara, North Sumatra Islamic University, Hospital of North Sumatra University, and Hospital of Haji Medan academic year of 2019-2020. The Indonesian version of the SAS-SV questionnaire was distributed to the study subjects through Google Form.  Results: Bivariate analysis showed all variables to be significantly associated with SAS-SV score (all p values were <0.05). Meanwhile, multivariate analysis showed all variables but the type of smartphone and the closest family members to be significantly associated with the SAS- SV score.  Conclusion: Age, gender, education level, monthly income, duration of smartphone use, sleep duration, parental educational background, monthly internet costs, and other uses of smartphones were found to be associated with smartphone addiction as measured by the Indonesian version of the SAS-SV score. Meanwhile, the type of smartphone and the closest family members were not associated with smartphone addiction as measured by the Indonesian version of the SAS-SV score. 

Exploring the relationship between student engagement and authentic learning during COVID-19

Social Networking Sites (SNSs) such as WeChat or Facebook, can facilitate university students in learning, especially during a deadly epidemic period such as COVID-19. Student engagement is a challenging task for educators in internet-enabled technology-enhanced learning platforms. This research attempts to identify the relationship between student engagement and authentic learning during COVID-19 through the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) as a theoretical base. Quantitative data were collected (n = 285) using an online survey technique with the students from a recognized university in China. All six proposed hypotheses, including a moderating and two mediating variables were found to be supported. The findings indicated that constructs such as affective engagement (AE) and social engagement (SE) are significant predictors of social interaction (SI) that may lead to accomplish authentic learning task (ALTask). Further, lack of attention (LAN) was found to significantly moderate social interaction and authentic learning tasks during COVID-19.

Smartphone use behavior and quality of life: What is the role of awareness?

How does smartphone use behavior affect quality of life factors? The following work suggests new insights into smartphone use behavior, mainly regarding two contradicting smartphone modes of use that affect quality of life in opposite ways. The Aware smartphone mode of use reflects an active lifestyle, while the Unaware mode of use reflects the use of the smartphone in conjunction with other activities. Using data from 215 individuals who reported their quality of life and smartphone use habits, we show that high levels of smartphone use in the Unaware mode of use have a significant negative effect on the quality of life. However, the results show a mild positive effect when the individual uses the smartphone in an aware mode of use. We identify three latent factors within the quality-of-life construct and measure the effect of the different smartphone modes of use on these quality-of-life factors. We find that (i) The functioning latent factor, which is an individual's ability to function well in his or her daily life, is not affected by smartphone use behavior. In contrast, (ii) the competence latent factor, which is a lack of negative emotions or pain, and (iii) the positive feelings latent factor both show a clear effect with the smartphone Unaware mode of use. This implies that the unaware use of smartphones, which is its use in conjunction with other activities or late at night, can be related to lower levels of quality of life. Since smartphones currently serve as an interface between the self and the cyber space, as well as an interface between the self and other individuals online, these results need to be considered for social wellbeing in relation to digital human behavior, smartphone addiction and a healthy mode of use.