An Exploration of Problematic Smartphone Use among Chinese University Students: Associations with Academic Anxiety, Academic Procrastination, Self-Regulation and Subjective Wellbeing

A Positive View of Excessive Smartphone Utilization and Its Relationship With Other Academic-Related Variables Within the Online Course Setting

The continual use of smartphones is a global problem that requires scholars' attention. This study investigates the impact of excessive smartphone use, self-regulation, and procrastination on students' online academic performance. A total of n = 238 university students participated in the study. Mean comparisons unveiled clear discrepancy scores on procrastination, self-regulation, and daily hours spent on smartphones between the smartphone-addicted and non-addicted students. Structural Equation Modeling helps us to answer our hypothesis. Unusually, smartphone use had a significant and positive effect on online students' academic performance. Also, the study provides a better understanding of the procrastination factor that significantly impacts students' smartphone use and online academic performance. Results are discussed considering possible interventions at the academic level.

Predicting Self-Regulated Learning and Academic Procrastination With Positive Psychological Factors: Evidence From Higher-Education English Learners' Perceptions

Few studies have investigated the relationship between positive psychological factors, self-regulated learning, and academic procrastination based on the Self-Determination Theory. The present study examines 276 English as a foreign language (EFL) learners' responses and establishes the relationships among these constructs with partial least structural equation modeling. Higher-education EFL students' growth mindset positively and significantly predicts their metacognitive strategy. Mindful agency is a significantly positive predictor of adopting the cognitive strategy, metacognitive strategy, and resource management strategy. Adaptability positively and significantly predicts cognitive strategy, metacognitive strategy, and resource management strategy. Metacognitive strategy is a significantly positive predictor of academic procrastination. Adaptability directly and positively predicts academic procrastination. The educational level significantly moderates the relationship between mindful agency, adaptability, and self-regulated learning. The present study sheds light on the relationships among positive psychological factors, self-regulated learning strategies, and academic procrastination, which may enlighten targeted intervention and pedagogical reforms in EFL learning.

The impact of academic anxiety on smartphone addiction among college students: the mediating role of self-regulatory fatigue and the moderating role of mindfulness

BACKGROUND

Academic anxiety is recognized as a risk factor of smartphone addiction among college students. However, the underlying mechanisms and moderating factors remain insufficiently explored.

METHOD

This study examines the impact of academic anxiety on smartphone addiction, focusing on the mediating role of self-regulatory fatigue and the moderating role of mindfulness. Using convenience sampling strategy, a cross-sectional survey was implemented. Data were collected from a survey of 685 college students by using the Academic Anxiety Scale, Smartphone Addiction Scale, Self-Regulatory Fatigue Scale, and Mindfulness Scale. The hypothesized moderated mediation model was analyzed using Hayes' (2017) PROCESS macro (Model 59).

RESULTS

Moderated mediation analysis finds that academic anxiety significantly positively predicts smartphone addiction (β = 0.30, t = 7.24, 95%CI=[0.22, 0.38], p<0.001) in college students. Academic anxiety also indirectly predicts smartphone addiction through self-regulatory fatigue (β = 0.09, t = 2.43, 95%CI=[0.02, 0.16], p<0.05), with the mediation effect accounting for 11.76%. The mediation pathways are moderated by mindfulness. Compared with students with low mindfulness, the influence of academic anxiety on self-regulatory fatigue is stronger in students with high mindfulness(β = 0.10, t = 3.85, 95%CI=[0.05, 0.16], p<0.001). However, compared with students with low mindfulness, the influence of self-regulatory fatigue on smartphone addiction is weaker in students with high mindfulness(β=-0.08, t= -2.53, 95%CI=[-0.15, -0.02], p<0.05). That is, among individuals with a high level of mindfulness, mindfulness enhances the positive relationship between academic anxiety and self-regulatory fatigue while weakening the positive association between self-regulatory fatigue and smartphone addiction.

CONCLUSION

These findings elucidate the internal mechanisms linking academic anxiety to smartphone addiction and underscoring the dual role of mindfulness. The results offer valuable insights for developing strategies to prevent and manage smartphone addiction among college students.

The Self-Control Bridge: Connecting Social Media Use to Academic Procrastination

Problematic social media use can be characterized as compulsive or excessive engagement with social media applications that have addictive qualities. Research has highlighted a strong link between self-control and academic procrastination. Therefore, the primary aim of this study is to explore the connection between problematic social media use and academic procrastination, with self-control acting as a mediator. This study is cross-sectional and aims to describe and analyze simple and multiple-variable relationships within the framework of structural equation modeling. The participants of this study comprised 665 students (female 50.8% M-age 21.72). The survey was conducted online, and the respondents consented to participate in the study. Hierarchical regression revealed that problematic social media use (β = .238, p < .001) and self-control (β = -.691, p < .001) were independent factors of academic procrastination; the SEM results demonstrated that self-control fully mediated the relationship between problematic social media use and academic procrastination; the bootstrap method revealed that the bounds of the CI did not contain 0, confirming the significance of this mediating effect. Problematic social media use can positively predict academic procrastination, and this relationship is fully mediated by self-control.

