Self-reported dependence on mobile phones in young adults: A European cross-cultural empirical survey

Network analysis of social anxiety and problematic mobile phone use in Chinese adolescents: A longitudinal study

Social anxiety is a common comorbid factor of problematic mobile phone use, but the relationship between them from the inside structure has been underexplored. This two-wave longitudinal study aims to identify the central symptoms of problematic mobile phone use and social anxiety, respectively, as well as the bridge symptoms between the two disorders. Furthermore, this study examined the time and gender differences. A total of 3,294 Chinese adolescents were recruited during two waves (T1: January 2023; T2: August 2023), and completed the questionnaires of social anxiety and problematic mobile phone use. Through network analysis, the results showed that 1) the central symptom of problematic mobile phone use was "loss of control" both at T1 and T2, 2) the central symptom of social anxiety was "fear of negative evaluation" both at T1 and T2, and 3) the bridge symptom between social anxiety and problematic mobile phone use was "withdrawal" both at T1 and T2. Moreover, the network comparison test indicated that the nodes of social anxiety were more strongly associated with "craving", "loss of control", and "negative life consequences" of problematic mobile phone use at T2 than at T1. The nodes of social anxiety were more strongly associated with "negative life consequences" of problematic mobile phone use for boys than for girls, while the "fear of negative evaluation" was more strongly associated with "loss of control" for girls than for boys. These findings provide new scientific basis for interventions targeting adolescents who are susceptible to social anxiety and problematic mobile phone use.

Predictors of Procrastination in a Moderated Mediation Analysis: The Roles of Problematic Smartphone Use, Psychological Flexibility, and Gender

Research has revealed that problematic smartphone use is a cause of procrastination. This study investigated the predictive role of problematic smartphone use on procrastination with consideration of the mediating effect of psychological flexibility. The moderating role of gender in the frequency of checking smartphones was also tested in this mediational model. Of total, 471 undergraduate students (369 female, 102 male) with a mean age of 20.65 participated in the study. The study was conducted face to face in classroom settings, and the results of the analysis revealed that psychological flexibility indeed affected the relationship between problematic smart phone use and procrastination. In addition, moderated mediation analysis suggested that female university students were significantly impacted. Finally, it was observed that psychological flexibility played a significant role amongst the female university students surveyed in the relationship between problematic smart phone use and procrastination.

The relationship between mobile phone addiction and depression, anxiety, and sleep quality in medical students

This study investigates the prevalence of mobile phone addiction among medical students and its relationship with depression, anxiety, and sleep quality. The study was conducted at Mashhad University of Medical Sciences from 2019 to 2021, and it included medical students at four different levels of training. Participants were selected using a stratified random sampling method. All subjects completed the Mobile Phone Addiction Scale, Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), Beck Depression Inventory, and Beck Anxiety Inventory through online electronic self-report questionnaires. Overall, 355 medical students were included in the study, with 203 (57.2%) being female. Mild and severe mobile phone addiction was reported by 83.7 and 2.5% of the students, respectively. Furthermore, the study's findings revealed significantly higher sleep quality disorder, depression, and anxiety scores among students with severe mobile phone addiction compared to other participants ( P  < 0.001, P  = 0.007, and P  < 0.001, respectively). Although mobile phone addiction was prevalent, severe addiction was rare among medical students. Nevertheless, severe addiction was associated with an increased prevalence of mental health problems and sleep disturbances, emphasizing the importance of interventions aimed at reducing mobile phone addiction and improving mental health.

The Mediating Effects of Perceived Family Support in the Relationship Between Anxiety and Problematic Smartphone Use: A Cross-Cultural Validation

ABSTRACT

Problematic smartphone use (PSU) is frequently considered a public health issue, especially in East Asia and Europe. Yet, there is a paucity of research focusing on cultural and familial determinants of PSU. This cross-cultural study aimed to investigate smartphone usage patterns and possible mediating effects of perceived family support (PFS) from a stress-coping perspective. Convenience samples of 790 Chinese and 439 Belgian undergraduates completed an online survey that focused on sociodemographics and psychological variables ( i.e. , anxiety, depression, PFS, and PSU). In both samples, PSU was positively associated with anxiety and depression, and negatively associated with PFS. However, after controlling for sex and age in structural equation models, the consistent mediating effects of PFS were only found between anxiety and PSU in both cultural settings. These findings suggest that psychological interventions that take into account familial factors could be helpful for young people presenting with anxiety and PSU.

Exploring the dynamics of mobile app addiction: the interplay of communication, affective factors, flow, perceived enjoyment, and habit

The rapid proliferation of mobile apps and their increasing usage have led to growing concerns about potential addiction among users. Previous research has identified several factors that contribute to addiction, including flow, perceived enjoyment, and habit. However, the underlying mechanisms and the role of affective factors remain unclear. This study aims to elucidate the key factors that affect mobile app addiction by proposing a theoretical framework incorporating communication, affective factors, flow, perceived enjoyment, and habit. Data were collected from 320 mobile app users through a questionnaire survey. The research employed partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) to analyze the data and test the proposed relationships. The analysis indicates that communication is significantly associated with perceived enjoyment but does not directly affect flow and habit. The research unveils that positive affect significantly influences both flow and perceived enjoyment, but does not influence habit. Negative affect was found to have no significant effect on flow, perceived enjoyment, and habit. The results demonstrate that flow, perceived enjoyment, and habit are significantly related to addiction. The findings reveal that perceived enjoyment has a substantial impact on both flow and habit. These findings offer valuable guidelines for future research and practical implications for developers and policymakers in addressing the challenges associated with mobile app addiction.

Mobile usage among degree college students in industrial township of western Maharashtra - "A descriptive study"

Background

With the advent of smartphones, there is an exponential increase in mobile usage and addiction. The statistics pointing toward mobile dependence in adolescents are of paramount importance to assess the prevalence in them and suggest measures accordingly.

Aim

To observe the usage and dependence among the degree college students in an industrial township.

Materials and Methods

A validated and structured questionnaire was distributed among the students at a women's degree college in western Maharashtra and responses were collected after obtaining consent. Along with sociodemographic details, qualitative and quantitative information regarding mobile usage were collected. Data were cleaned, coded, and analyzed after ensuring the confidentiality of their information using SPSS v26.0.

Results

The mean age of the participants was 18.9+/-1.8 years. The mean time spent on mobile was 2.4+/-0.4 hours per day. Mobile dependency was found in 48% of participants. The mean total score was 92. The primary purpose for using the internet was to browse (41%) and social media 36%. The main benefit of using the internet was searching for information urgently (62.5%). A major limitation of using was felt as the internet to be very slow 61 (42.3%).

Conclusion

There is a high prevalence of smartphone dependence in college students.

