scholarly journals Does Smartphone Addiction Fall on a Continuum of Addictive Behaviors?

2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (2) ◽  
pp. 422 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sheila Yu ◽  
Steve Sussman
Keyword(s):  
Behavioral Addiction ◽  
Smartphone Addiction ◽  
Gaming Addiction ◽  
Addictive Behaviors ◽  
Problematic Smartphone Use ◽  
Causal Pathways ◽  
Current Review ◽  
The Social ◽  
Smartphone Use ◽  
Meta Analyses

Due to the high accessibility and mobility of smartphones, widespread and pervasive smartphone use has become the social norm, exposing users to various health and other risk factors. There is, however, a debate on whether addiction to smartphone use is a valid behavioral addiction that is distinct from similar conditions, such as Internet and gaming addiction. The goal of this review is to gather and integrate up-to-date research on measures of smartphone addiction (SA) and problematic smartphone use (PSU) to better understand (a) if they are distinct from other addictions that merely use the smartphone as a medium, and (b) how the disorder(s) may fall on a continuum of addictive behaviors that at some point could be considered an addiction. A systematic literature search adapted from the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) method was conducted to find all relevant articles on SA and PSU published between 2017 and 2019. A total of 108 articles were included in the current review. Most studies neither distinguished SA from other technological addictions nor clarified whether SA was an addiction to the actual smartphone device or to the features that the device offers. Most studies also did not directly base their research on a theory to explain the etiologic origins or causal pathways of SA and its associations. Suggestions are made regarding how to address SA as an emerging behavioral addiction.

scholarly journals Smartphone addiction

2021 ◽  
Vol 50 (2) ◽  
pp. 45-56
Author(s):  
Aleksandra Nikolić
Keyword(s):  
Behavioral Assessment ◽  
International Classification Of Diseases ◽  
Behavioral Addiction ◽  
Smartphone Addiction ◽  
Problematic Smartphone Use ◽  
Functional Changes ◽  
Classification Of Diseases ◽  
Smartphone Use ◽  
Assessment Scales

The number of smartphone users worldwide exceeds three billion today and further growth of several hundred million is projected over the next few years. The development of multifunctional smartphones and their use have changed the way of communication and information, but also led to concerns about their excessive use and dependence. In recent years, research on smartphone addiction has been on the rise. Parallels between excessive smartphone use and behavioral addiction are common in research. According to many authors, "smartphone addiction" can be considered a behavioral addiction. There is evidence for structural and functional changes in the brain, characteristic of behavioral addictions, in people who meet the psychometric criteria for "smartphone addiction." Some authors even suggest criteria for diagnosing smartphone addiction. On the other hand, some authors believe that the use of the term "addiction" can misrepresent the severity of the disorder, and therefore suggest the use of the term "problematic smartphone use". Due to growing concerns about the excessive use of smartphones, much is being done to identify and assess problematic smartphone use, mainly through the development and application of behavioral assessment scales. These scales are specially developed and validated to identify problematic smartphone use or to diagnose people with smartphone addiction, overuse, excessive phone attachment, etc. However, despite the fact that most of these scales are designed to be used for clinical purposes in the future, the problematic use of smartphones as a type of addiction is not in the International Classification of Diseases and these scales are still used only for research purposes. The use of the terms " problematic smartphone use " and "smartphone addiction", different methodological approaches used in the study, such as the application of different scales and the lack of standardized diagnostic criteria, make it difficult to define "smartphone addiction". All this supports the fact that "smartphone addiction" is a complex phenomenon that requires additional research.

scholarly journals Problematic smartphone use and affective temperaments among Lebanese young adults: scale validation and mediating role of self-esteem

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Joanne Zeidan ◽  
Souheil Hallit ◽  
Marwan Akel ◽  
Ismail Louragli ◽  
Sahar Obeid
Keyword(s):  
Young Adults ◽  
Self Esteem ◽  
Community Dwelling ◽  
Mediating Effect ◽  
Smartphone Addiction ◽  
Problematic Smartphone Use ◽  
Affective Temperaments ◽  
Mediating Role ◽  
Smartphone Use

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.

scholarly journals Associations between changes in behavioral difficulties and levels of problematic smartphone use in adolescents over a 1-year period