A meta-analysis of the impact of technology related factors on students' academic performance

Introduction

The relationship between students' smartphone addiction, social media use, video games play, and their academic performance has been widely studied, yet the existing literature presents inconsistent findings. This meta-analysis synthesizes current research to provide a comprehensive examination of the impact of these technologies on academic achievement.

Methods

A total of 63 studies (yielding 64 effect sizes) were included, encompassing a sample of 124,166 students from 28 countries. The meta-analysis utilized correlation coefficients and sample sizes, reporting results based on the random effects model. Key statistics such as the Fisher's Z value, confidence intervals, and heterogeneity (Q) test results were considered, and publication bias was assessed using Begg and Mazumdar's rank correlation test, with the Kendall Tau coefficient determining bias significance.

Results and discussion

The meta-analysis revealed a small but statistically significant negative association between smartphone use, social media use, video game playing, and students' academic performance [Q(64) = 2501.93, p < 0.001, d = -0.085]. It is concluded that increased use of these technologies was associated with poorer academic outcomes, potentially impacting key cognitive skills essential for academic success. The implications for educational psychology research and future research directions are discussed.

The Associations Between Social Support and Problematic Mobile Phone Use Among Children and Adolescents: A Three-level Meta-analysis

Numerous studies have investigated the relationship between social support and problematic mobile phone use among adolescents, yet a definitive consensus remains elusive. The high prevalence of problematic mobile phone use among children and adolescents requires urgent clarity on this issue. However, previous meta-analyses on this topic have primarily focused on college students, overlooking this association in younger age groups. The present study thus concentrated on children and adolescents, conducting a three-level meta-analysis to combine existing research findings and analyze various moderators to identify sources of research heterogeneity. A systematic literature search retrieved a total of 33 studies with 135 effect sizes for this meta-analysis, and 25,537 students (53.83% female, age range 7-19, grades range 3rd-12th) were included. The results showed a negative correlation (r = -0.139) between social support and problematic mobile phone use in children and adolescents. Age, social support measurement, sources of social support, and symptoms of problematic mobile phone use were found to have a significant moderating influence. Specifically, social support showed a stronger negative correlation with problematic mobile phone use in older adolescents compared to their younger counterparts. The correlation was more pronounced when using the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support than other scales. Family support exhibited a stronger negative correlation with problematic mobile phone use compared to other sources of support. Among the symptoms of problematic mobile phone use, the inability to control craving has the strongest negative correlation with social support. This meta-analysis suggested that providing more social support, particularly in the form of family support, during the development of children and adolescents may help alleviate problematic mobile phone use.

A Survey of Smartphone Addiction and its Relationship with Academic Performance among Saudi Undergraduate Dental Students

BACKGROUND

The relationship between smartphone use and academic attainment is generally contradictory and hence it is imperative for more research on this subject matter.

AIM

The aim of this present study is to assess smartphone use, the prevalence of smartphone addiction, factors related to its addiction, and determine the relationship of smartphone addiction on academic accomplishment among male dental students in King Khalid University (KKU) Abha, Saudi Arabia.

METHODS

A Cross-sectional study was conducted among male dental students at KKU, Abha, Saudi Arabia. A validated Smartphone Addiction Scale Short-version (SAS-SV) questionnaire was adopted for this research. Statistical significance level for all tests set at P value < 0.05 at 95% confidence interval. Pearson's correlation was used to examine the strength of the relationship between academic performance and smartphone addiction, Multiple logistic regression analysis to determine the association and predictors of smartphone addiction with GPA among the study population.

RESULTS

One hundred and sixty-eight (168) respondents participated in the study. Social networking (35.7%) was the main purpose for smartphone usage. Also, 9.5% of respondents used smartphones for educational purposes. The prevalence of students who were addicted was 78.0%. Pearson's correlation showed a significantly negative weak correlation (df = 166, r = -0.35, P = 0.0001*). The age of first use of smartphones was statistically significantly weak and correlated negatively to smartphone addiction (df = 166, r = -0.19, P = 0.014*).

CONCLUSION

The study revealed a high prevalence of smartphone addiction among the study population and the use of smartphones for educational purposes was found to be low. Furthermore, the study shows a statistically significant negative association between smartphone addiction and GPA.

Does smartphone addiction impact happiness? exploring the mediating roles of belongingness and fear of missing out: a cross-sectional survey from Turkey

The aim of the study is to determine whether the fear of missing out (FoMO) has a mediating role in the effect of general belongingness (acceptance, exclusion) and happiness on smartphone addiction. The study consists of 656 university students from Turkey and agreeing to participate in the study. Of the students participating in the study, 77.7% were female. The participants were between the ages of 17 and 34, with a mean age of 21.32 ± 2.08 years. In this cross-sectional research design, the relationship between smartphone addiction, fear of missing out, general belonging and happiness variables was examined. Descriptive statistical methods were used to analyze the data and partial least squares path analysis (PLS-SEM) was used to analyze the research model. FoMO has a mediating effect on the effect of acceptance, exclusion, happiness on smartphone addiction. These findings highlight the significant role of FoMO in mediating the relationship between fundamental social needs (belongingness, happiness) and smartphone addiction. This suggests that interventions aimed at reducing smartphone addiction should consider addressing not only the technological dependence but also the underlying social and emotional needs that drive it. Promoting healthy social connections and fostering a sense of belonging among young adults may be crucial in mitigating the risk of smartphone addiction.

