Mobile phone dependence, social support and impulsivity in Chinese university students

This study examined the frequency of mobile phone dependence in Chinese university students and explored its association with social support and impulsivity. Altogether, 909 university students were consecutively recruited from a large university in China. Mobile phone use, mobile phone dependence, impulsivity, and social support were measured with standardized instruments. The frequency of possible mobile phone use and mobile phone dependence was 78.3% and 7.4%, respectively. Multinomial logistic regression analyses revealed that compared with no mobile phone dependence, possible mobile phone dependence was significantly associated with being male (p = 0.04, OR = 0.7, 95% CI: 0.4–0.98), excessive mobile phone use (p \u3c 0.001, OR = 1.2, 95% CI: 1.09–1.2), and impulsivity (p \u3c 0.001, OR = 1.05, 95% CI: 1.03–1.06), while mobile phone dependence was associated with length of weekly phone use (p = 0.01, OR = 2.5, 95% CI: 1.2–5.0), excessive mobile phone use (p \u3c 0.001, OR = 1.3, 95% CI: 1.2–1.4), and impulsivity (p \u3c 0.001, OR = 1.08, 95% CI: 1.05–1.1). The frequency of possible mobile phone dependence and mobile phone dependence was high in this sample of Chinese university students. A significant positive association with impulsivity was found, but not with social support

The psychometric properties of the Smartphone Application-Based Addiction Scale (SABAS)

The goal of the study was to validate the English version of the Smartphone Application-Based Addiction Scale (SABAS; Csibi et al. 2016), which is a short and easy-to-use tool for screening the risk of smartphone application-based addiction. Another aim was to identify the most frequently used smartphone applications and their perceived importance by the participants. Data were collected online from 240 English-speaking volunteers, aged 18 to 69 years. The instruments used were the SABAS, the Nomophobia Questionnaire (NMP-Q), the Brief Sensation Seeking Scale (BSSS), the Deprivation Sensation Scale (DSS), and the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ- 9). Participants also ranked the importance of their most frequently used smartphone applications. The six items of the SABAS yielded one component, which accounted for 52.38% of the total variance. The internal reliability of the scale was good (Cronbach’s alpha 0.81). NMP-Q was a significant predictor of SABAS, explaining 17.6% of the total variance. The regression analysis, with SABAS score as the dependent variable and NMP-Q, DSS, PHQ-9, and BSSS scores as predictors, indicated that approximately 47% of the variance in SABAS was accounted for by the predictors (R2 = 0.47). The English version of the SABAS appears to be a valid and reliable ultra-brief tool for a quick and easy assessment of smartphone application-based addiction symptoms

The evolution of energy requirements of smartphones based on user behaviour and implications of the COVID-19 era

Smartphones have evolved to become frequent companions to humans. The common problem shared by Android users of smartphones was, and continues to be, about saving their batteries and preventing the need to use any recharging tools. A significant number of studies have been performed in the general field of "saving energy in smartphones". During a state of global lockdown, the use of smartphone devices has skyrocketed, and many governments have implemented location-tracking applications for their citizens as means of ensuring that the imposed governmental restrictions are being adhered to. Since smartphones are battery-powered, the opportunity to conserve electricity and ensure that the handset does not have to be charged so much or that it does not die and impede location-tracking during this period of crisis is of vital significance, impacting not only the reliability of tracking, but also the usability of the mobile itself. While there are methods to reduce the battery’s drain from mobile app use, they are not fully utilized by users. Simultaneously, the following the manuscript demonstrates the growing prevalence of mobile applications in daily lives, as well as the disproportionally increasing phone functionality, which results in the creation of a dependency towards smartphone use and the need of energy to recharge and operate theses smartphones

Emotion Regulation as the Role Moderator of Self-Esteem on Adolescents Fear of Missing Out

Fear of missing out (FoMO) is derived from the anxiety that arises when an individual feels excluded from informational and experiential aspects due to exposure to social media. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the contribution of emotion regulation as a moderator on the role of self-esteem on adolescents fear of missing out. A quantitative method employing a causality design was employed, involving 349 active social media users aged 15 to 18. The measurement tools used consisted of psychological scales, namely fear of missing out, two-dimensional self-esteem, and emotion regulation questionnaire. Furthermore, the data analysis was conducted using Moderated Regression Analysis (MRA), which reported a significant impact of self-esteem on fear of missing out, with emotion regulation acting as a moderator. The result showed the significance of adolescents possessing positive self-esteem coupled with adaptive emotion regulation to mitigate the inclination towards experiencing fear of missing out while using social media

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

Fünf Tage ohne Smartphone: Smartphonenutzung und subjektives Wohlbefinden: ein Vergleich zwischen normaler Nutzung und Verzicht