The smartphone as a "significant other": interpersonal dependency and attachment in maladaptive smartphone and social networks use

Smartphones are increasingly widespread throughout the world and, although smartphones provide various benefits, excessive and maladaptive use is often reported. Given the penetration of smartphones in the individual's daily life, it is relevant to identify the mechanisms sustaining their use, including the affective bond that the owner may develop with the device. The aim of the current study is to test a novel model to explain smartphone and Social Network Sites (SNS) use from an interpersonal perspective. We hypothesized that adult attachment style and interpersonal patterns (i.e., features of interpersonal dependency) generalize to the emotional bond with the mobile device, interacting with psychological correlates and background factors to predict smartphone and SNS consumption. 341 nonclinical adults (57.2% females; age M = 35.5, SD = 14.6) completed a battery consisting of the Attachment Style Questionnaire, the Relationship Profile Test, the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, the Toronto Alexithymia Scale, the Young Adult Attachment to Phone Scale, and the Social Network Intensity and Social Network Access via Mobile phone Applications. A multi-mediation model supported the hypothesis regarding the influence of interpersonal style in the relationship of the individual with their smartphone and use of SNS. A parallel between attachment style and the emotional bond with the smartphone emerged, with anxious attachment style and destructive overdependence being potential risk factors for maladaptive smartphone use especially in individuals involved in a romantic relationship. Findings are discussed in terms of theoretical implications and intervention strategies towards smartphone dependency.

Impact of Learning Burnout on Mobile Phone Dependence Among Adolescents in Western China Under the "Double Reduction" Policy: The Mediating Role of Social Support

Purpose

This paper investigated the prevalence of mobile phone dependence (MPD) and its associated with learning burnout under the "double reduction" policy among adolescents in Guizhou Province in western China. In addition, the influence of the mediating mechanism of social support on this relationship was investigated.

Methods

The sample was collected from 16,216 adolescents in West China's Guizhou province, from December 2021 to January 2022 via multistage stratified random sampling. The Self-rating Questionnaire for Adolescent Problematic Mobile Phone Use (SQAPMPU) was used to assess the MPD, the Adolescent Student Burnout Scale (ASBI) was used to assess the learning burnout, and the Social Support Scale (SSS) was used to assess the social support. A hierarchical linear regression model was used to analyze the relationship between MPD, learning burnout, and social support. The mediating effect of social support between MPD and learning burnout was analyzed by structural equation model.

Results

Prevalence of MPD was 26.4% among adolescents in Guizhou province in western China. After adjusting for confounding variables like demographics, multiple linear regression model has revealed that learning burnout positively predicted MPD and social support negatively predicted MPD. The structural equation model showed that 10.9% of the effect was explained by the mediating effect of social support.

Conclusion

These findings could inform service delivery and policy formulation to reduce learning and avoid MPD in adolescents.

The relationship between exercise addiction, eating disorders, and insecure attachment styles among recreational exercisers

BACKGROUND

Exercise addiction (EA) and eating disorders (ED) frequently co-occur in both professional and amateur athletes, with up to 48% of individuals with EA also exhibiting symptoms of ED. Furthermore, pathological attachment styles have been linked to both EA and ED. The current study aimed to explore the unique association between types of insecure attachment styles (i.e., anxiety or avoidance) and EA and ED.

METHOD

Four hundred and five Israelis (199 women, 206 men) who were recreational exercisers (i.e., exercised at least four hours a week for at least one year) with ages ranging from 18 to 78 (M = 38, SD = 12.31) completed a set of questionnaires, including the Eating Attitudes Test (EAT-26), Exercise Addiction Inventory, and the Experiences in Close Relationship Scale. Path analysis was used to simultaneously examine the associations of attachment anxiety and avoidance with EA and ED symptoms. Attachment anxiety and avoidance were specified as independent variables predicting ED and EA symptoms and were entered into the analysis as two parallel dependent variables.

RESULTS

The results of the study indicate that attachment anxiety is positively associated with symptoms of EDs, while the association between attachment anxiety and symptoms of EA is not significant. On the other hand, attachment avoidance shows a positive association with symptoms of exercise addiction, but no significant association with symptoms of EDs is found.

CONCLUSIONS

These results imply that the anxious attachment regulation strategy is highly associated with body image concerns. Furthermore, individuals characterized by avoidance attachment manifest regulation strategies through excessive exercise. Scholars and practitioners could use these results to examine dispositional risk factors for insecure attachment styles and to assess specific pathologies among the population of recreational exercisers. The study also discusses limitations, future directions, and implications in detail.

Patterns of smartphone usage associated with depressive symptoms in nursing students

Introduction

Rather than focusing on the activities that the smartphone has been used for, the existing literature frequently focuses on the association between problematic use of smartphone independent of the content of use (self-reported) and depressive symptoms in youth. This study aims to explore patterns of smartphone usage and the association with depressive symptoms in nursing students.

Methods

This cross-sectional study of nursing freshmen (n = 1, 716) was conducted between October and November 2018. Participants were recruited from three Chinese public medical universities using stratified cluster sampling. Self-rated frequency of 12 different smartphone activities over the preceding week was evaluated. Depressive symptoms were assessed by using the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9).

Results

Of the 1,716 students recruited, 1,424 (83.0%) were girls, and the mean [SD] age was 18.90 [1.39] years. Using principal component analysis (PCA), two typical usage patterns were indicated. The "entertainment pattern" factor included a high frequency of streaming images or videos, searching for information, chatting online, online shopping, downloading, reading online, checking social media sites, taking pictures or videos, and playing games. The "communication pattern" had a high frequency of emailing, texting, and calling. Using logistic regression models, the association between smartphone usage patterns and depressive symptoms was tested. The "communication pattern" was significantly associated with a 53% increase in the odds of moderate and above depressive symptoms (AOR = 1.529; 95% CI = 1.286-1.818; p < 0.001), controlling for a set of socio-demographic and smartphone use covariates.

Discussion

This study provides insights into how the patterns of smartphone usage are associated with the severity of depressive symptoms in nursing students. It indicates that it may primarily be how we use our smartphones rather than how much we use them that poses a risk for depression.

Are Cyberchondria and Intolerance of Uncertainty Related to Smartphone Addiction?

Smartphones are a medium for performing online activities, and one such activity could be the compulsive online health information search - cyberchondria. This study aimed to test whether cyberchondria and intolerance of uncertainty (IU) positively predict smartphone addiction (SA), adjusted for age, gender, daily use duration, the reason for using smartphones, and symptoms of anxiety and depression. The sample consisted of 471 adults (55.2% women) from the general population without chronic diseases (Mage = 38.67). Regression analysis showed that IU was a positive predictor of SA (β = .17, p < .001), as well as cyberchondria (β = .14, p < .001), which had a unique contribution to the explanation of SA, relative to IU. Other significant predictors were average daily smartphone use and entertainment use, the latter being the strongest predictor in the model. These results revealed cyberchondria as a unique predictor of SA.