Less smartphone and more physical activity for a better work satisfaction, motivation, work-life balance, and mental health: An experimental intervention study

Employees' work satisfaction and mental health are crucial for an organization's productivity. The current experimental study on employees (Ntotal = 278) from different professional sectors and workplaces in Germany investigated how to improve both by changes of daily non-work-related smartphone use time and physical activity time. For one week, the smartphone group (N = 73) reduced its daily smartphone use by one hour, the physical activity group (N = 69) increased its daily physical activity by 30 minutes, the combination group (N = 72) followed both interventions, the control group (N = 64) did not change its behavior. Online surveys assessed work-related and mental health-related variables at three measurement time points (baseline; post-intervention; two-week follow-up). The reduction of smartphone use time and the combination of both interventions increased work satisfaction, work motivation, work-life balance, and positive mental health significantly; experience of work overload and problematic smartphone use significantly decreased. All interventions decreased depressive symptoms and enhanced sense of control significantly. Following the present findings, a conscious and controlled reduction of non-work-related smartphone use time and its combination with more physical activity could improve employees' work satisfaction and mental health in the organizational context either as an addition to established training programs or as a separate time- and cost-efficient low threshold program.

Smartphone Distraction and Academic Anxiety: The Mediating Role of Academic Procrastination and the Moderating Role of Time Management Disposition

The present study investigated the relationship between smartphone distraction, academic procrastination, academic anxiety, and time management disposition. A total of 474 college students were recruited to complete a survey comprising measures of smartphone distraction, academic procrastination, academic anxiety, and time management disposition. The hypothesised moderated mediation model was tested using Model 4 and Model 15 of the PROCESS macro for SPSS. Results showed that smartphone distraction was positively and significantly correlated with academic anxiety (r = 0.40, p < 0.001) and academic procrastination (r = 0.42, p < 0.001). Academic procrastination mediated the relationship between smartphone distraction and academic anxiety. Time management disposition moderated the paths from academic procrastination and smartphone distraction to academic anxiety. The present study suggests that smartphone distraction could predict increased levels of academic procrastination, which could then lead to higher academic anxiety. However, the predicting effects in this mediation model could fluctuate across individuals with different time management dispositions. Further studies are needed to explore the mechanism of smartphone distraction using different methods.

The role of big five traits and self-esteem on academic procrastination in Honduran and Spanish university students: A cross-cultural study

Academic procrastination, a prevalent issue in higher education, has been associated with various adverse outcomes. This study aims to discern and compare the degrees of academic procrastination among university students in Honduras and Spain while also investigating the relationship between academic procrastination and the Big Five personality factors alongside self-esteem. The sample comprised 457 university students, encompassing 237 Hondurans and 220 Spaniards. The research employed descriptive, comparative, correlational, and regression analyses. Honduran university students exhibited a significantly lower level of academic procrastination. Correlational analyses revealed that self-esteem and all Big Five personality factors, except for neuroticism in the Spanish cohort, displayed noteworthy associations with academic procrastination. Further regression analyses demonstrated that conscientiousness emerged as a significant predictor of procrastination in both samples. This study's findings can be pivotal in identifying students at risk of procrastination at an early stage. Additionally, the results can inform the development of intervention programs designed to mitigate procrastination tendencies among university students.

The Impact of Executive Dysfunction on Anxiety in Hearing-Impaired College Students: Smartphone Addiction as a Mediator and Academic Procrastination as a Moderator

Purpose

Hearing-impaired college students often rely on smartphones for information exchange and social interaction due to their hearing limitations, which may increase their risk of smartphone addiction. This study aims to explore the impact of executive dysfunction on anxiety levels in hearing-impaired college students, investigating smartphone addiction as a mediator and academic procrastination as a moderator.

Methods

We conducted a questionnaire survey using the Executive Function Scale, the Anxiety Scale, the Smartphone Addiction Scale, and the Academic Procrastination Scale. The survey included 609 hearing-impaired college students from three universities in Jiangsu, Hunan, and Heilongjiang Provinces, China.

Results

After controlling for age, executive dysfunction was found to significantly predict higher anxiety levels in hearing-impaired college students. Additionally, smartphone addiction partially mediated the relationship between executive dysfunction and anxiety. Academic procrastination further moderated the relationship between smartphone addiction and anxiety.

Conclusion

This study enhances the understanding of the complex interactions between executive dysfunction, smartphone addiction, and academic procrastination in contributing to anxiety among hearing-impaired college students. The findings offer valuable insights for developing strategies to promote the mental health of this population.

