486 research outputs found

    Perceived connections between information and communication technology use and mental symptoms among young adults - a qualitative study

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    <p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Prospective associations have been found between high use of information and communication technology (ICT) and reported mental symptoms among young adult university students, but the causal mechanisms are unclear. Our aim was to explore possible explanations for associations between high ICT use and symptoms of depression, sleep disorders, and stress among young adults in order to propose a model of possible pathways to mental health effects that can be tested epidemiologically.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>We conducted a qualitative interview study with 16 women and 16 men (21-28 years), recruited from a cohort of university students on the basis of reporting high computer (n = 28) or mobile phone (n = 20) use at baseline and reporting mental symptoms at the one-year follow-up. Semi-structured interviews were performed, with open-ended questions about possible connections between the use of computers and mobile phones, and stress, depression, and sleep disturbances. The interview data were analyzed with qualitative content analysis and summarized in a model.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Central factors appearing to explain high quantitative ICT use were personal dependency, and demands for achievement and availability originating from the domains of work, study, social life, and individual aspirations. Consequences included mental overload, neglect of other activities and personal needs, time pressure, role conflicts, guilt feelings, social isolation, physical symptoms, worry about electromagnetic radiation, and economic problems. Qualitative aspects (destructive communication and information) were also reported, with consequences including vulnerability, misunderstandings, altered values, and feelings of inadequacy. User problems were a source of frustration. Altered ICT use as an effect of mental symptoms was reported, as well as possible positive effects of ICT on mental health.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>The concepts and ideas of the young adults with high ICT use and mental symptoms generated a model of possible paths for associations between ICT exposure and mental symptoms. Demands for achievement and availability as well as personal dependency were major causes of high ICT exposure but also direct sources of stress and mental symptoms. The proposed model shows that factors in different domains may have an impact and should be considered in epidemiological and intervention studies.</p

    Computer use and stress, sleep disturbances, and symptoms of depression among young adults – a prospective cohort study

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    BACKGROUND: We have previously studied prospective associations between computer use and mental health symptoms in a selected young adult population. The purpose of this study was to investigate if high computer use is a prospective risk factor for developing mental health symptoms in a population-based sample of young adults. METHODS: The study group was a cohort of young adults (n = 4163), 20–24 years old, who responded to a questionnaire at baseline and 1-year follow-up. Exposure variables included time spent on computer use (CU) in general, email/chat use, computer gaming, CU without breaks, and CU at night causing lost sleep. Mental health outcomes included perceived stress, sleep disturbances, symptoms of depression, and reduced performance due to stress, depressed mood, or tiredness. Prevalence ratios (PRs) were calculated for prospective associations between exposure variables at baseline and mental health outcomes (new cases) at 1-year follow-up for the men and women separately. RESULTS: Both high and medium computer use compared to low computer use at baseline were associated with sleep disturbances in the men at follow-up. High email/chat use was negatively associated with perceived stress, but positively associated with reported sleep disturbances for the men. For the women, high email/chat use was (positively) associated with several mental health outcomes, while medium computer gaming was associated with symptoms of depression, and CU without breaks with most mental health outcomes. CU causing lost sleep was associated with mental health outcomes for both men and women. CONCLUSIONS: Time spent on general computer use was prospectively associated with sleep disturbances and reduced performance for the men. For the women, using the computer without breaks was a risk factor for several mental health outcomes. Some associations were enhanced in interaction with mobile phone use. Using the computer at night and consequently losing sleep was associated with most mental health outcomes for both men and women. Further studies should focus on mechanisms relating information and communication technology (ICT) use to sleep disturbances

    How does Nomophobia Exert Impact on Life Satisfaction? Exploring the Mediating Effect of Psychological Wellbeing and Academic Performance

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    Several studies have highlighted the adverse consequences of information system (IS) overuse. To expand the knowledge on this heated topic, this paper aims among the first to explore the association between nomophobia, a manifestation of smartphone excessive use, and life satisfaction mediated by psychological wellbeing, as well as academic performance. On the other hand, this paper also targets the reverse procedure, namely if life satisfaction mediated by both psychological wellbeing and academic performance prompts nomophobia. To empirically test the established model, a big-scale systematic random sampling over 10 thousand responses is plan to implement. The survey questionnaire collected demographic information and actual grade-point average (GPAs), as well as responses to scales including the nomophobia, psychological wellbeing (consisted of perceived stress, depression, and loneliness), and life satisfaction

    How does Nomophobia Impact Life Satisfaction? Exploring the Mediating Effect of Psychological Disorders

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    Several studies have highlighted the adverse consequences of information system (IS) excessive use. To expand the knowledge on this heated topic, this paper aims among the first to explore the association between nomophobia and life satisfaction mediated by psychological disorders. A big-scale systematic random sampling of over 10 thousand responses is implemented to test the established model empirically. The survey questionnaire collected demographic information, as well as responses to scales, including the nomophobia, psychological disorders (consisted of perceived stress, depression, and loneliness), and life satisfaction. Our results revealed that smartphone usage positively contributes to the development of nomophobia among college students. Noticeably, the relationship between nomophobia and life satisfaction is mediated by psychological disorders. This study offers a flexible reference to understand the occurrence of smartphone usage-related adverse effects through internalization, therefore facilitating future studies designed to discover more comprehensive effecting mechanisms of IS use