The study examined the association between smartphone use and subjective well-being by comparing regular use with a deprivation condition. Subjective well-being is defined by cognitive and affective components. Regular smartphone use is studied in various situations and for different functions. Data were collected in a prolonged qualitative quasi-experimental deprivation study (n = 11) using diaries (n = 210 diary entries) and follow-up interviews (n = 11). Participants kept diaries for 10 days: five days during normal smartphone use and five days during deprivation. Afterwards, we compared well-being during normal use and deprivation. Results show that using the smartphone for infotainment was clearly associated with pleasant emotions, while social interaction apps caused both negative and positive emotions. However, results from the deprivation part of the study indicate that in sum, satisfaction with social relations clearly worsened when not using a smartphone. Moreover, participants had difficulty managing daily life. Taken together, non-usage seems to cause isolation and low subjective well-being.Die vorliegende Studie untersucht den Zusammenhang zwischen Smartphone-Nutzung und subjektivem Wohlbefinden. In einer qualitativen, quasi-experimentellen Verzichtsstudie (n = 11) wurde das Wohlbefinden (erhoben durch kognitive und affektive Indikatoren) während regulärer Smartphone-Nutzung sowie während eines Smartphone-Verzichts gemessen und verglichen. Nutzungssituationen und Funktionen operationalisieren die Smartphone-Nutzung, in der Verzichtsphase wurde nach gewünschten Situationen und gewünschten Funktionen gefragt. Smartphone-Nutzende führten während fünf Tagen regulärer Nutzung und weiteren fünf Tagen Verzicht Tagebücher (n = 210) und wurden unmittelbar im Anschluss in qualitativen Interviews (n = 11) befragt. Die Ergebnisse aus der regulären Nutzungsphase zeigen, dass die Nutzung des Smartphones für Infotainment eindeutig mit angenehmen Emotionen verbunden war, während Apps zur sozialen Interaktion sowohl negative als auch positive Emotionen auslösten. In der Verzichtsphase hingegen verschlechterte sich die Zufriedenheit mit den sozialen Beziehungen insgesamt deutlich. Darüber hinaus hatten die Teilnehmenden Schwierigkeiten, dastägliche Leben zu bewältigen. Insgesamt führte die Nicht-Nutzung zu verstärkter Isolation und zu einem geringen subjektiven Wohlbefinden

Comparative effectiveness of mind-body exercise versus cognitive behavioral therapy for college students with problematic smartphone use: a randomized controlled trial

Purpose: The purpose of the present study was to compare the effectiveness of mind-body exercise (ME) and cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) on addiction level and psychological well-being among college students with problematic smartphone use (PSU). Methods: A 12-week randomized controlled study was carried out at a university in central China. A total of 95 PSU college students who met the inclusion criteria were randomly assigned to a ME group (ME, n = 31), CBT group (CBT, n = 30), or control group (CG, n = 34). Both ME intervention and CBT, twice per week for 90 min per session, lasting for 12 weeks were administered by a certified therapist respectively. Participants in the CG group were asked to maintain their original lifestyle. Results: A significant reduction in addiction level (p < 0.001 for ME vs. CBT; p < 0.001 for ME vs. CG), loneliness (p < 0.001 for ME vs. CG), anxiety (p < 0.001 for ME vs. CG; p < 0.001 for CBT vs. CG) was found. Only significant stress reduction was observed in ME and CBT between baseline and Week 12 (ps < 0.001). Conclusions: ME and CBT (mainstream psychotherapy) may effectively overcome PSU of college students, and reduced the level of smartphone addiction, loneliness, anxiety, and stress. Furthermore, as a culture-specific, low-cost, and readily accessible training program with multiple components (gentle movement, anatomic alignment, mental focus, deep breathing, and meditative state of mind that is similar to mindfulness emphasizing noncompetitive, present-moment, and nonjudgmental introspective component), ME seems to be superior to CBT in terms of PSU

Mindful Phone Use

The rapid, global adoption of smartphones is undoubtedly affecting users’ quality of life. Existing research has published mixed findings on whether or not these devices are beneficial or detrimental to users’ well-being. Phone use shifts a user’s focus away from the present moment and towards the device at hand. Mindfulness, or “the state of being attentive to and aware of what is taking place in the present,” has been shown to improve individual’s well-being through promoting self-awareness that allows for behavior regulation that is congruent with one’s basic needs (Brown & Ryan, 2003). The primary aim of this research was to create and empirically test a mindfulness-oriented intervention for nomophobia (the fear of being without one’s phone). The secondary aim was to investigate the relationship between nomophobia, psychological well-being, and mindfulness using the Nomophobia Questionnaire, Ryff’s Psychological Well-Being Scales, and the Mindfulness Attention Awareness Scale. This research involved two different phases: Phase 1 was a randomized experiment and Phase 2 was a correlational study using the aforementioned measures. It was hypothesized that participants randomized to the mindfulness condition would report decreased nomophobia, increased psychological well-being, and increased mindfulness. It was also posited that post-intervention, those in the mindfulness condition would spend less screen time on their phones than those in the control condition. Additionally, it was expected that nomophobia would be negatively correlated with psychological well-being and mindfulness. Post-intervention, those in the mindfulness condition reported significantly less levels of nomophobia than those in the control condition, however there were no significant changes in psychological well-being, mindfulness, or objective levels of screen time. No significant relationships were found between nomophobia and overall psychological well-being or mindfulness. However, a significant negative relationship was found between nomophobia and autonomy, a subscale of well-being. Potential implications and future directions of this research are addressed

The mediating role of perceived stress between smartphone dependency and psychological well-being among college students

Psychological well-being is one of the main elements in students’ life, especially for successful adaptation to the college environment. Determining what factors influence students’ psychological-well may provide valuable insights and ideas for the development of intervention programs. Therefore, this paper aims to examine the association between life events, smartphone dependency, perceived stress, and psychological well-being and whether perceived stress mediates the association between smartphone dependency and psychological well-being. Pearson correlations and multiple regression analyses with bootstrapped mediation were used to analyze the data in this study. The results show that life events were positively associated with perceived stress and that smartphone dependency was associated with higher perceived stress levels. Then, perceived stress was found negatively correlated with psychological well-being. However, smartphone dependency was not associated with psychological well-being. The bootstrapped analysis indicated that perceived stress fully mediated the association between smartphone dependency and psychological well-being. In summary, this study is significant for practitioners in well-being fields, such as counselors and educators, to promote students’ well-being in higher education