Tomorrow Never Comes: The Risks of Procrastination for Adolescent Health

This study explores the relationship between procrastination and declining healthy habits among adolescents, a topic lacking systematic reviews in the existing literature. The primary purpose is to lay the groundwork for promoting mental health and preventing procrastination as risky behavior. This systematic review examined five areas related to procrastination and its influence on healthy lifestyle habits in adolescents: technology and procrastination; sleep and procrastination; academic procrastination; and the COVID-19 pandemic. The findings highlight that technology misuse is linked with procrastination; adolescents tend to procrastinate when going to sleep; academic procrastination negatively impacts long-term educational achievements, and the COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated this phenomenon. Ultimately, it is concluded that procrastination is related to all these aspects and has detrimental effects on adolescents' physical and psychological development.

Analyzing psychological resilience in college students: A decision tree model

In the evolving landscape of higher education, particularly in the post-pandemic era, it is crucial for college students to face societal challenges and achieve success by understanding and predicting psychological resilience. To deepen our understanding of psychological resilience, this study used a decision tree model to explore influencing factors. We surveyed 776 college students and collected data on demographic information, self-esteem, sense of school belonging, pro-environmental behavior, subjective well-being, internet game addiction, life autonomy, and academic procrastination using several scales. The decision tree model identified eight key predictors of psychological resilience, which are as follows in order of importance: self-esteem, sense of school belonging, pro-environmental behavior, subjective well-being, academic procrastination, life autonomy, internet game addiction, and academic achievement. This model's accuracy reached 73.985 %, emphasizing its potential utility in educational settings. The findings not only provide a novel and data-driven perspective to understand psychological resilience in college students compared to existing research but also provide practical guidance for educational practitioners and policymakers on how to develop psychological resilience in college students.

Teachers' competence: How to protect teachers' mental health from the burden caused by students' private in-class use of technical devices?

The current study investigated how students' private in-class use of technical devices is associated with teachers' mental health. Data of 361 teachers from primary and secondary schools in Germany were assessed via online surveys. The present cross-sectional results show a positive association between burden caused by the students' private in-class use of technical devices and teachers' depression symptoms. Both were negatively linked to teachers' positive mental health (PMH) and teachers' competence in handling students' private in-class use of technical devices. In a moderated mediation analysis, the association between burden and depression symptoms was mediated by PMH. Teachers' competence moderated the link between PMH and depression symptoms. Specifically, the higher the competence, the weaker the relationship between both variables. Thus, the protective effect of teachers' competence could be especially important in persons with low PMH. Competence training in handling students' use of technical devices is discussed as a potential step that could protect teachers' mental health.

From temperament to YouTube: exploring the link between childhood temperament, YouTube usage patterns, and emotional/behavioral problems among children

BACKGROUND

YouTube is a widely used video sharing and social networking platform among children and adolescents. However, research on YouTube usage among this population remains scarce. Specifically, studies on factors that influence children and adolescents' usage are clinically significant but largely lacking. Additionally, few studies have examined the association between usage and emotional/behavioral problems, which is fundamental to smartphone research. Therefore, this study explored the relationship between early childhood temperament, subsequent YouTube usage patterns, and emotional/behavioral problems.

METHODS

The Kids Cohort for Understanding Internet Addiction Risk Factors in Early Childhood (K-CURE) is the first long-term prospective cohort study in Korea aimed at understanding the long-term effects of media exposure on young children. The study included 195 children aged 8-11 years enrolled in the K-CURE study. Caregivers, predominantly mothers, who voluntarily participated during their visits to community centers for children's mental health in Korea's major cities, completed a detailed self-administered survey. Childhood temperament was measured in 2018 when the children were 5-8 years old. Subsequent YouTube usage patterns and emotional/behavioral problems were assessed in 2021. Data were analyzed using frequency analysis, correlation analysis, and multiple linear regression.

RESULTS

The study found that 21.0% of children started using YouTube before age 4, with the most common onset age being 8-9 years (30.3%). These children used YouTube on average 4.8 days per week for 68.5 min per day. Early childhood persistence was negatively associated with the subsequent YouTube usage duration, and the age at first YouTube use was negatively correlated with subsequent usage frequency. Furthermore, a younger age at first YouTube use and higher usage frequency were significantly associated with increased emotional/behavioral problems.

CONCLUSIONS

In the YouTube environment, where content is automatically recommended based on user preferences, traits related to usage patterns may be associated with persistence, which is linked to self-regulation. Considering the current trend where children use smartphones, contents frequently for very short durations, our findings highlight the importance of self-regulation in the media usage of children who are still developing. Additionally, our results provide fundamental information for future YouTube studies and illustrate similarities and differences between smartphone and YouTube research.

The Impact of Family Functioning Factors on Smartphone Addiction and Phubbing among Muslim Adolescents in Thailand

BACKGROUND

While there is research on protective factors against smartphone addiction (SA) and phubbing, which impact adolescents' physical, psychological, interpersonal, and academic well-being, focused studies on these issues among Thai Muslim students in Southern Thailand remain scarce.

