Comparison of Students With and Without Problematic Smartphone Use in Light of Attachment Style

Social media addiction: associations with attachment style, mental distress, and personality

BACKGROUND

Social media bring not only benefits but also downsides, such as addictive behavior. While an ambivalent closed insecure attachment style has been prominently linked with internet and smartphone addiction, a similar analysis for social media addiction is still pending. This study aims to explore social media addiction, focusing on variations in attachment style, mental distress, and personality between students with and without problematic social media use. Additionally, it investigates whether a specific attachment style is connected to social media addiction.

METHODS

Data were collected from 571 college students (mean age = 23.61, SD = 5.00, 65.5% female; response rate = 20.06%) via an online survey administered to all enrolled students of Sigmund Freud PrivatUniversity Vienna. The Bergen Social Media Addiction Scale (BSMAS) differentiated between students addicted and not addicted to social media. Attachment style was gauged using the Bielefeld Partnership Expectations Questionnaire (BFPE), mental distress by the Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI-18), and personality by the Big Five Inventory (BFI-10).

RESULTS

Of the total sample, 22.7% of students were identified as addicted to social media. For personality, it was demonstrated that socially media addicted (SMA) students reported significantly higher values on the neuroticism dimension compared to not socially media addicted (NSMA) students. SMA also scored higher across all mental health dimensions-depressiveness, anxiety, and somatization. SMA more frequently exhibited an insecure attachment style than NSMA, specifically, an ambivalent closed attachment style. A two-step cluster analysis validated the initial findings, uncovering three clusters: (1) secure attachment, primarily linked with fewer occurrences of social media addiction and a lower incidence of mental health problems; (2) ambivalent closed attachment, generally associated with a higher rate of social media addiction and increased levels of mental health problems; and (3) ambivalent clingy attachment, manifesting a medium prevalence of social media addiction and a relatively equitable mental health profile.

CONCLUSIONS

The outcomes are aligned with previous research on internet and smartphone addiction, pointing out the relevance of an ambivalent closed attachment style in all three contexts. Therapeutic interventions for social media addiction should be developed and implemented considering these findings.

Insecure Attachment Styles and Phubbing: The Mediating Role of Problematic Smartphone Use

Lately, increasing concern has focused on the incessant and intrusive use of smartphones across a wide range of interpersonal and relational contexts. Of concern is that many people appear to snub someone during face-to-face interactions by focusing more on their smartphone than on their relational partner, namely, phubbing. Individuals with insecure attachment styles may phub their intimate others more often. However, such relationships have not been examined. This study used a cross-sectional design to examine key relationships between insecure attachment styles on phubbing. An online survey was conducted to examine the relationships between the variables of this study ( $N=444$ , 72% female: mean age 20). The analyses revealed both anxious-preoccupied and dismissive-avoidant attachment styles to be positively associated with phubbing. Moreover, both insecure attachment styles indirectly predicted phubbing through problematic smartphone use (PSU). Insecure attachment styles appear to impact how often people phub others within intimate relationships, and further, PSU may function as a mechanism linking these insecure attachment styles with phubbing.

Investigating the Potential Connection Between Cyberchondria and Vaccine Hesitancy in High School Students

BACKGROUND

Internet use, which provides the opportunity to access information from anywhere, and anytime, is increasing among adolescents and young adults. In studies examining the effect of technology use in adults, it has been observed that there is a relationship between cyberchondria and vaccine hesitancy. This study aimed to uncover the potential relationship between cyberchondria and vaccine hesitancy in adolescents and to obtain data for combating anti-vaccination in this age group.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A total of 2.353 high school students were enrolled within the scope of this research. The forms were delivered to the students online and 531 volunteers participated in the survey. The Cyberchondria Severity Scale and Vaccine Hesitancy Scale were used to evaluate the details of the relationship between cyberchondria and vaccine hesitancy levels in adolescents.

RESULTS

The compulsion subscales of the Cyberchondria Severity Scale in males and vaccine repugnance subscales of the Vaccine Hesitancy Scale in females were statistically significantly higher. Cyberchondria and vaccine hesitancy have a strong relationship with each other except benefits and protective value of vaccines subscale of vaccine hesitancy.

CONCLUSION

Health policymakers should be aware of this relationship and there is a need to develop novel online intervention programs for combating anti-vaccination, particularly among cyberchondriac adolescents who have relatively high vaccination hesitancy, particularly during the pandemic.

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

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

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

OBJECTIVE

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

METHODS

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

RESULTS

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

CONCLUSION

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

Inconsistent Media Mediation and Problematic Smartphone Use in Preschoolers: Maternal Conflict Resolution Styles as Moderators

Previous studies suggest that inconsistent parenting leads to undesired consequences, such as a child’s defiant reactance or parent–child conflicts. In light of this, we examined whether mothers’ inconsistent smartphone mediation strategies would influence their children’s problematic smartphone use during early childhood. Furthermore, given that harsh parenting often escalates a child’s behavioral problems, we focused on parent–child conflict resolution tactics as moderators. One hundred fifty-four mothers (ages 25–48 years; M = 35.58 years) of preschoolers (ages 42–77 months) reported their media mediation and parent–child conflict resolution tactics and their child’s problematic smartphone use. We found that the positive association between the mother’s inconsistent mediation and their child’s problematic smartphone use was more pronounced when mothers relied on negative parent–child resolution tactics—i.e., psychological aggression and physical assault. Our findings provide vital theoretical and empirical insights into mother–child relational characteristics for the child’s problematic smartphone use.

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.

