Neuroticism, trait fear of missing out, and phubbing: the mediating role of state fear of missing out and problematic Instagram use

One of the relatively new negative consequences of smartphone use is “phubbing” (snubbing someone while an individual checks their smartphone in the middle of a real-life conversation). The purpose of the present study was to investigate the direct and indirect associations of neuroticism, trait anxiety, and trait fear of missing out with phubbing via state fear of missing out and problematic Instagram use. A total of 423 adolescents and emerging adults aged between 14 and 21 years (53% female) participated in the study. Findings indicated that females had significantly higher scores of phubbing, fear of missing out, problematic Instagram use, trait anxiety, and neuroticism. Path analysis showed that trait fear of missing out and neuroticism were indirectly associated with phubbing via state fear of missing out and problematic Instagram use. State fear of missing out was directly and indirectly associated with phubbing via problematic Instagram use. The present study is the first to demonstrate empirical evidence for the relationship between different dimensions of fear of missing out, problematic Instagram use, and phubbing

Childhood emotional abuse and cyberbullying perpetration among adolescents: the mediating role of trait mindfulness

Preliminary studies have indicated that childhood emotional maltreatment (i.e., abuse and neglect) can be associated with higher cyberbullying perpetration (CBP) among university students. The purpose of the present study was to test the direct and indirect effects of childhood emotional abuse (CEA) on CBP via trait mindfulness and trait emotional intelligence (TEI). A total of 470 adolescent students participated in the study and completed a questionnaire comprising measures of the aforementioned variables. Path analysis showed that trait mindfulness, but not TEI, was a partial mediator between CEA and CBP among the total sample, males, and females. Results indicated that there were other factors that explain the relationship between CEA and CBP in addition to lower mindfulness. These findings suggest that developing mindfulness-based intervention programs for adolescents who have been emotionally abused as a child may reduce their engagement in cyberbullying. This study is the first to document the direct role of CEA on CBP and indirect via trait mindfulness among adolescents

The role of perceived feelings of presence and escapism in problematic mukbang watching among emerging adult mukbang watchers

A mukbang ("eating broadcast") is a form of online video entertainment originating in South Korea, where the host eats a large amount of food while interacting with viewers. Recently, mukbang watching has been gaining popularity across the world. A number of studies have suggested that a minority of mukbang watchers may engage in the behavior excessively, problematically and/or addictively. However, there is still a dearth of studies examining the motivational and psychological correlates and health consequences (mental and physical) of problematic mukbang watching. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the relationship of presence and escapism with problematic mukbang watching. Path analysis indicated that social presence associated with problematic mukbang watching, while spatial presence was not

The mediating role of depression in the relationship between body image dissatisfaction and cyberbullying perpetration

Preliminary evidence suggests that psychopathological factors (e.g., depression) are associated with higher engagement in cyberbullying perpetration, and those with elevated body image dissatisfaction (BID) are more susceptible to depression. However, the possible impact of body image dissatisfaction (BID) on cyberbullying remains untested. The present study examined the direct and indirect relationships of BID with cyberbullying via depression among a sample of 507 university students (mean age, 21.37 years; range 18–44 years). t tests showed that males had a higher prevalence of cyberbullying than females. Structural equation modeling indicated that BID was directly and indirectly associated with cyberbullying via depression among the total sample and males. However, BID was only indirectly related to cyberbullying via depression among females. Depression fully explained the relationship between BID and cyberbullying among females, although there were additional mediating factors between BID and cyberbullying among males. The findings are in accordance with theoretical models suggesting that individuals’ personal characteristics including psychopathological factors are associated with cyberbullying. Furthermore, males attempt to cope with their body image–related psychopathology with more externalizing behaviors than females

Childhood emotional abuse and cyberbullying perpetration: the role of dark personality traits

Dark personality traits (i.e., Machiavellianism, psychopathy, narcissism, spitefulness, and sadism) are associated with adverse childhood experiences and deviant online behaviors. However, their mediating role between childhood emotional abuse and cyberbullying has never previously been investigated. We examined direct and indirect associations of childhood emotional abuse and cyberbullying via dark personality traits among 772 participants. Men were better characterized by dark personality traits and were more likely to engage in cyberbullying than women, and there were no sex differences in childhood emotional abuse. Collectively, dark traits fully mediated the relationship between childhood emotional abuse and cyberbullying in men, with partial mediation in the total sample and women. More specifically, Machiavellianism and spitefulness were mediators in both samples, sadism was a mediator in men and the total sample, and psychopathy was a mediator in the total sample and women. The dark personality traits can account for the association between childhood emotional abuse and cyberbullying, especially among men

The role of procrastination between personality traits and addictive mukbang watching among emerging adults