OBJECTIVES

To bridge this gap, this research aimed to explore the influence of five family functioning factors-discipline, communication and problem-solving (CPS), relationship, emotional status, and family support-guided by family systems theory and the McMaster Model, on SA and phubbing.

METHODS

Data from 825 Thai Muslim adolescent secondary school students (Female N = 459 (55.7%), Mage = 15.11 ± 1.78) across three southern Thai provinces were analyzed utilizing structural equation modeling (SEM).

RESULTS

Significant connections were identified between family functioning factors, particularly emotional status and discipline, and SA, and their impact on phubbing behavior. SA was found to mediate the relationship between these two family factors and phubbing. Interestingly, a higher quality of family relationships was found to be associated with an increased risk of SA, while the other two family functions-CPS and family support-demonstrated no significant association with these digital behaviors.

CONCLUSIONS

Despite its limitations, including a cross-sectional design and reliance on self-reports, the study underscores the importance of specific family functions in preventing and addressing adolescent SA and phubbing.

Predictors of Procrastination in a Moderated Mediation Analysis: The Roles of Problematic Smartphone Use, Psychological Flexibility, and Gender

Research has revealed that problematic smartphone use is a cause of procrastination. This study investigated the predictive role of problematic smartphone use on procrastination with consideration of the mediating effect of psychological flexibility. The moderating role of gender in the frequency of checking smartphones was also tested in this mediational model. Of total, 471 undergraduate students (369 female, 102 male) with a mean age of 20.65 participated in the study. The study was conducted face to face in classroom settings, and the results of the analysis revealed that psychological flexibility indeed affected the relationship between problematic smart phone use and procrastination. In addition, moderated mediation analysis suggested that female university students were significantly impacted. Finally, it was observed that psychological flexibility played a significant role amongst the female university students surveyed in the relationship between problematic smart phone use and procrastination.

The relationship between mobile phone addiction and depression, anxiety, and sleep quality in medical students

This study investigates the prevalence of mobile phone addiction among medical students and its relationship with depression, anxiety, and sleep quality. The study was conducted at Mashhad University of Medical Sciences from 2019 to 2021, and it included medical students at four different levels of training. Participants were selected using a stratified random sampling method. All subjects completed the Mobile Phone Addiction Scale, Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), Beck Depression Inventory, and Beck Anxiety Inventory through online electronic self-report questionnaires. Overall, 355 medical students were included in the study, with 203 (57.2%) being female. Mild and severe mobile phone addiction was reported by 83.7 and 2.5% of the students, respectively. Furthermore, the study's findings revealed significantly higher sleep quality disorder, depression, and anxiety scores among students with severe mobile phone addiction compared to other participants ( P  < 0.001, P  = 0.007, and P  < 0.001, respectively). Although mobile phone addiction was prevalent, severe addiction was rare among medical students. Nevertheless, severe addiction was associated with an increased prevalence of mental health problems and sleep disturbances, emphasizing the importance of interventions aimed at reducing mobile phone addiction and improving mental health.

Glimpse on 21st century new phobias; a predictive model of nomophobia

The main purpose of this study was to examine the explanatory power of a predictive model of nomophobia consisting of rumination, fear of missing out (FoMO), mindfulness and non-pathological compulsions. The research involved a cross-sectional design exploring the prevalence of nomophobia in a Romanian university students' cohort. The quantitative methodology was used to collect and analyse the data obtained from all the respondents. Researchers adapted and pretested the questionnaire NMP-Q, before distributing it to 194 university students. SPSS (V. 20) and Hayes's PROCESS tool were used to analyse the data. The findings demonstrated that the above-mentioned psychological variables have a direct and significant relationship with nomophobia. Specifically, within the multidimensional mechanism that explains nomophobia, fear of missing out (FoMO), non-pathological compulsions, and rumination, included in the predictive model in this order, played the most important role, as together cover 34% of nomophobia variance. Furthermore, the fear of missing out has the highest explanatory contribution to nomophobia. The current study gives a better understanding of the dynamics of nomophobia in young people by focusing on psychological factors that play an important role in this phenomenon.

Nomophobia and Its Association with Depression, Anxiety and Stress (DASS Scale), among Young Adults in Greece

Smartphones with their numerous applications have become essential daily equipment, prompting scientific research to deal with the impact of their use on psychosocial health. Under this spectrum, the aim of the present cross-sectional study was to examine the association between nomophobia and the negative emotional states of depression, anxiety, and stress, in relation to self-esteem and sociodemographic data, among the young adult population. The study sample consisted of 1408 young adults aged 18-25 years, participating on a voluntary basis with an online anonymous questionnaire. Data were collected through the "Nomophobia Questionnaire (NMP-Q)", "Depression Anxiety Stress Scales-short form (DASS-21)", and Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSES). The questionnaire also included socio-demographic characteristics and smartphone use variables. Data analysis showed that women were identified with severe depression and stress to a greater extent than men (63.3% vs. 55.1% for depression and 18.1% vs. 13.8% for stress scale). With respect to nomophobia, participants with severe levels of nomophobia also exhibited severe levels of negative emotional states in all DASS components, i.e., 40.6% in depression, 73.7% in anxiety, and 32.7% in stress (all p values < 0.001). Participants with severe levels of depression and anxiety were very often checking their phone and used it in all daily activities. Moreover, correlation analysis revealed that self-esteem had a moderating effect on the relationship between nomophobia and DASS, a fact that modifies the association between the involved variables: stronger relationships appeared between nomophobia and DASS components in individuals with normal/high self-esteem than in individuals with low self-esteem.