Smartphone Use, Experience of Learning Environment, and Academic Performance among University Students: A Descriptive Appraisal

In our contemporary digital society, the smartphone is at the center of a powerful technological revolution affecting multiple domains. In the context of higher learning, the use of smartphones among students has been an area of interest. Previous studies on smartphone use and academic performance have generally focused on measuring the impact that smartphone use has on the academic performance of students. The purpose of this study is to examine the extent to which gender differences and the experience of a particular learning environment contributes to the use of smartphones for academic purposes. Data were collected through the use of a standardized self-report questionnaire completed by 300 first-year and 203 fourth-year undergraduate students from the University of Botswana. Our analysis is guided by the following specific objectives: first, to explore gender and the patterns of smartphone use for academic purposes; second, to appraise the contributing value of the experience of a learning environment on the use of smartphones to enhance academic achievement; and third, to examine smartphone use and its possible contribution to the performance outcome of students. Overall, we argue that the use of a smartphone for academic purposes is partly influenced by the extent to which a student is familiar with or understands the multiple contexts that shape his/her learning environment. For further studies in the field of smartphone use and academic performance, we suggest using multiple methods of data collection to uncover how students attach meanings to the use of smartphones and the role of smartphone use in improving their academic performance outcomes.

Early parent-child interactions and substance use disorder: An attachment perspective on a biopsychosocial entanglement

This review aims to elucidate environmental and genetic factors, as well as their epigenetic and neuroendocrine moderators, that may underlie the association between early childhood experiences and Substance Use Disorders (SUD), through the lens of parental attachment. Here we review those attachment-related studies that examined the monoaminergic systems, the hypothalamic pituitary adrenal stress response system, the oxytoninergic system, and the endogenous opioid system from a genetic, epigenetic, and neuroendocrine perspective. Overall, the selected studies point to a moderating effect of insecure attachment between genetic vulnerability and SUD, reasonably through epigenetic modifications. Preliminary evidence suggests that vulnerability to SUDs is related with hypo-methylation (e.g. hyper-expression) of high-risk polymorphisms on the monoaminergic and hypothalamic pituitary adrenal system and hyper-methylation (e.g. hypo-expressions) of protective polymorphisms on the opioid and oxytocin system. These epigenetic modifications may induce a cascade of neuroendocrine changes contributing to the subclinical and behavioural manifestations that precede the clinical onset of SUD. Protective and supportive parenting could hence represent a key therapeutic target to prevent addiction and moderate insecure attachment.

Excessive Smartphone Use Is Associated With Health Problems in Adolescents and Young Adults

Background and Aims: This present paper will review the existing evidence on the effects of excessive smartphone use on physical and mental health. Results: Comorbidity with depression, anxiety, OCD, ADHD and alcohol use disorder. Excessive smartphone use is associated with difficulties in cognitive-emotion regulation, impulsivity, impaired cognitive function, addiction to social networking, shyness and low self-esteem. Medical problems include sleep problems, reduced physical fitness, unhealthy eating habits, pain and migraines, reduced cognitive control and changes in the brain's gray matter volume. In Conclusion: Excessive smartphone use is associated with psychiatric, cognitive, emotional, medical and brain changes that should be considered by health and education professionals.

Problematic Smartphone Use-Comparison of Students With and Without Problematic Smartphone Use in Light of Personality

Background: As a device with multiple functions, a smartphone become more and more relevant in everyday life. However, this goes along with an increase in reports about smartphone addiction and its unwanted consequences. One of the most important variables in the etiopathogenesis of addictive smartphone use is personality. Objective: This study aimed to investigate predictors of problematic smartphone use. Clinically relevant differences in personality, psychopathology, and social support between students with and without problematic smartphone use were investigated. Method: All currently enrolled students at the Sigmund Freud University in Vienna (N = 1,836) were surveyed. Response rate was 27.07% (N = 497, age: M = 19.6, SD = 8.04). The Smartphone Addiction Scale (SPAS), the 10-Item Big Five Inventory (BFI-10), the Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI-18), and a questionnaire on social support (F-SozU-K-14) were used. Results: A total of 75 students (15.1% of the total sample) showed problematic smartphone use. In terms of personality, respondents with problematic smartphone use showed significantly higher values for extraversion and neuroticism compared than non-addicted users. Students with problematic smartphone use showed significantly higher levels in terms of depression and anxiety. Contrary to expectations, individuals with problematic smartphone use showed significantly higher values for perceived social support than with individuals without problematic smartphone use. Discussion: Therapy for problematic smartphone use should be carried out taking into account discussed, important etiological factors, such as personality.

Effect of the mobile phone-related background on inhibitory control of problematic mobile phone use: An event-related potentials study

The present study aims to provide electrophysiological evidence for deficient inhibitory control in problematic mobile phone use and to investigate whether reduced inhibition is more pronounced during exposure to a mobile phone related background cue. A screen scale of smartphone addiction was completed by 227 college students, and finally an experimental group and a control group consisting of 20 problematic mobile phone users and 19 controls were included in the study. Event-related potentials were recorded during a backgrounded Go/NoGo task performed by those two groups, in which either a frequent Go signal (letter "M") or a rare NoGo signal (letter "W") was superimposed on three different background cues: neutral, mobile phone application-related and mobile phone using-related pictures. Results showed that problematic mobile phone users performed more commission errors than controls following mobile phone application background. Furthermore, problematic mobile phone users displayed a weaker NoGo P3 amplitude than controls on the mobile phone application background. The result might suggest that there is no general impairment of inhibitory control in problematic mobile phone use. The deficient inhibitory control on behavioral and psychophysiological level appeared merely in the mobile phone-related background. Such deficient stimuli-specific inhibitory control appears at the late stage of inhibitory control. Prevention programs should be designed to curtail exposure to the mobile phone-related stimulus and enhance cognitive control of potential problematic mobile phone users.