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tanja Poulain ◽  
Mandy Vogel ◽  
Tobias Kliesener ◽  
Wieland Kiess
Keyword(s):  
Economic Status ◽  
Statistical Significance ◽  
Behavioral Difficulties ◽  
Smartphone Addiction ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Problematic Smartphone Use ◽  
Smartphone Use ◽  
Strengths And Difficulties ◽  
T1 And T2

Abstract Objectives The present longitudinal study investigates associations between changes in externalizing and internalizing behavioral difficulties and changes in problematic smartphone usage within the same 1-year period in healthy adolescents. Methods The project is part of the LIFE Child cohort study conducted in Leipzig, Germany. Ten- to 16-year-old adolescents (n = 363) provided information on behavioral difficulties [Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ)], the duration of daily smartphone use, and symptoms of smartphone addiction [Smartphone Addiction Proneness Scale (SAPS)] at two consecutive study visits, t1 and t2 (1 year after t1). In the first of two analysis phases, we applied linear regression analyses to assess cross-sectional associations between externalizing and internalizing behavioral difficulties and the duration of smartphone use and symptoms of smartphone addiction (at t1 and t2). In the second, we assessed associations between the changes measured in these variables over the period of a year. All associations were adjusted for age, sex, and soci-economic status. Results Children who reported prolonged periods of smartphone use or more symptoms of smartphone addiction exhibited significantly higher levels of externalizing and internalizing behavioral difficulties at t1 and t2. Further, children who increased their usage or developed addiction symptoms between t1 and t2 also developed more externalizing behavioral difficulties. We found the same tendencies in regard to internalizing behavioral difficulties, although the associations did not reach statistical significance. Conclusions The present findings suggest that externalizing behavioral difficulties and problematic smartphone use are mutually dependent in the long term.

Problematic smartphone use and anxiety in adolescents: survey study (Preprint)

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kyung Eun Lee ◽  
Kitai Kim ◽  
Jeong Yee ◽  
Jee Eun Chung ◽  
Joo Hee Kim ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
High Risk ◽  
Potential Risk ◽  
Psychological Health ◽  
Anxiety Scale ◽  
Survey Study ◽  
Smartphone Addiction ◽  
Problematic Smartphone Use ◽  
Observational Study Design ◽  
Smartphone Use ◽  
Manifest Anxiety

BACKGROUND Smartphone overuse is a troubling issue to many, influencing psychological, social, and physical aspects. OBJECTIVE This study was conducted to investigate the association between risk of problematic smartphone use and anxiety in adolescents. METHODS A questionnaire-based observational study design was used. Revised Children’s Manifest Anxiety Scale was used to assess symptoms of anxiety, and Smartphone Addiction Proneness Scale index was used to evaluate the degree of high-risk or potential-risk for problematic smartphone use. RESULTS Analyses were conducted on 1,733 adolescents, including 771 boys and 962 girls. 20.1% of the studied population was classified as high-risk or potential-risk group for problematic smartphone use. Risk of problematic smartphone use exhibited statistically significant effects on the total anxiety scale, as well as physiological anxiety, oversensitivity, and social concern (all P-values < 0.0001). Multivariate analysis suggested that higher anxiety scales were associated with the higher risk of problematic smartphone use, as well as following factors: poor self-reported health, fewer number of close friends, caffeine beverage consumption, female sex, and alcohol use. CONCLUSIONS Our results suggested that higher risk of problematic smartphone use was associated with anxiety. Thus, management of problematic smartphone use seems necessary for the enhancement of psychological health.

scholarly journals Studies on the Relationship between Social Anxiety and Excessive Smartphone Use and on the Effects of Abstinence and Sensation Seeking on Excessive Smartphone Use

2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (4) ◽  
pp. 1262 ◽  
Author(s):  
Liat Turgeman ◽  
Inbar Hefner ◽  
Maayan Bazon ◽  
Or Yehoshua ◽  
Aviv Weinstein
Keyword(s):  
Social Anxiety ◽  
University Students ◽  
Sensation Seeking ◽  
Positive Association ◽  
Smartphone Addiction ◽  
Experimental Conditions ◽  
Problematic Smartphone Use ◽  
Smartphone Use ◽  
Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale ◽  
Negative Impacts

