Love, desire, and problematic behaviors: Exploring young adults’ smartphone use from a uses and gratifications perspective.

Abstract Background Adults all over the world face serious issues from problematic smartphone use (PSU). It influences them negatively on a cognitive, behavioral, and emotional level, as well as on their tendencies and well-being. In Lebanon, the prevalence of PSU was shown to be 20.2% within the adult population, specifically with young adults (18–34 years old). This study investigates the validity and reliability of the Smartphone Addiction Scale (SAS) Arabic version. In addition, this study evaluates the association between PSU and affective temperaments and the mediating role of self-esteem in this association. Method A cross-sectional study was carried out between August and September 2020, using a sample of community-dwelling participants aged 18 to 29 years. The Smartphone Addiction Scale—Short Version was used to evaluate smartphone addiction among adolescents and adults. The five different temperaments of the patients were assessed by using the Affective temperament Scale (TEMPS‐A). The Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale was used to evaluate self-esteem. Results 461 participants were included in this study. All items of the SAS were extracted and yielded a one-factor solution with Eigenvalues > 1 (variance explained = 49.96%; αCronbach = 0.886). The confirmatory analysis results consolidated those obtained from the factor analysis. Higher depressive temperament (B = 0.46) was significantly associated with more smartphone addiction, whereas higher self-esteem (B = − 0.28) was significantly associated with less smartphone addiction. Self-esteem was found to mediate the association between depressive and hyperthymic temperaments with smartphone addiction. Conclusion This study added a better understanding of the high smartphone addiction rate among adults in Lebanon. It confirms the association between affective temperaments and PSU through the mediating effect of self-esteem on Lebanese adults.

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Factor structure and measurement invariance of the Problematic Mobile Phone Use Questionnaire-Short Version across gender in Chinese adolescents and young adults

10.21203/rs.2.17144/v2 ◽

2020 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

YingYing Wang ◽

Jiang Long ◽

YueHeng Liu ◽

TieQiao Liu ◽

Joël Billieux

Keyword(s):

Young Adults ◽

Mobile Phone ◽

Measurement Invariance ◽

Chinese Version ◽

Adolescents And Young Adults ◽

Short Version ◽

Mobile Phone Use ◽

Problematic Mobile Phone Use ◽

Smartphone Use ◽

Item Scale

Abstract Background Problematic mobile phone use (PMPU) has become an international public health issue, particularly in adolescents and young adults. The Problematic Mobile Phone Use Questionnaire-Short Version (PMPUQ-SV) is a validated instrument that measures multiple aspects of PMPU. The current study aimed to test the psychometric characteristics of a Chinese adaption of the PMPUQ-SV and examine its measurement invariance across gender. Methods A total of 2086 participants were recruited form nine schools (six undergraduate colleges and three vocational colleges) through an online platform. Measures included socio-demographic variables, patterns of mobile phone use, the Chinese version of the PMPUQ-SV (C-PMPUQ-SV), the Chinese version of the Smartphone Addiction Proneness Scale, and the Depression Anxiety Stress Scales-21. Results Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses conducted in two independent subsamples confirmed that the postulated dimensions fit the data well. Four items, judged as either outdated or not adapted to the Chinese context, performed poorly and were removed, resulting in a shorter 11-item scale. Convergent validity was established through meaningful correlations between emotional symptoms and the C-PMPUQ-SV and addictive smartphone use. Additional measurement invariance analyses showed that the scale performed largely similarly in male and female participants. Conclusions The present study demonstrated that the C-PMPUQ-SV is an adequate instrument to study various types of PMPU in Chinese adolescents and young adults. The updated 11-item scale shortens the evaluation time and is adapted to assess contemporary smartphone use.

