Problematic smartphone use and the quantity and quality of peer engagement among adolescents: A longitudinal study

The association between digital addiction and interpersonal relationships: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Digital addiction (DA) has been identified as an emerging public health problem worldwide. However, the extent and direction of the association between DA and interpersonal relationships (IRs) are unknown. Does DA have adverse effects on IRs, and how credible is the evidence for this association in published analyses of real-world data? Using the PRISMA method, we conducted a meta-analysis to quantitatively synthesize the results of the relevant studies and obtain reliable effect size estimates and performed an analysis of moderating factors. A systematic literature search identified 98 studies involving 134,593 participants and 99 effect sizes. A significant negative association was observed between DA and IRs. Importantly, our meta-analysis revealed that the DA subtype has no significant moderating effect on IRs, suggesting that combining numerous categories of DA rather than focusing on specific forms of DA may be appropriate for understanding the relationship between DA and IRs. Relative to the IR subtype, the association between DA and offline relationships is significant and negative, whereas the association between DA and online relationships is significant and positive. The strength of the relationship is also influenced by the participants' sex ratio, educational level, and measurement tools. These results may help resolve the disagreement over the magnitude and direction of the association between DA and IRs and have potential implications for the treatment of DA.

Parental views on their children's smartphone use during personal and relational activities

Given the negative outcomes associated with smartphone use during personal and relational activities (SUPRA), parents strive to regulate its use among their children. However, media parenting recommendations lack knowledge of parental views on SUPRA and their relative occurrence in youths. This study aimed to (i) estimate SUPRA frequency among children and adolescents, (ii) assess parental dislike (PD) of SUPRA, and (iii) identify predictors of PD of SUPRA. An online survey was completed by 826 parents (49% mothers, age 25-74, Median = 43 years), capturing PD of SUPRA, estimated frequency of SUPRA in their children (49% female, age 6-18, Median = 10 years), parenting styles (warmth and control), parental attitudes toward screen media, and sociodemographic characteristics. The rate of frequent SUPRA was significantly higher in adolescents (2.7-48.1%) compared to children (2.1-27.2%) with odds ratios ranging from 0.67 to 3.04, depending on the activity type. PD of SUPRA was high in parents of children (M = 4.04, SD = 0.66) and adolescents (M = 3.93, SD = 0.71). Linear regression identified being a mother, having higher levels of control and warmth, and less positive attitudes toward screen media as significant predictors of SUPRA dislike. Our study was the first to report the estimated occurrence and parental dislike of smartphone use (SU) during various personal and relational activities, enabling their direct comparison. Experts warn against SU while studying and at bedtime, which frequently occurred in 4-5% of children and 10-12% of adolescents. More attention should be paid to SU during relational (peer/family) activities due to its relatively high occurrence and parental dissatisfaction.

Longitudinal Examination of the Relationship Between Virtual Companionship and Social Anxiety: Emotional Expression as a Mediator and Mindfulness as a Moderator

Purpose

As the interweaving of human interaction and Artificial Intelligence (AI) intensifies, understanding the psychological impact, especially regarding social anxiety, of engaging with AI-driven virtual companionship becomes crucial. While a substantial body of research on social anxiety has concentrated on interactions between individuals, both online and offline, there is a noticeable deficit in explorations concerning how human-computer interactions influence social anxiety. This study offers a comprehensive, longitudinal examination of this underinvestigated relationship, intricately dissecting the roles of emotional expression and mindfulness within the context of AI-based interactions.

Methods

We use social support theory and emotion regulation theory as our theoretical foundation. Data were collected from 618 undergraduate students in Eastern China over two intervals (May 15, 2023 and September 15, 2023). We utilized SPSS 26.0 to conduct descriptive statistics, while AMOS 25.0 facilitated multi-group confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and the cross-lagged panel modeling.

Results

Our findings indicate that as the frequency of virtual companionship use increases, there's a decline in online social anxiety but a rise in offline social anxiety. Emotional expression emerges as a significant mediator, with heightened emotional expression leading to reduced social anxiety in both contexts. Mindfulness serves as a potent moderator, suggesting its protective role against the potential pitfalls of frequent virtual interactions.

Conclusion

This research not only deepens our theoretical understanding of the dynamics between virtual interactions and social anxiety but also serves as a cornerstone for future endeavors aimed at optimizing AI and devising therapeutic interventions tailored for the digital generation.

Short version of the smartphone addiction scale: Measurement invariance across gender

The Smartphone Addiction Scale Short Version (SAS-SV) has been widely used in research, but little is known about the measurement invariance across gender. The current study measured SAS-SV invariance between male and female college students in a sample of 1112 participants. Single- and multiple-group confirmatory factor analyses (CFAs) of smartphone addiction symptom ratings were conducted using R program with RStudio. SAS-SV was psychometrically robust in measuring the severity of smartphone addiction among college students, as well as the gender-based invariance. The differences in SAS-SV between male and female participants were likely to represent true gender differences, and meaningful comparisons could be made.