Problematic smartphone use is the excessive use of the smartphone with negative impacts on the quality of life of the user. We investigated the association between social anxiety and excessive smartphone use. The sample consisted of 140 participants, 73 male and 67 female university students with a mean age of 26 years and 4 months (SD = 3.38), who filled in the Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale and the Smartphone Addiction Scale (SAS). Results showed a positive association between social anxiety and excessive smartphone use. Social anxiety explained 31.5% of the variance of ratings on the SAS. A second study investigated the interaction between abstinence and sensation seeking and excessive smartphone use. The sample consisted of 60 participants, 44 female and 16 male university students. The sample was divided into two experimental conditions: 30 participants were abstinent for 1.5 h from the smartphone and 30 participants were non-abstinent. Results showed that excessive smartphone use increased in the group that abstained compared to those who did not. Secondly, participants who had high baseline sensation-seeking ratings had higher scores of excessive smartphone use after abstinence compared with those with low ratings of sensation seeking. These studies indicate the contribution of social anxiety to problematic smartphone use and how it can be exacerbated by the combination of abstinence and high sensation seeking.

Examination of the Relation Between PTSD Symptoms, Smartphone Feature Uses, and Problematic Smartphone Use

2018 ◽  
Vol 37 (3) ◽  
pp. 385-403 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ateka A. Contractor ◽  
Nicole H. Weiss ◽  
Jon D. Elhai
Keyword(s):  
Ptsd Symptom ◽  
Social Process ◽  
Empirical Work ◽  
Symptom Clusters ◽  
Addictive Behaviors ◽  
Ptsd Symptoms ◽  
Problematic Smartphone Use ◽  
Smartphone Use ◽  
Process Oriented

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms are associated with addictive behaviors including problematic smartphone use (PSU). Drawing from existing theoretical models and empirical work, we examined the relation between PTSD symptoms, social/process-oriented smartphone feature uses, and PSU. Specifically, we examined the correlations between social/process-oriented smartphone feature uses with both PTSD symptom clusters (intrusions, avoidance, negative alterations in cognitions and mood, alterations in arousal and reactivity) and PSU and the mediating role of social/process-oriented smartphone feature uses in the relation between PTSD symptom clusters and PSU. The current study used data from a sample of 347 community participants recruited through Amazon’s Mechanical Turk platform. Correlation results indicated that process-oriented smartphone feature uses correlated significantly (positively) with all the PTSD symptom clusters and PSU. Further, mediation results indicated that process-oriented smartphone feature use significantly mediated the relationship between each PTSD symptom cluster and PSU. Beyond highlighting the role of process-oriented smartphone feature uses (e.g., watching videos/TV/movies, reading books/magazines, games) in the relation between PTSD symptoms and PSU, our findings suggest that efforts to reduce PSU among individuals with PTSD symptoms should integrate strategies for reducing process-oriented uses of smartphones.

scholarly journals Problematic Smartphone Use and Mental Health in Chinese Adults: A Population-Based Study

2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (3) ◽  
pp. 844 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ningyuan Guo ◽  
Tzu Tsun Luk ◽  
Sai Yin Ho ◽  
Jung Jae Lee ◽  
Chen Shen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Symptom Severity ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Anxiety And Depression ◽  
Smartphone Addiction ◽  
Depression Symptoms ◽  
Chinese Adults ◽  
Problematic Smartphone Use ◽  
Smartphone Use ◽  
Anxiety Depression ◽  
Mental Well Being

Problematic smartphone use (PSU) has been associated with anxiety and depression, but few explored its mental well-being correlates that could co-occur with or be independent of mental symptoms. We studied the associations of PSU with anxiety, depression, and mental well-being in Hong Kong Chinese adults in a probability-based survey (N = 4054; 55.0% females; mean age ± SD 48.3 ± 18.3 years). PSU was measured using Smartphone Addiction Scale-Short Version. Anxiety and depression symptoms were evaluated using General Anxiety Disorder screener-2 (GAD-2) and Patient Health Questionnaire-2 (PHQ-2). Mental well-being was measured using Subjective Happiness Scale (SHS) and Short Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-Being Scale (SWEMWBS). Multivariable regression analyzed associations adjusting for sociodemographic and lifestyle-related variables. Associations of PSU with mental well-being were stratified by symptom severity of anxiety (GAD-2 cutoff of 3) and depression (PHQ-2 cutoff of 3). We found that PSU was associated with higher odds of anxiety and depression symptom severity and lower scores of SHS and SWEMWBS. Associations of PSU with lower SHS and SWEMWBS scores remained in respondents who screened negative for anxiety or depression symptoms. To conclude, PSU was associated with anxiety, depression, and impaired mental well-being. Associations of PSU with impaired mental well-being could be independent of anxiety or depression symptoms.

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

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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