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Multi-Needs for Multi-Screening: Practices, Motivations, and Attention Distribution

Palabra Clave - Revista de Comunicación ◽

10.5294/pacla.2020.23.1.2 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 23 (1) ◽

pp. 1-34

Author(s):

Patrícia Dias ◽

Javier Serrano-Puche

Keyword(s):

Young Adults ◽

Uses And Gratifications ◽

Uses And Gratifications Theory ◽

Screening Practices ◽

Fast Growing ◽

Changing Practice ◽

Watching Tv

Multi-screening is an emergent but fast-growing and fast-changing practice, evolving along with the technologies that mediate it. This article presents a study on multi-screening, i.e., simultaneously or sequentially engaging with more than one screened-media. Based on the uses and gratifications theory, our study focused on the most common multi-screening scenario—engaging with the smartphone while watching TV—in order to explore triggers, motivations, gratifications, and attention distribution. The methodology is qualitative in nature, including ethnographic journals and follow-up interviews to a sample of 30 young adults, and the data was collected in Portugal and Spain. The activities performed on each device are usually disconnected and motivated by the need to enhance the entertainment afforded by the TV or to obtain a sense of efficiency. The attention is distributed in alternated periods, and the smartphone has a greater ability of demanding attention and retaining the engagement.

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Time spent on the smartphone does not relate to manual dexterity in young adults

BMC Neuroscience ◽

10.1186/s12868-021-00639-y ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 22 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Luca Petrigna ◽

Milda Treigienė ◽

Ewan Thomas ◽

Diba Mani ◽

Simona Pajaujiene ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Gender Differences ◽

Young Adults ◽

Correlation Analysis ◽

Normative Data ◽

Manual Dexterity ◽

Men And Women ◽

Smartphone Use ◽

Grooved Pegboard Test

Abstract Background The Grooved Pegboard Test (GPT) is widely adopted to evaluate manual dexterity, it presents normative data but the test is influenced by different factors. The influence of time spent on smartphones has not been considered before, for this reason, the objective of this study was to evaluate if smartphone use influences the time to complete the GPT. A total of 38 (21 women; 17 men) young adults 20.7 (1.5) years participated in the study. The time spent on the smartphones during the last seven days was recorded through the device itself and the GPT performance was measured. A correlation analysis between the time spent on the smartphone and GPT was performed while the t-test was adopted to evaluate gender differences. Results No statistically significant differences were detected between men and women in the time to complete the GPT (p = 0.20) and in the time spent on the smartphone (p = 0.87). The GPT and the time spent using the smartphone were not correlated (r = 0.044, p = 0.78). Conclusion The time spent on the smartphone by young adults does not influence the time to complete the GPT, indicating that smartphone use does not influence measures of manual dexterity.

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Internet use disorders: What's new and what's not?

Journal of Behavioral Addictions ◽

10.1556/2006.2020.00072 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Mark D. Griffiths

Keyword(s):

Internet Addiction ◽

Internet Use ◽

The Internet ◽

Content Creation ◽

Problematic Behaviors ◽

Smartphone Use ◽

Online Activities

AbstractThis commentary critiques the recent paper by Montag et al. (2019) and (i) argues that there are a number of issues that are presented as contemporary but have been discussed in the internet addiction literature for over 20 years, (ii) argues that generalized internet use disorder (IUD)/smartphone use disorder (SmUD) and specific IUD/SmUD may mean different things to different scholars, (iii) suggests that online activities that involve content creation often utilize nonmobile devices, and (iv) suggests that there are some potentially problematic online behaviors that are not included as major activities in the proposed in Montag et al.‘s taxonomy of internet-related problematic behaviors.

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Objectively-measured digital technology use does not predict within- or between-person increases in psychological distress among young adults

10.31234/osf.io/ucsh6 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Craig Jeffrey Robb Sewall ◽

Aidan G.C. Wright

Keyword(s):

Social Media ◽

Young Adults ◽

Psychological Distress ◽

Statistical Analysis ◽

Social Isolation ◽

Digital Technology ◽

Technology Use ◽

Smartphone Use ◽

Lagged Effects ◽

Objectively Measured

Despite a plethora of research, the link between digital technology use (i.e., smartphones and social media) and psychological distress among young adults remains inconclusive. The relia-bility and validity of findings in this area are typically undermined by common methodological limitations related to measurement, study design, and statistical analysis. Addressing these limitations, we examined the prospective, within-person associations between three aspects of objectively-measured digital technology use (smartphone use duration, smartphone use frequency, and social media use duration) and three aspects of psychological distress (depression, anxiety, and social isolation) among a sample of young adults (N = 384). We found that the digital technology use -> psychological distress within-person lagged effects, as well as vice versa, were very small (Bs ≤ .10) and non-significant. This study is the first to examine the pro-spective association between objectively-measured digital technology use and psychological distress—providing much-needed clarification into this highly relevant area of research.