The role of personality traits in the development of addictive use of different online activities has been extensively demonstrated in the previous studies. One new type of online activity is the watching of mukbang (the South Korean term for “eating broadcasts”). However, very little is known about addictive mukbang watching (AMW) and its relationship to personality constructs. The present study investigated the direct and indirect associations of Big Five personality traits (i.e., extroversion, neuroticism, agreeableness, openness, conscientiousness) and dark personality traits (i.e., narcissism, Machiavellianism, psychopathy, sadism, spitefulness) with AMW via procrastination. An online survey that comprised items assessing the aforementioned variables was completed by 222 university students who had watched mukbang at least once in the previous week. Path analysis indicated that extroversion was indirectly negatively associated with AMW via procrastination. Furthermore, conscientiousness, sadism, and procrastination were directly positively associated with higher AMW. Findings suggest that individuals may develop and maintain uncontrolled mukbang watching in order to procrastinate and personality traits may play a contributing role in this association

Social anxiety and social media addiction among emerging adults: the mediating role of 'sofalising'

Social media addiction (SMA) has been shown to associate with the compensation of real-life social interaction. Concerning this, the present study investigated the social and communication aspects of SMA. ‘Sofalising’ is a term that emerged from the combination of the words ‘sofa’ and ‘socializing’, and can be described as the preference of online social interaction rather than going out and physically meeting individuals. The present study tested the mediating role of sofalising on the well-established relationship between social anxiety and SMA. The participants comprised 604 university students (51% female; Mage = 20.61 years, SD = 2.49; range = 17 to 45 years) who completed an online survey. Path analyses indicated that sofalising partially mediated the relationship between social anxiety and SMA. The present study suggested new phenomena among emerging adults and warrants further examination of its impact on mental health and wellbeing

Dark personality traits and problematic smartphone use: the mediating role of fearful attachment

Recently, empirical research has shown dark personality traits (i.e., Machiavellianism, psychopathy, narcissism, sadism, spitefulness) to be associated with problematic and addictive online behaviors. However, their direct relationships with problematic smartphone use (PSU) have yet to be examined. The present study investigated the direct and indirect associations of dark personality traits with PSU via fearful and dismissing attachment styles among 546 participants. Results indicated that men had higher scores on measures assessing dark personality traits and women had higher PSU. Narcissism and spitefulness were directly associated with PSU in the total sample, men, and women. Machiavellianism was indirectly associated with PSU via fearful attachment among men and sadism was directly and indirectly associated with PSU via fearful attachment among women. Findings suggest that dark personality traits may play a contributory role in higher PSU (with different traits having different effects among men and women), and that attachment styles partially explain the relationship between dark traits and PSU

Trait emotional intelligence and problematic social media use among adults: the mediating role of social media use motives

There are many contributing factors to problematic social media use including personality differences, psychosocial factors, and specific use motivations. The present study (N = 444 emerging adults, 75% women) investigated the direct and indirect relationships between trait emotional intelligence and problematic social media use via social media use motives by testing a complex mediation model. Path analyses suggested that trait emotional intelligence was directly and indirectly associated with problematic social media use via two social media use motives: (i) expressing or presenting a more popular self, and (ii) passing time. Results of the present study indicate that trait emotional intelligence may have a role in the motives for using social media as well as the development and maintenance of problematic social media use. Moreover, future studies should focus mediator risk factors between trait emotional intelligence and problematic social media use

Psychopathological consequences related to problematic Instagram use among adolescents: the mediating role of body image dissatisfaction and moderating role of gender

In a minority of cases, problematic use of technology can negatively impact on adolescents and impair some aspects of their social, emotional, and psychological development. The purpose of the present study was to examine the direct and indirect effects of problematic Instagram use (PIU) on different psychopathological outcomes including loneliness, depression, anxiety, and social anxiety via body image dissatisfaction (BID). Additionally, moderating role of gender on the relationships among variables was investigated. A total of 491 adolescents (Mage = 15.92 years, SDage = 1.07; range = 14 to 19 years) were recruited for the study to complete a questionnaire that included the relevant assessment tools for the aforementioned variables. Mediation and moderation analyses showed that among male adolescents, PIU was directly associated with loneliness, depression, general anxiety, and social anxiety and BID partially mediated these associations. Among females, PIU was directly associated with depression and indirectly with general anxiety and social anxiety via BID. Gender significantly moderated the direct relationships of PIU with loneliness, general anxiety, and social anxiety. PIU was directly associated with loneliness, general anxiety, and social anxiety among males only, whereas among females, PIU was indirectly associated with general and social anxiety via BID but was not related to loneliness. Results of this study indicate that PIU has different negative psychological effects on male and female adolescents and that BID appears to be one explanatory factor for these impairments especially among females