Psychometric Properties of the Serbian Smartphone Application-Based Addiction Scale (SABAS) and Validation of the English Version Among Non-native English Speakers

The present study evaluated the psychometric properties of the Serbian Smartphone Application-Based Addiction Scale (SABAS) and the original English version of the same scale administered to a Serbian-speaking sample. In Study 1, 599 participants completed Serbian SABAS, with 189 having both test and retest data. Results suggested good internal consistency (α = .81) and test–retest reliability (ICC = .795, p < .001, 95% CI [.731, .844], rtest-retest = .803) of the scale. Convergent validity of the SABAS was evaluated through correlations with the Smartphone Addiction Scale–Short Version (SAS-SV), as well as with anxiety, depression, worry, duration, and purpose of smartphone use. Divergent validity of the SABAS was evaluated through comparing the correlations with entertainment and productive smartphone use. The modified CFA model showed an acceptable fit (χ2(8) = 25.53, p = .001, CFI = .961, TLI = .926, RMSEA = .096, SRMR = .042), confirming the unidimensionality of the SABAS. In the second study, the English SABAS, completed by 335 non-native speakers from Serbia, also showed a good fit of the single-factor model (χ2(9) = 12.56, p = .184, CFI = .990, TLI = .984, RMSEA = .036, SRMR = 0.026), and good psychometric features. Based on the study’s findings, the Serbian version of SABAS is a reliable and valid measure for screening the risk of smartphone addiction. Moreover, the English version can be used among non-native Serbian English speakers.

Understanding the construction of 'behavior' in smartphone addiction: A scoping review

It has been claimed that smartphone usage constitutes a behavioral addiction, characterised by compulsive, excessive use of one's phone and psychological withdrawal or distress when the phone is absent. However, there is uncertainty about key phenomenological and conceptual details of smartphone addiction. One of the central problems has been understanding the processes that link smartphone usage, and addiction. The question this paper aims to answer is straightforward: based on measures utilised in the literature, what does 'behavior' mean in the context of smartphone addiction? A scoping review of the smartphone addiction literature was undertaken. This identified 1305 studies collecting smartphone addiction data. Just under half (49.89%) of all published smartphone addiction papers did not report the collection of any smartphone specific behaviors. Those that did tended to focus on a small cluster of self-reported behaviors capturing volume of overall use: hours spent using a smartphone per day, number of pickups, duration of smartphone ownership, and types of app used. Approximately 10% of papers used logged behavioral data on phones. Although the theoretical literature places increasing focus on context and patterns of use, measurements of behavior tend to focus on broad, volumetric measures. The number of studies reporting behavior has decreased over time, suggesting smartphone addiction is becoming increasingly trait-like. Both major phone operating systems have proprietary apps that collected behavioral data by default, and research in the field should take advantage of these capabilities when measuring smartphone usage.

Problematic Internet Use among Adults: A Cross-Cultural Study in 15 Countries

BACKGROUND

The present study compared adult usage patterns of online activities, the frequency rate of problematic internet use (PIU), and risk factors (including the psychopathology associated with PIU, i.e., distress and impulsivity) among adults in 15 countries from Europe, America, and Asia.

METHODS

A total of 5130 adults from Belgium, Finland, Germany, Italy, Spain, France, Switzerland, Hungary, Poland, UK, Norway, Peru, Canada, US, and Indonesia completed an online survey assessing PIU and a number of psychological variables (i.e., depression, anxiety, stress, and impulsivity). The sample included more females, with a mean age of 24.71 years (SD = 8.70).

RESULTS

PIU was slightly lower in European countries (rates ranged from 1.1% in Finland to 10.1% in the UK, compared to 2.9% in Canada and 10.4% in the US). There were differences in specific PIU rates (e.g., problematic gaming ranged from 0.4% in Poland to 4.7% in Indonesia). Regression analyses showed that PIU was predicted by problematic social networking and gaming, lack of perseverance, positive urgency, and depression.

CONCLUSIONS

The differences in PIU between countries were significant for those between continental regions (Europe versus non-European countries). One of the most interesting findings is that the specific PIU risks were generally low compared to contemporary literature. However, higher levels of PIU were present in countries outside of Europe, although intra-European differences existed.

The more academic burnout students got, the more problematic mobile phone use they suffered? A meta-analysis of mainland Chinese adolescents and young adults

Introduction

In recent years, the relationship between academic burnout (AB) and problematic mobile phone use (PMPU) has become the hot issue of scholars, and a lot of related research has been carried out, but the results are different. Most studies showed that there was a significant positive correlation between AB and PMPU. However, some studies showed that the relationship between AB and PMPU was not significant. While this study aimed at exploring the relationship between AB and PMPU, as well as the influence of some moderating factors (region, age, gender, publication year, the measurement instrument) on them.

Methods

According to the searching process for studies of PRISMA, we searched the related studies on AB and PMPU in Mainland China from January 2012 to November 2022 from CNKI, Wanfang Data, Chongqing VIP Information Co., Ltd. (VIP), Baidu scholar, ProQuest dissertations, Taylor & Francis, Springer, Web of Science, Google Scholar, EBSCO and PsyclNFO. Eventually, 50 studies were included in the meta-analysis, involving 38,488 subjects, with the sample size ranging from 193 to 2,260. CMA 3.0 was used to analyze the overall effect and test the moderating effect.

Results

The result shows that the relationship between AB and PMPU can be considered as a moderate correlation (r = 0.414, 95%CI [0.384, 0.443]), and moderator analysis shows that the relationship between AB and PMPU was moderated by the measurement instrument and publication year.

Discussion

Specifically, when the Mobile Phone Addiction Tendency Scale and the Smartphone Addiction Scale for College Students were used as PMPU measurement tools, the correlation coefficients between AB and PMPU were higher. When the publication year was used as a moderating variable, the relationship between AB and PMPU increased over the years. Systematic Review Registration: https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?ID=CRD42022347277, identifier PROSPERO CRD42022347277.

APP-guided assessment of acetabular defects in hip revision arthroplasty: a structured approach to a complex situation

INTRODUCTION

Acetabular defect recognition and classification remains a challenging field of practice for orthopedic surgeons. Recently, the Acetabular Defect Classification (ADC) has been introduced to provide a reliable, reproducible and intuitive classification system. In order to improve ease of use and efficiency of the ADC, a browser-based application has been created. We hypothesized that the ADC application can improve rating performance of non-specialists (medical students) to achieve good inter- and intra-rater agreement and will compare favorable to the results of specialists (experienced surgeons) without the help of the application.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The ADC is based on the integrity of the acetabular rim and the supporting structures. It consists of four main types of defects ascending in severity. These defects are further subdivided in A-C, narrowing down defect location. 80 randomized radiographs were graded according to ADC by three non-specialists (medical students) with help of the ADC application and by three specialists (orthopedic surgeons) without help of the application to evaluate the difference in inter-rater agreement between groups. To account for intra-rater agreement, the rating process was repeated after a reasonable wash-out period.

RESULTS

Inter-rater and intra-rater agreement within the non-specialist group rated lower when compared to the specialist group while still falling into the good agreement range. The student group presented with k values of 0.61 for inter-rater agreement and 0.68 for intra-rater agreement, while the surgeon group displayed k values of 0.72 for inter-rater agreement and 0.83 for intra-rater agreement.