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Objectively-Assessed Physical Activity, Sedentary Behavior, Smartphone Use, and Sleep Patterns Pre- and during-COVID-19 Quarantine in Young Adults from Spain

Sustainability ◽

10.3390/su12155890 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 12 (15) ◽

pp. 5890 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Borja Sañudo ◽

Curtis Fennell ◽

Antonio J. Sánchez-Oliver

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Young Adults ◽

Sleep Quality ◽

Sedentary Behavior ◽

Vigorous Physical Activity ◽

Sitting Time ◽

Sleep Patterns ◽

Lifestyle Modifications ◽

Smartphone Use ◽

Objectively Measured

This study assessed the effects of COVID-19 home confinement on physical activity, sedentary behavior, smartphone use, and sleep patterns. Data was collected in a sample of 20 young adults (mean age ± SD: 22.6 ± 3.4 years; 55% males) over seven days pre- and during the COVID-19 lockdown. Objective and subjective physical activity (Accelerometer and the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ), respectively), the number of hours sitting (IPAQ), objectively-measured smartphone use (smartphone screen time applications), and objective and subjective sleep (accelerometer and the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, respectively) were assessed. Results revealed significantly greater walking time and mean steps (p < 0.001, d = 1.223 to 1.605), and moderate and vigorous physical activity (p < 0.05, d = 0.568 to 0.616), in the pre- compared with the during-COVID-19 lockdown phase. Additionally, smartphone use (p = 0.009, d = 0.654), sitting time (p = 0.002, d = 1.120), and total sleep (p < 0.004, d = 0.666) were significantly greater in the during- compared with the pre-COVID-19 lockdown phase. Multiple regressions analyses showed associations between physical activity and sedentary behavior and sleep quality. The number of hours sitting per day and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity significantly predicted deep sleep (adj.R2 = 0.46). In conclusion, this study revealed that during the COVID-19 outbreak, behaviors changed, with participants spending less time engaging in physical activity, sitting more, spending more time using the smartphone, and sleeping more hours. These findings may be of importance to make recommendations, including lifestyle modifications during this time.

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Role of Attachment and Family Functioning in Problematic Smartphone Use in Young Adults

Journal of Family Issues ◽

10.1177/0192513x21993881 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 0192513X2199388

Author(s):

M. V. Jimeno ◽

J. J. Ricarte ◽

A. Toledano ◽

S. Mangialavori ◽

M. Cacioppo ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Young Adults ◽

Family Functioning ◽

Attachment Styles ◽

Smartphone Addiction ◽

Negative Consequences ◽

Problematic Smartphone Use ◽

Faces Iv ◽

Smartphone Use ◽

Preoccupied Attachment ◽

The Relationship

Overuse of the smartphone causes negative consequences on the health and behavior of younger people. It is necessary to know which factors can determine the problematic use of the smartphone. The aim of the present study was to explore the relationship between problematic smartphone use, attachment styles, and perceived family functioning in young adults. Three hundred and thirteen Spanish young adults took part in the study (255 women, 58 men) and completed the following instruments: the Smartphone Addiction Scale (SAS), the Relationship Questionnaire (RQ), the Parental Bonding Instrument (PBI), and the Family Adaptability and Cohesion Evaluation Scale (FACES IV). The results of the path analyses show that the cohesion and enmeshed functioning variables were the best predictors of problematic smartphone use. The preoccupied attachment scale was the only one whose score also showed indirect effects on problematic smartphone use through the variable of enmeshed family functioning.

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