Effect of physical exercise on sleep quality in college students: Mediating role of smartphone use

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the effect of physical exercise on sleep quality and the mediating effect of smartphone use behavior in college students.

METHODS

A cross-sectional study design was adopted. An online survey of 5,075 college students was conducted using the Physical Activity Rating Scale-3, the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, and the Mobile Phone Addiction Tendency Scale.

RESULTS

The sleep quality of college students was poor, and the proportion of college students with good sleep quality was 23.567%. A significant correlation existed between sleep quality and physical exercise (r = -0.159, P < 0.001) and mobile phone addiction (r = 0.355, P < 0.001). Physical exercise can predict sleep quality in college students (β = -0.011, P < 0.001). Smartphone use plays a part in mediating the process by which physical exercise affects sleep quality.

CONCLUSION

Chinese college students have poor sleep quality. Physical exercise and smartphone use behavior are important factors affecting the sleep quality of college students. Physical exercise can directly predict the sleep quality of college students and can predict the sleep quality of college students through the mediating effect of smartphone use behavior.

The role of academic procrastination on Internet addiction among Thai university students: A cross-sectional study

Background

The internet has become an inevitable tool for information-seeking and communication in today's modern era. However, ironically it has driven humankind to become more dependent, leading to addiction. Internet addiction has increased exponentially at all levels of society, especially university students, impeding their physical, psychological, and social well-being.

Objective

This study aimed to examine the relationship between academic procrastination and internet addiction and determine the influence of academic procrastination on internet addiction among Thai university students.

Methods

A cross-sectional study was conducted involving 470 participants selected through multi-stage cluster random sampling from a university in eastern Thailand. The data collection was conducted between 29 November 2022 and 27 January 2023. The data were gathered using a demographic data form, an internet addiction test, and a procrastination assessment scale for the students' questionnaire. Descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation coefficient, and simple linear regression were employed for data analysis.

Results

The results revealed that academic procrastination (M = 49.68, SD = 12.61) and internet addiction (M = 65.26, SD = 5.60) were at a moderate level. A positive correlation was identified between academic procrastination and internet addiction (r = 0.33, p <0.01), indicating a low relationship. Academic procrastination also had a significant predictive power on internet addiction, accounting for 11.3% of the variance (R2 adjusted = 0.113, F (1, 468) = 59.583, p <0.001).

Conclusion

The findings indicated the significant role of academic procrastination on internet addiction. Therefore, it is crucial that nurses should formulate interventions by considering this factor and emphasize self-regulatory and time-management skills and practical ways to limit internet dependence. Furthermore, the findings suggest that nurses could assess the procrastination level among students, devise prevention strategies, and organize awareness campaigns to instill information about rational internet use that aids in mitigating the risks and preventing them from getting addicted.

Undergraduates' Negative Emotion and Academic Procrastination During COVID-19: Life Autonomy as a Mediator and Sense of School Belonging as a Moderator

Introduction

This study aims to investigate the impact of COVID-19 on undergraduate students' academic procrastination and negative emotions. It seeks to examine the relationship between negative affect and academic procrastination among university students, considering the mediating role of life autonomy and the moderating effect of a sense of school belonging.

Methods

The study sample consisted of 776 university students from the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China. Data collection involved the use of the Negative Affect Scale, Academic Procrastination Scale, Life Autonomy Scale, and Sense of School Belonging Scale. SPSS version 26.0 and PROCESS V3.580 to conduct relationship analysis, test the mediation model (model 4) and the moderated mediating model (model 7).

Results

The findings revealed significant relationships among the variables. Negative emotions were negatively related with life autonomy and sense of school belonging, and positively related with academic procrastination. Academic procrastination showed a negative correlation with both life autonomy and sense of school belonging. Sense of school belonging exhibited a positive relationship with life autonomy. The study also identified life autonomy as a mediator in the relationship between negative emotions and academic procrastination. Additionally, the sense of school belonging moderated the initial segment of the negative emotion-life autonomy-academic procrastination pathway.

Discussion

This study contributes to a better understanding of the association between negative affect and academic procrastination. It highlights that negative emotions have a direct and indirect influence on academic procrastination through the mediating role of life autonomy. Moreover, the moderating role of sense of school belonging suggests that the relationship between negative affect and life autonomy is stronger when the sense of school belonging is weaker.