CONCLUSION

The app-guided assessment of acetabular defects offers a promising innovative approach to simplify complex situations. It makes the challenging field of acetabular revision arthroplasty more approachable especially for less experienced surgeons and offers insight and guidance in the planning stage as well as intra-operative setting.

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.

Correlations between Problematic Mobile Phone Use and Depressiveness and Daytime Sleepiness, as Well as Perceived Social Support in Adolescents

(1) The aim of this study was to estimate the scale of mobile phone addiction among young adults as well as to establish whether the low level of perceived social support is related to problematic smartphone use, and whether an addictive pattern of mobile phone use is related to the prevalence of depressiveness and excessive daytime sleepiness. (2) The study was carried out using the diagnostic poll method via the questionnaire technique. Both the author's own questionnaire and the following standardized research tools were used: the Mobile Phone Problem Use Scale for Adolescents (MPPUSA), the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), the Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS), and the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS). (3) Perceived social support was significantly lower in the group of respondents who problematically used their mobile phones in comparison with the ones who used them in a proper way. Severity of depressive symptoms and daytime sleepiness was significantly higher in respondents addicted to their mobiles compared to nonaddicted ones. (4) Conclusions: An important correlation between phone addiction and the prevalence of depressive symptoms and excessive daytime sleepiness exists. Problematic mobile phone use concerns individuals with low levels of perceived social support.

The Relationship between Mobile Phone Anxiety and Sleep Quality Occupational Therapy in Adolescents and Its Internal Mechanism

With the development of the Internet era, the application of smartphones in life is quite useful, and the penetration rate of smartphones will be further increased in the future, making teenagers increasingly dependent on mobile phones. Teenagers are under great academic pressure, and excessive reliance on mobile phones will inevitably affect the formation of normal values. Teenagers, as a special group, deserve our attention. Mobile phone dependence has become a social problem. In this paper, the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index was used to evaluate the sleep quality of adolescents, and the factors affecting the sleep quality of adolescents were explored from three dimensions of behaviour, physiology, and emotion based on the sleep quality model. In this study, structural equation modelling was used to test the multiple mediating effects and analyze the relationship between mobile phone anxiety and sleep quality. Through the analysis of the internal mechanism of the two, the results show that the average score of adolescents' anxiety about mobile phone use is 32.87, and the standard deviation is 10.67. The difference between mobile phone anxiety and sleep quality was statistically significant (P < 0.001); good sleep quality can alleviate the prediction effect of mobile phone anxiety on anxiety and provide reference for promoting the physical and mental health development of adolescents.

Evaluating Gender Differences in Problematic Smartphone Use

Abstract. The Smartphone Addiction Inventory (SPAI) is widely used to measure problematic smartphone use (PSU). Although the SPAI has been translated and validated in different countries, its measurement invariance across gender has received little research attention. This study aimed to examine whether men and women interpreted the Italian version of the SPAI (SPAI-I) similarly and, consequently, whether the observed gender differences in SPAI scores, which have been shown in previous studies, could be due to true differences, rather than to differences in measurement. Six hundred nineteen Italian young adults ( Mage = 22.02 ± 2.63; 55.7% women) took part in the study and completed the SPAI-I. Multigroup CFA was applied to test the measurement invariance across gender, and the item parameter invariance was investigated with the item-response theory (IRT) differential item functioning (DIF) method for multidimensional models. Evidence of measurement invariance across gender was found. Only one item (i.e., item 14, “The idea of using smartphone comes as the first thought on mind when waking up each morning”) out of 24 items of the SPAI-I showed DIF with a large effect size. Gender-related differences found with the SPAI-I reflect true differences in smartphone overuse rather than specific characteristics of the measure.

Influence of Cognitive Task Difficulty in Postural Control and Hemodynamic Response in the Prefrontal Cortex during Static Postural Standing

In daily life, we perform several tasks simultaneously, and it is essential to have adequate postural control to succeed. Furthermore, when performing two or more tasks concurrently, changes in postural oscillation are expected due to the competition for the attentional resources. The aim of this study was to evaluate and compare the center of pressure (CoP) behavior and the hemodynamic response of the prefrontal cortex during static postural standing while performing cognitive tasks of increasing levels of difficulty on a smartphone in young adults. Participants were 35 healthy young adults (mean age ± SD = 22.91 ± 3.84 years). Postural control was assessed by the CoP analysis (total excursion of the CoP (TOTEX CoP), displacements of the CoP in medial–lateral (CoP-ML) and anterior–posterior (CoP-AP) directions, mean total velocity displacement of CoP (MVELO CoP), mean displacement velocity of CoP in medial–lateral (MVELO CoP-ML) and anterior–posterior (MVELO CoP-AP) directions, and 95% confidence ellipse sway area (CEA)), the hemodynamic response by the oxyhemoglobin ([oxy-Hb]), deoxyhemoglobin ([deoxy-Hb]), and total hemoglobin ([total-Hb]) concentrations using a force plate and functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIR), respectively. The results showed that the difficult cognitive task while performing static postural standing caused an increase in all CoP variables in analysis (p < 0.05) and of [oxy-Hb] (p < 0.05), [deoxy-Hb] (p < 0.05) and [total-Hb] (p < 0.05) compared to the postural task. In conclusion, the increase in the cognitive demands negatively affected the performance of the postural task when performing them concurrently, compared to the postural task alone. The difficult cognitive task while performing the postural task presented a greater influence on postural sway and activation of the prefrontal cortex than the postural task and the easy cognitive task.

Prevalence and Associated Factors of Problematic Use of Smartphones Among Adults in Qassim, Saudi Arabia: Cross-sectional Survey

Background

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) ranks third globally in smartphone use. Smartphones have made many aspects of life easier. However, the overuse of smartphones is associated with physical and psychosocial problems.

Objective

The aim of this paper is to estimate the prevalence and associated factors of problematic use of smartphones among adults in the Qassim region of KSA.

Methods

We enrolled 715 participants using cluster random sampling for this cross-sectional survey. We assessed the problematic use of smartphones using the short version of the Smartphone Addiction Scale.

Results

We estimated the prevalence of problematic smartphone use among adults at 64% (453/708). Multivariable logistic regression analysis suggested that students are 3 times more likely to demonstrate problematic use compared with unemployed individuals (P=.03); adults using more than five apps are 2 times more likely to demonstrate problematic use compared to those using a maximum of three apps (P=.007). Protective factors against problematic smartphone use include using apps for academic (odds ratio [OR] 0.66; P=.04) or religious needs (OR 0.55; P=.007) and having a monthly family income of 5001-10,000 SAR (Saudi Riyal; US $1300-$2700; OR 0.46; P=.01) or 10,001-20,000 SAR (US $2700-$5400; OR 0.51; P=.03) compared to the <1501 SAR (US $400) income group.