    Sleep Quality, Technostress, and Maladaptive Use of Technology: Predictors of Depression Among College Students

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    Depression among college students is a substantial concern due to the risk of suicide, academic failure, and other psychosocial problems. Current literature suggests that the prevalence of depression among populations of college students has risen in the past two decades whereas sleep quality has decreased and technology use has increased. The purpose of this study was to investigate the ways that sleep quality, technostress, and misuse of technology might be associated with depression among college students. A total of 236 college undergraduates from a large, urban university were surveyed. Independent samples t tests revealed no mean group differences between men and women for depression, sleep quality, technostress, and misuse of technology. A multiple hierarchical regression indicated that younger age and poor sleep quality were linked to higher amounts of depression among college students. Additional regression analyses revealed that technostress predicted an additional 1.1% of the variance in depression after controlling for sleep quality, and misuse of technology predicated an additional 4.9% of the variance in depression after controlling for sleep quality. A series of regression analyses to test for mediation were conducted to determine if technostress or technology misuse mediated the relationship between sleep quality and depression. Results did not support the hypotheses that partial mediation would occur. Implications regarding treatment and prevention of depression among college students were discussed

    Depression and Internet use in a Sample of Malaysian Undergraduate Students

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    This study used a set of questionnaire to investigate the Internet use and depression level in a sample of Malaysian undergraduate students, which identified 12 cases as pathological Internet use (PIU) in a total sample of 90 students using Beard and Wolf’s (2001) criterion. Students with PIU spent significantly longer time on Internet and experienced extremely higher level of depression (M=42.83, SD=11.86) than their non-PIU counterparts (M=26.26, SD=14.79), which is in the severe level. The gender difference on depression was also detected in this study but not for time spent online. Lastly, this study found that students with PIU would like to spent more time on SNS, browsing with no specific purpose, and online media viewing, while students with increasing level of depression would accelerate the time spent online, especially on SNS, browsing with no specific purpose, and instant messaging. The same Internet application (SNS and browsing with no specific purpose) chose by students with PIU and high level of depression implied that there may be close association on developing depression and PIU related to usage of SNS and browsing with no specific purpose

    PSYCHOLOGICAL CONDITIONS AND COMMUNICATION LOAD OF EDUCATORS ON DIGITAL STRESS

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    This study aims to describe, calculate and analyze the effect of Social Pressure, Communication Load, fear of being left behind on Lecturer's Perceived Stress. The model used in this study is a causal model or relationship and influence, or also known as path analysis. To test the hypothesis that will be proposed in this study, the model fit analysis technique used is SEM (Structural Equation Modeling) which is operated using the SMARTPLS 3.0 program. The results of the study prove that there is a positive and significant influence between Social Pressure, Communication Load, fear of being left behind on Perceived Stress. The results of this study are expected to be used as library materials and information in the development of science, especially in the field of human resource management and especially in developing theories in overcoming digital stress for both lecturers and other readers

    To investigate the relationship between in-bed mobile phone use, quality of sleep and levels of depression, anxiety and stress in young adults

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    "Electronic media is becoming increasingly more dynamic, portable and is emerging into most aspects of life. Presently, it is popular to use electronic devices in the hours preceding bedtime and it has become of recent interest to consider whether electronic media use in-bed is related to the quality of sleep followed. A poor sleep can lead to psychological health problems. The present study aimed to investigate the relationship between in-bed mobile phone use, sleep quality and symptoms of depression, anxiety and stress in a young adult population in order to extend the emerging research base regarding electronic media use, sleep quality and psychological well-being. This study is one of the first to investigate the association between in-bed mobile phone use explicitly, alongside the variables sleep quality and depression, anxiety and stress, particularly in young adults. 256 young adults aged 18-39 completed a series of online self-report questionnaires that provided scores for each variable. Foremost, Pearson’s correlation coefficients established relationships between all variables. Three main research questions were addressed. However, after a series of regression analyses and further testing to determine the significance of mediators, sleep quality was presented to be the most influential predictor of depression, anxiety and stress symptoms.

    STRESS, SMARTPHONE USE, LIFE SATISFACTION AND LEARNING PERFORMANCE: A STUDY AMONG YOUNG COLLEGE ADULTS

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    Smartphone now days are come to be a common fragment of students’ life. Studies revealed that smartphone addiction caused psychological disorders and negatively affect mental health of learners. Current study aimed to examine the association between effects of smartphone use with life satisfaction intervened by stress and learning performance. It was also tried out to find the life satisfaction interceded by stress and learning performance encourages cell phone habit. To meet the set targets, a lump of 504 students enrolled at post graduate level from Bahawalpur were identified as sample of this study. The overview survey gathered demographic data and reactions to measures comprising the Smartphone Addiction Scale, the Perceived Stress Scale, and theSatisfaction with Life Scale. The outcomes demonstrated that smartphone use was positively identified with stress, but adversely identified with life satisfaction. Furthermore, a smartphone usage was adversely identified with learning performance, but positively related with life satisfaction of young adult Pakistani students
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