Time Spent on Mobile Apps Matters: A Latent Class Analysis of Patterns of Smartphone Use among Adolescents

The aims of the present study are: (1) to determine classes of adolescents with homogeneous patterns of smartphone or social media use; and (2) to examine the level of distress across the empirically derived profiles. Three hundred and forty adolescents (Mage = 15.61, SD = 1.19; 38.2% females) participated in a cross-sectional survey. Participants provided objective trace data on time spent on smartphones and applications, as well as self-reported social media addiction, social media use intensity, online social comparison, emotion dysregulation, and psychological distress. Latent class analysis (LCA) with total smartphone use categorized participants into three classes. Participants in Class 3 (19%) showed a more impaired functioning profile, with a tendency towards social media addiction and greater levels of distress. LCAs with the amount of time devoted to specific applications are more heterogeneous, and results showed that heavy use of social media apps was not consistently connected to the most impaired psychosocial profiles. Although the amount of mobile screen time can be a characteristic of problematic users, the link between social media usage and an adolescent's psychological characteristics is mixed. More research is needed to explore the interplay between mobile screen time and social media usage among adolescents.

"Danmu" preference, problematic online video watching, loneliness and personality: An eye-tracking study and survey study

'Danmu' (i.e., comments that scroll across online videos), has become popular on several Asian online video platforms. Two studies were conducted to investigate the relationships between Danmu preference, problematic online video watching, loneliness and personality. Study 1 collected self-report data on the study variables from 316 participants. Study 2 collected eye-tracking data of Danmu fixation (duration, count, and the percentages) from 87 participants who watched videos. Results show that fixation on Danmu was significantly correlated with problematic online video watching, loneliness, and neuroticism. Self-reported Danmu preference was positively associated with extraversion, openness, problematic online video watching, and loneliness. The studies indicate the potential negative effects of Danmu preference (e.g., problematic watching and loneliness) during online video watching. The study is one of the first empirical investigations of Danmu and problematic online video watching using eye-tracking software. Online video platforms could consider adding more responsible use messaging relating to Danmu in videos. Such messages may help users to develop healthier online video watching habits.

Short version of the smartphone addiction scale: Measurement invariance across gender

The Smartphone Addiction Scale Short Version (SAS-SV) has been widely used in research, but little is known about the measurement invariance across gender. The current study measured SAS-SV invariance between male and female college students in a sample of 1112 participants. Single- and multiple-group confirmatory factor analyses (CFAs) of smartphone addiction symptom ratings were conducted using R program with RStudio. SAS-SV was psychometrically robust in measuring the severity of smartphone addiction among college students, as well as the gender-based invariance. The differences in SAS-SV between male and female participants were likely to represent true gender differences, and meaningful comparisons could be made.

Dimensional Structure of MAPS-15: Validation of the Multidimensional Academic Procrastination Scale

Academic procrastination is a complex behavior that hampers the cyclical process of self-regulation in learning, impeding the flow of actions necessary to achieve the goals and sub-goals that students have set out to attain. It has a high frequency of occurrence and has been linked to lessened student performance and a decrease in psychological and physical well-being. The objective of this study is to analyze the psychometric characteristics of a new academic procrastination scale MAPS-15 (Multidimensional Academic Procrastination Scale) applicable in self-regulated learning environments through a cross-validation study (exploratory factor analysis and confirmatory factor analysis). The sample consisted of 1289 students from a distance/online university, with a wide age range and sociocultural variability. The students completed self-reported online questionnaires on two dates: during the university access and adaptation phase and before the first period of compulsory exams. One-, two- and three-factor structures were tested as well as a second-order structure. The results support a three-dimensional structure of MAPS-15: core procrastination, a pure dimension of procrastinating behavior and difficulty in carrying out the action; poor time management, a dimension related to time organization and perceived control over time; and work disconnection, a dimension conceptually related to lack of persistence, and work interruptions.

Effect of Mobile Phone Addiction on Physical Exercise in University Students: Moderating Effect of Peer Relationships

OBJECTIVE

The influence of mobile phone addiction (MPA) on physical exercise in university students was explored, and peer relationships were introduced as a moderating variable.

METHODS

A cross-sectional study design was adopted, and an online survey questionnaire was conducted to investigate two universities in Nantong City, Jiangsu Province, and Chongzuo City, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. A total of 4959 university students completed the questionnaire. Measurement tools included the Mobile Phone Addiction Tendency Scale, the Physical Activity Rating Scale, and the Peer Rating Scale of university students.

RESULTS

University students scored 39.322 ± 15.139 for MPA and 44.022 ± 7.735 for peer relationships, with 87.8% of their physical exercise, in terms of exercise grade, being classified as medium or low intensity. The MPA of the university students was negatively correlated with peer relationships (r = -0.377, p < 0.001) and physical exercise behavior (r = -0.279, p < 0.001). The moderating effect of peer relationships on the MPA-physical exercise behavior relationship was significant (ΔR2 = 0.03, p < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

The physical exercise of university students was at a medium or low intensity. The more serious the university students' addiction to mobile phones was, the lower the amount of physical exercise. The physical activity of males was higher than that of females. MPA and peer relationships were the limiting factors of the physical exercise behavior of university students. Under the lower effect of peer relationship regulation, MPA had a greater negative impact on physical exercise behavior. The data from this research can provide theoretical support to improve the participation of university students in physical activities.