Conclusions

We reported a very high prevalence of problematic use of smartphones in KSA. Considering its negative impact on physical and psychosocial health, public health programs should develop preventive strategies.

Nomophobia among Preservice Teachers: a descriptive correlational study at Ghanaian Colleges of Education

The present study aimed at investigating nomophobia prevalence, thus, recurrence of anxiety without a smartphone, with preservice teachers in the Colleges of Education, Ghana. An actual sample of 345 preservice teachers responded to a 20-item questionnaire on nomophobia (NMP-Q). A one-way MANOVA between different groups statistics was applied in determining the differences in nomophobic behaviours among preservice teachers based on non-technology-related variables (gender, age, specialism, subjective economic status, sleep/rest hours, and religion) and technology-related variables (number of smartphones owned, smartphone ownership duration, active internet services, and daily internet usage time). The results evidenced that the vast majority of preservice teachers had mild to severe nomophobia, and their most significant anxiety was related to access to information and communication. Besides, non-technology-related variables in gender, sleep hours, and subjective economic status significantly impacted the preservice teachers' nomophobia. Technology-related variables that significantly influenced the nomophobic behaviour of preservice teachers included the number of smartphones owned, smartphone ownership duration, and active internet service. A sizable majority of the preservice teachers showed signs of mild to severe nomophobia. The present study provides prefatory support for the prevalence of nomophobia among the Ghanaian preservice teachers.

The use of risk homeostasis theory to reduce smartphone use during low-speed driving

Driving while distracted by smartphones is an unsafe behavior and constitutes a serious worldwide road safety issue. In line with the risk homeostasis theory, during high-speed driving, drivers perceive smartphone usage as an unwarranted risk and in most cases refrain from doing so. During low-speed driving, however, drivers often use their smartphones, as they do not perceive this as inherently unsafe, even though it is. The goal of this study was to examine an intervention, based on the risk homeostasis theory, aimed at decreasing the use of smartphones while driving at low speeds. Thirty-seven young drivers participated in the research group that aimed to alter drivers' risk perceptions, decision making, and behavior. The study also included a control group of 33 young drivers. All of the participants' smartphone usage was monitored using a dedicated application that measured both the number of times drivers touched their smartphone screens while driving and the driving speed each time the screen was touched. The results indicate that drivers in the research group decreased their smartphone usage while driving, unlike the control group drivers who did not alter their behavior. In conclusion, a risk homeostasis-based intervention can decrease dangerous and unsafe driving behavior, even when such behavior is not perceived as significantly dangerous. Furthermore, additional types of risky and unsafe driving behaviors may be decreased using this type of intervention.

PEGASO e-Diary: User Engagement and Dietary Behavior Change of a Mobile Food Record for Adolescents

Background

Obesity amongst children and adolescents is becoming a major health problem globally and mobile food records can play a crucial role in promoting healthy dietary habits.

Objective

To describe the methodology for the implementation of the e-Diary mobile food record, to assess its capability in promoting healthy eating habits, to evaluate the factors associated with its usage and engagement.

Methods

This is a descriptive study that compared the characteristics of participants engaged in the e-Diary, which was part of the PEGASO project in which an app to provide proactive health promotion was given to 365 students at 4 European sites enrolled during October to December 2016: England (UK), Scotland (UK), Lombardy (Italy), and Catalonia (Spain). The e-Diary tracked the users' dietary habits in terms of food groups, dietary indexes, and 6 dietary target behaviors relating to consumption of: fruit; vegetable; breakfast; sugar-sweetened beverages; fast-food; and snacks. The e-Diary provided also personalized suggestions for the next meal and gamification.

Results

The e-Diary was used for 6 months by 357 adolescents (53.8% females). The study showed that females used the e-Diary much more than males (aOR 3.8, 95% CI 1.6-8.8). Participants aged 14 years were more engaged in the e-Diary than older age groups (aOR 5.1, 95% CI 1.4-18.8) as were those with a very good/excellent self-perceived health status compared to their peers with fair/poor health perception (aOR 4.2, 95% CI 1.3-13.3). Compared to the intervention sites, those living in Catalonia (aOR 13.2 95% CI 2.5-68.8) were more engaged. In terms of behavior change, a significant positive correlation between fruit (p < 0.0001) and vegetables (p = 0.0087) intake was observed in association with increased engagement in the e-Diary. Similarly, adolescents who used the app for more than 2 weeks had significantly higher odds of not skipping breakfast over the study period (aOR 2.5, 95% CI 1.0-6.3).

Conclusions

The users highly engaged with the e-Diary were associated with improved dietary behaviors: increased consumption of fruit and vegetables and reduced skipping of breakfast. Although the overall usage of the e-Diary was high during the first weeks, it declined thereafter. Future applications should foster user engagement, particularly targeting adolescents at high risk.

Clinical Trial Registration

https://www.clinicaltrials.gov/, identifier: NCT02930148.

Distinguishing Different Types of Mobile Phone Addiction: Development and Validation of the Mobile Phone Addiction Type Scale (MPATS) in Adolescents and Young Adults

Researchers have developed various versions of scales to measure mobile phone addiction. Existing scales, however, focus primarily on the overall level of mobile phone addiction but do not distinguish the potential differences between different types of mobile phone addiction. There is a lack of established scales that can measure different types of mobile phone addiction. The present study aimed to uncover the specific types of mobile phone addiction and develop a Mobile Phone Addiction Type Scale (MPATS) for adolescents and young adults. Adolescents and young adults from two high schools and two universities in Central and South China participated in our study. A total of 108 mobile phone addicts (M_age = 17.60 years, SD = 3.568 years; 60.185% males) were interviewed to uncover the specific types of mobile phone addiction. Data from 876 adolescents and young adults (M_age = 16.750 years, SD = 3.159 years; 49.087% males) were tested for item discrimination and exploratory factor analysis. Data from 854 adolescents and young adults (M_age = 16.750 years, SD = 3.098 years; 50.820% males) were analyzed for construct validity, convergent validity, criterion-related validity, and internal consistency reliability. The 26-item Mobile Phone Addiction Type Scale (MPATS) was developed with four factors named mobile social networking addiction, mobile game addiction, mobile information acquisition addiction, and mobile short-form video addiction. The four-factor, 26-item MPATS revealed good construct validity, convergent validity, criterion-related validity, and internal consistency reliability. The new scale is suitable for measuring different types of mobile phone addiction in adolescents and young adults. Limitations and implications are discussed.

The Influence of Sociodemographic Factors on Mobile Device Use among Young Children in Putrajaya, Malaysia

Technology is evolving rapidly around the world, and the use of mobile devices is increasing every day. Today, everyone owns a mobile device, including young children. Parents provide and allow young children to use mobile devices for various purposes. Due to the fact of these circumstances, children begin to become comfortable with the use of mobile devices, and they are prone to excessive use. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to examine the influence of sociodemographic factors on excessive mobile device use among young children. Sociodemographic variables, including the child’s gender, the child’s age when starting to use a mobile device, the parent’s educational level, household income, type of application used, and the purpose of giving a mobile device to the child, were selected as predictive factors. A cross-sectional survey study design with a quantitative approach was conducted. A simple random sampling technique was employed, and a total of 364 parents completed the adapted questionnaire, namely, the Problematic Mobile Phone Use Scale (PMPUS). Data were statistically analyzed using descriptive and binary logistic regression analysis. The findings revealed that gender, age of the child when starting to use mobile devices, and purpose of parents providing mobile devices significantly contributed to 77.7% of the variance to make children users with a problem. However, the parent’s educational level, household income, and type of application did not significantly contribute to the problem of mobile device use. Later, this study discusses the research implication, limitation, and recommendation for future research based on the finding.

Social+Me: a persuasive application to increase communication between students and their support networks in Southern Chile

Technology can improve university students' communication, helping them maintain relationships. Although there are many available technological tools, students face challenges-e.g., living far from home, failing grades, depression-that may isolate them from their networks. Most research into these topics has been conducted in countries in which students leave their parents' home while at university, which is not the case for most students in southern Chile. In this context that has been seldom studied, this paper presents two studies, focusing on two research questions: (1) How do university students in southern Chile communicate? (2) Can a mobile application persuade university students to increase their communication patterns? To answer these questions, we conducted a survey with 90 students in southern Chile, and then developed a persuasive application called Social+Me, aimed at monitoring communication with students' support networks and persuading them to keep in touch. We conducted a preliminary evaluation of Social+Me, and the application was well received by participants, who felt that it improved their communication with their social network. The main impact of our study lies in applying persuasive technologies to the communicative practice of university students to prevent students from feeling isolated or unsupported.

The Digital Divide and Seeking Health Information on Smartphones in Asia: Survey Study of Ten Countries

Background

Although recent developments in mobile health have elevated the importance of how smartphones empower individuals to seek health information, research investigating this phenomenon in Asian countries has been rare.

Objective

The goal of our study was to provide a comprehensive profile of mobile health information seekers and to examine the individual- and country-level digital divide in Asia.

Methods

With survey data from 10 Asian countries (N=9086), we ran multilevel regression models to assess the effect of sociodemographic factors, technological factors, and country-level disparities on using smartphones to seek health information.

Results

Respondents who were women (β=.13, P<.001), parents (β=.16, P<.001), employed (β=.08, P=.002), of higher social status (β=.08, P<.001), and/or from countries with low health expenditures (β=.19, P=.02) were more likely to use smartphones to seek health information. In terms of technological factors, technology innovativeness (β=.10, P<.001) and frequency of smartphone use (β=.42, P<.001) were important factors of health information seeking, whereas the effect of online information quality was marginal (β=–.04, P<.001).

Conclusions

Among smartphone users in Asia, health information seeking varies according to individuals’ socioeconomic status, their innovativeness toward technology, and their frequency of smartphone use. Although smartphones widen the digital divide among individuals with different socioeconomic status, they also bridge the divide between countries with varying health expenditures. Smartphones appear to be a particularly useful complement to manage health in developing countries.

Country Indicators Moderating the Relationship Between Phubbing and Psychological Distress: A Study in 20 Countries

Problematic mobile phone use can be related to negative mental states. Some studies indicate that behavioural dependency is related to variables associated with the country of origin. The aim of our study was to investigate if country indicators moderated the relationship between phubbing and psychological distress. Our sample consisted of 7,315 individuals from 20 countries, who completed the Phubbing Scale and the Kessler Psychological Distress Scale (K6). The analyses also included country indicators: the Gender Gap Index (GGI), the Human Development Index (HDI), the Social Progress Index (SPI), Hofstede’s dimensions of culture, and the World Happiness Index (WHI). Our results showed that psychological distress was related to at least one dimension of phubbing (i.e., to communication disturbance or phone obsession) in all countries, which means this relationship is culturally universal. The results of the study demonstrate the importance of testing measurement invariance to determine what type of analysis and what type of conclusion are valid in a given study or comparison. Moreover, the increasing or decreasing correlation between phubbing and distress is related to some culture-level indices.

Hedonic use, stress, and life satisfaction as predictors of smartphone addiction

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Hedonic smartphone use predicts the risk of smartphone addiction.

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Perceived stress predicts the risk of smartphone addiction.

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Satisfaction with life predicts indirectly and negatively the risk of smartphone addiction.

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Female gender is a direct and positive predictor of the risk smartphone addiction.

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Hedonic smartphone use positively predicts perceived stress, and life satisfaction negatively predicts perceived stress.

This study examined the relationship between hedonic smartphone use (entertainment, social media, games), perceived life stress, and satisfaction with life with smartphone addiction (SA). We tested the connections using structural equation modeling (SEM) on questionnaire data obtained from 410 participants (73.2% women). Results indicated a good overall fit of the model (χ²(36) = 58.06, p = .011; CFI = 0.970, TLI = 0.954, RMSEA[90% CI] = 0.039 [0.019, 0.056], SRMR = 0.037). Perceived stress and hedonic use were positive predictors of SA (β = 0.264, p = .001 and β = 0.176, p = .002, respectively). Satisfaction with life did not directly predict SA, but an indirect effect, via perceived stress, was statistically significant (β = −0.146, p = .001). Women showed greater SA than men, but the effect of age was not significant. Perceived stress was negatively predicted by satisfaction with life, and positively by hedonic use. Based on the compensatory internet use theory, hedonic or non-utilitarian smartphone use might be associated with SA. The study concludes that being female, hedonic smartphone use, and perceived life stress predict SA.

Is the relationship between problematic mobile phone use and mental health problems mediated by fear of missing out and escapism?

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Higher level of problematic mobile phone use was associated with higher level of mental health problems, Fear of Missing Out (FoMO) and escapism.

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Higher level of mental health problems was associated with higher level of FoMO.

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Higher level of FoMO and worry was associated with higher level of escapism.

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The association between problematic mobile phone use and mental health problems was not mediated by FoMO and escapism.

Introduction

Individuals with problematic mobile phone use often report mental health problems, however, little is known about factors which mediate this association. Therefore, the aim of this study was to examine the mediating role of fear of missing out (FoMO) and escapism in an attempt to explain the relationship between problematic mobile phone use and mental health problems.

Method

A total of 235 undergraduate students in Turkey participated in this study. These participants completed a set of questionnaires to measure fear of missing out, problematic mobile phone use, escapism, depression, anxiety, stress, and worry severity.

Results

Participants with a high level of problematic mobile phone use also had a high level of mental health problems, FoMO, and escapism. The association between problematic mobile phone use and mental health problems was not mediated by FoMO and escapism.

Conclusion

Personal characteristics such as emotional regulation and self-regulation need to be examined in future studies in order to determine their potential mediating role in explaining the association between problematic mobile phone use and mental health problems.

Mental Health, Smartphone Use Type, and Screen Time Among Adolescents in South Korea

Purpose

The excessive use of smartphones for social interaction is associated with mental health. However, few studies have considered the purpose of smartphone usage and screen time together. Therefore, we investigated the impact of smartphone purpose and screen time on mental health using data from the 2017 Korea Youth Risk Behavior Web-based Survey (KYRBS).

Participants and Methods

A total of 54,243 adolescents answered items on purpose and screen time of smartphone use, stress perception, sleep dissatisfaction, depressive symptoms, and suicide-related indicators. The purpose of smartphone usage was categorized as social interaction and non-social interaction, and the daily smartphone screen time was classified into three categories: < 2 hours, ≥ 2 hours but < 4 hours, ≥ 4 hours per day.

Results

We determined that, on weekdays, stress perception, sleep satisfaction, depressive symptoms, and suicide-related indicators worsened in both groups that used smartphones for ≥4 hours per day. When using smartphone for ≥2 hours but <4 hours per day on weekdays, depending on the smartphone use purpose, mental health outcomes differed between the two groups. On weekends, using smartphones for ≥2 hours but <4 hours per day worsened sleep satisfaction but decreased suicide-related indicators in both groups. Mental health outcomes improved when participants used smartphones for ≥2 hours but <4 hours per day but worsened when smartphones were used for ≥4 hours per day on weekends.

Conclusion

Recommended screen time of smartphone is different depending on the purpose of smartphone use, and the risk of uncontrolled usage is emphasized, rather than the absolute screen time.

Anxiety-Depressive Syndrome and Binge-Watching Among Young Adults

In recent years, binge-watching becomes a highly popular way of spending free time. Even though binge-watching usually is related to entertainment, there are concerns about some negative and unhealthy outcomes of excessive form of this behavior. The study examined the predictive value of anxiety-depressive syndrome in explaining the symptoms of problematic binge-watching and the tendency to adopt a specific motivation to watch series. Research group consists of 645 Polish young adults. The State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, Depression Measurement Questionnaire, Viewing Motivation Scale, and Questionnaire of Excessive Binge-Watching were used in this study. The results of the path analysis show that anxiety-depressive syndrome and motivation to watch TV series are the significant factors in the manifestation of all symptoms of problematic binge-watching. Moreover, there is a significant relation between anxiety-depressive syndrome and motivation to watch TV series, which especially concerns escape motivation and motivation to deal with loneliness. Furthermore, motivation to deal with loneliness, escape motivation, and motivation to spend free time have mediating effect on the relationship between anxiety-depressive syndrome and problematic binge-watching. Results of this research show that there could be not only normative binge-watching behavior but also unhealthy and problematic form of this behavior.

Khuluma: Using Participatory, Peer-Led and Digital Methods to Deliver Psychosocial Support to Young People Living With HIV in South Africa

Khuluma is a psychosocial and peer-to-peer mHealth intervention that uses text messaging to facilitate support groups for adolescents living with HIV (ALWH) with the aim of contributing toward positive health outcomes. Although use of mobile technology in the form of mHealth interventions has proliferated recently in the field of health, published literature describing methods and processes of its application are limited. We present a set of methods and processes utilised to develop and pilot the Khuluma mHealth intervention amongst young people (15–20 years) in South Africa. We recruited and enrolled 52 adolescents (15–20-year olds) from four clinics in Pretoria and Cape Town to participate in a 6-month pilot of Khuluma. Participants were ALWH, aware of their status, on antiretroviral therapy for more than 12 months, and not suffering from severe depression. We conducted four pre and post intervention focus group discussions (FGDs) with a proportion of ALWH (n = 36) enrolled in the pilot study using participatory methods. Several processes were utilised to then implement this pilot study. These included engaging ALWH for minor study implementation modifications; forming virtual groups; activating the mHealth platform; facilitating and delivering the Khuluma intervention. The acceptability of the intervention was informed by follow-up focus group discussions and text message data. The initial participatory processes helped to tailor the intervention design to participants' needs. The peer-led facilitation of the groups allowed for the provision of sensitive psychosocial support that allowed young people to express themselves freely, develop a sense of self-worth, and interact more. The nature of the mobile technology also allowed participants to build friendships beyond their geographic area and interact with their peers in real time. Within the evolving context of COVID-19, establishing evidence-based processes and methods for intervention design and curation in virtual spaces is critical.

Smartphone use and addiction during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic: cohort study on 184 Italian children and adolescents

Background

The lives of many children and adolescents are today increasingly influenced by new technological devices, including smartphones. The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic occurred in a time of outstanding scientific progress and global digitalization. Young people had relevant adverse psychological and behavioral effects due to the COVID-19 pandemic, mainly related to infection control measures, which led them to spend more time at home and with major use of technological tools. The goal this study proposes is to evaluate health and social outcomes of smartphone overuse among Italian children and adolescents during the COVID-19 pandemic, analyzing patterns and aims of utilization, as well as the eventual presence and degree of addiction.

Methods

This study was based on a self-report and anonymous questionnaire, which was administered to 184 Italian school-age (6–18 years) children and adolescents during the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. The test was electronically (email, whatsapp) explained and sent by pediatricians either directly to older children (middle and high school), or indirectly, through the help of teachers, to younger ones (primary school). All participants spontaneously and voluntarily joined the present study. The survey was made by 4 sections, and designed to know and outline modalities (frequency, patterns and aims) of smartphone use, adverse outcomes, and related parental behaviors, also in order to reveal the eventual occurrence and degree of addiction. The same information, related to the pre-epidemic period, was also investigated and analyzed.

Results

The data obtained revealed a significantly greater adhesion to the questionnaire by females, likely reflecting higher attention and interest than boys to initiatives relating to health education. Our study showed more frequent smartphone use among Italian children and adolescents during the COVID-19 pandemic, compared to the pre-epidemic period. This may be related to the social distancing measures adopted during the months under investigation. The present survey also outlined the changing patterns and aims in the use of smartphones among young people, which allowed to limit some effects of the crisis. Indeed, they were used for human connection, learning and entertainment, providing psychological and social support. Finally, it was observed a significant increase of overuse and addiction. This led to many clinical (sleep, ocular and musculoskeletal disorders), psychological (distraction, mood modification, loss of interest) and social (superficial approach to learning, isolation) unfavorable outcomes.

Conclusions

Pediatricians and health care professionals should be aware of the potential risks related to inappropriate use of smartphones. They should monitor, in cooperation with parents, possible associated adverse effects, in order to early recognize signs and symptoms suggestive, or at high risk, for addiction. They must carry out, as well, the necessary interventions to prevent and/or lower the detrimental impact of smartphone overuse on children and adolescents’ health, oriented to sustain adequate physical and psychological development as well as social relationships.

Mobile Phones in Schools: With or Without you? Comparison of Students’ Anxiety Level and Class Engagement After Regular and Mobile-Free School Days

Mobile phones are important for people, especially for young adults and adolescents. As people tend to form attachments to not only social partners, but inanimate targets as well, mobile devices can become important objects that provide safety and security. This could lead to separation anxiety, also known as “nomophobia”. Constant need for mobile use may result in problematic behaviors in schools, cause distraction in class, it is important to explore the students’ relationship to devices. Our study compares state anxiety level of high school students on a regular school day and on an experimental “mobile-free day”, when participants do not carry their mobile phones during classes. We hypothesized that separation from the mobiles would increase anxiety and decrease class engagement, especially in students with higher mobile attachment scores. The sample consisted of 235 secondary school students. Results of Repeated Measures ANCOVA showed that anxiety levels increased on the mobile-free school day, but class engagement was not affected by the experiment. Linear regression analysis revealed ‘Safe Haven’ mobile attachment to be a significant predictor of state anxiety on the mobile free school day. Moreover, correlation analysis revealed that mobile use habits linked to social media and instant message services were associated with higher anxiety scores on the mobile-free school day. Our results provide more insights on both use of mobile phones in learning environment and regarding school regulations of students’ device use.

Recognition and the development potential of mobile shopping of customized cosmetic on untact coronavirus disease 2019 period: Focused on 40's to 60's women in Seoul, Republic of Korea

BACKGROUND

Our research results will be helpful in the development of the K-beauty customized cosmetics industry as well as consumers who are having difficulty in purchasing cosmetics due to the rapid transition to a non-face-to-face society due to COVID-19.

OBJECTIVES

This paper attempted to investigate the recognition and development potential of customized cosmetics, focusing on mobile shopping in the era of COVID-19 untact period.

METHODS

The women included in the study consumer Seoul residence in the mobile shopping experience 40-60 targets for women 380 were the people. Statistical processing of data collected by the data analysis method is analyzed using the SPSS (Statistical Package for Social Science) WIN25.0 statistical package program through the process of data coding and data cleaning.

RESULTS

As the untact era enters, the frequency of using non-face-to-face mobile shopping for customized cosmetics is increasing, and it is believed to be deeply related to the level of interest in skin and recognition of customized cosmetics, such as the use of hands-on apps that incorporate new technologies of the 4th industrial revolution. Looking at the Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin to confirm the normality and validity of the population proved its validity. January 2020 (after COVID-19 spread), the use of mobile shopping was increased. In the future, it was significantly higher to continue shopping for cosmetics using mobile devices p < 0.001.

CONCLUSION

The present study focused on the recognition and development potential of customized cosmetics on mobile shopping in the era of COVID-19 untact period. Our results suggested that the possibility of developing customized cosmetics through mobile shopping in the untact era after COVID-19 will be endless, and it is believed that various marketing strategies will be supported in the future.

Does interpersonal sensitivity and paranoid ideation predict nomophobia: an analysis with a young adult sample

Nomophobia has been studied extensively due to its negative effects on human health and psychology. In terms of clinical psychology, nomophobia has been linked consistently to depression and anxiety. Studies also investigated whether it is a dependency, an impulse control problem, an obsession or a phobia; however, no clear clinical representation was confirmed. Although it was proposed to be added as an official diagnosis to DSM-5, these attempts were inconclusive. In this study, nomophobia was examined clinically by SCL-90 factors. A hierarchical regression analysis was performed by controlling anxiety, depression, phobia and obsessions by putting them in the first step. At the next step, paranoid ideation was entered while interpersonal sensitivity was introduced at the last step. The variables were assigned according to the steps according to their connections confirmed by the literature, the correlation coefficients and β weights obtained in the current study. The hierarchical regression analysis confirmed that after controlling anxiety, depression, phobia and obsessions, nomophobia is explained by interpersonal sensitivity. Paranoid ideation is also an important variable in step 2, but it lost its significance in the last step. Nevertheless, it was thought that what makes people sensitive to interpersonal issues is a kind of fear of missing out others’ experiences (FoMO) which is related to nomophobia. This fear of missing out might prepare people to constantly check on mobile phones thinking paranoid about what they might have been missing or deprived of. Clinical implications and limitations were discussed.

Problematic Mobile Phone Use by Hong Kong Adolescents

Background

Recently there have been growing concerns about problematic mobile phone use by adolescent populations. This study aimed to address this concern through a study of severity and correlates of problematic mobile phone use with a sample of Hong Kong adolescents.

Methods

Data were collected from a sample of adolescents from three local secondary schools (ranging from high to low academic achievement levels) using a measuring scale (PCPU-Q, Yen et al., 2009) designated for Chinese adolescents. Participants were allocated into groups of “problematic users” and “non-problematic users” based on the number of occurrence of symptoms due to excessive and maladaptive use of mobile phone and possible functional impairments caused by problematic mobile phone use. A group of “at-risk users” was identified. A sample-based examination on distribution of these three groups of users was conducted via frequency counts and percentage calculation. A series of t-test were performed to make comparisons between “problematic” and “non-problematic” groups on selected personality and health related variable. Risk and protective factors were identified via correlational analysis and logistic regression analysis.

Results

Under a more stringent cut-off criterion of four or more reported symptoms (out of seven) plus one or more reported functional impairments (out of five), 22.9% of the adolescents participating in this study could be classified as problematic mobile phone users. However, a more lenient criterion (only 4 or more reported symptoms without consideration of functional impairment) reported a substantially more severe prevalence rate (29.3%). A new group of “at-risk” adolescents (6.4%) was identified with such a discrepancy of prevalence rate. Gender difference, some risk and protective factors were also identified for developing this technology-related problem.

Discussion and Conclusions

Adolescents who are vulnerable to suffer from this technology-related problem deserve more attention from helping professionals. Results of this study throw some insights on how to identify problematic mobile phone user applying a criterion-referenced approach. This study echoes a recent call for adopting a developmental perspective in understanding this problem and conducting research in this area. Anchored on present findings, effective interventions to tackle this rising problem among adolescents are suggested.

Impulsivity and Difficulties in Emotional Regulation as Predictors of Binge-Watching Behaviours

Recently, the question about the potentially problematic characteristics of binge-watching behaviours has been raised in the contemporary literature. Binge-watching is a highly popular behaviour that involves watching multiple episodes of TV series in one sitting. Studies show that binge-watching can be both an entertaining, but also a potentially problematic, behaviour. Therefore, this research aimed to answer the question about how impulsivity, difficulties in emotional regulation, and one's motivations around why they want to watch a TV series predict problematic binge-watching among a group of Polish young adults. The research group consisted of 645 participants. The following tools were then used to measure the study variables: the Impulsive Behaviour Scale, the Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale, the Viewing Motivation Scale, and the Questionnaire of Excessive Binge-watching. Furthermore, a regression analysis was performed on the responses to each measure in order to answer our research questions. Our results show that a lack of premeditation, impulse control difficulties, and having an escapist motivation are all significant predictors of problematic binge-watching behaviours. Furthermore, one's motivations around dealing with loneliness, their motivations around how to best spend their free time, as well as their informative and entertaining motivations were also found to be significant predictors of problematic binge-watching behaviours.