The relationship between anxiety and depression with smartphone addiction among college students: The mediating effect of executive dysfunction

Smartphone addiction symptom is increasing globally. Many studies have found that negative emotion is associated with smartphone addiction, but few explore the mediating effect of executive dysfunction. In a large-scale, cross-sectional survey, 421 Chinese college students completed measures on anxiety, depression, smartphone addiction, and executive dysfunction. We surveyed the prevalence of depression, impaired executive function, and smartphone addiction. A confirmatory factor analysis was performed on the questionnaire structure, and the mediation models were used to examine the relationship between anxiety, depression, impaired executive function, and smartphone addiction. The main finding indicated that anxiety, depression, and executive dysfunction were positively and significantly associated with smartphone addiction. Executive dysfunction plays a mediation role between anxiety and depression with smartphone addiction. Specifically, executive dysfunction completely mediates the pathway of anxiety and smartphone addiction and partly mediates the path of depression and smartphone addiction. Depression directly predicted smartphone addiction positively but anxiety did not. The sample consisted of Chinese college students, which limits generalizability and self-reported lack of objectivity. The result suggests that we should pay more attention to the mediating role of executive dysfunction between negative emotion and smartphone addiction.

Smartphone addiction and phubbing behavior among university students: A moderated mediation model by fear of missing out, social comparison, and loneliness

Introduction

This article examines mediators and moderators that may explain the link between smartphone addiction and phubbing behavior using a sample of 794 university students.

Methods

A mediation model was tested to test the hypothesis that social comparison orientation and fear of missing out would mediate the link between smartphone addiction and phubbing behavior. Additionally, a moderated mediation model was leveraged to examine loneliness as a moderator within the hypothesized model. The data collected were analyzed using SPSS.

Results and Discussion

The findings show a significant positive relationship between smartphone addiction and phubbing behavior. The findings confirm the hypothesized associations and reveal that smartphone addiction is positively linked to phubbing behavior. The link, on the other hand, is partially and sequentially mediated by the fear of missing out and social comparison orientation. As a result, both mediators might be regarded as proximal variables of phubbing behavior. Moreover, the associations between both smart addiction and phubbing behaviors as well as social comparison orientation and phubbing behaviors are moderated by loneliness. These two effects were stronger for university students with high loneliness than for those with low loneliness. This study addresses a major gap in the clinical psychology literature through the attempt to explore the relationship between smartphone addiction and increased phubbing behavior among university students.

Chinese students' filial piety beliefs and procrastination in mathematics learning: The mediating role of academic emotions

This study examined the relations between Chinese students' filial piety beliefs and mathematics procrastination and the mediating role of academic emotions in the relations. Analysis of data on 1,476 primary school students in China with structural equation modeling revealed that students' reciprocal and authoritarian filial piety beliefs were positively related to academic enjoyment and anxiety, respectively. Students' procrastination in mathematics learning was positively related to anxiety and authoritarian filial piety beliefs and had negative associations with enjoyment and reciprocal filial piety beliefs. The bootstrap analysis results confirmed the mediating role of anxiety in the relation between authoritarian filial piety beliefs and procrastination. Reciprocal filial piety beliefs had negative indirect relationship with procrastination via enjoyment. The results were explained from a socio-cultural perspective. The theoretical contributions and practical implications are discussed.

The Impact of Undergraduates' Social Isolation on Smartphone Addiction: The Roles of Academic Anxiety and Social Media Use

The COVID-19 pandemic has an adverse effect on the physical health of societies and individuals. One important concern is the effect of social isolation on the mental health of undergraduates, such as academic anxiety, smartphone addiction and other social psychological problems. The purpose of this study was to investigate associations among undergraduates' social isolation in this special context, social media use for obtaining information about the COVID-19 pandemic (i.e., communicative and non-communicative), academic anxiety, and smartphone addiction. A cross-sectional survey was conducted from May to June in 2022 and a total of 388 undergraduates were included. The results showed significant positive associations between social isolation and smartphone addiction and academic anxiety. Furthermore, academic anxiety played a mediating role in the effect of social isolation on smartphone addiction, which was moderated by non-communicative social media use. Some theoretical and practical implications as well as research limitations are discussed.

Relationships among Problematic Smartphone Use, Mathematics Achievement, Teacher-Student Relationships, and Subjective Well-Being: Results from a Large-Scale Survey in China

This study examined the mediating role of mathematics performance and the moderating role of teacher-student relationships on the effects of problematic smartphone use on students' subjective well-being. Through probability proportionate to size sampling (PPS), a total of 20,321 fourth graders from a city in central China were invited to complete a paper-based mathematics achievement test and an online questionnaire survey, including demographic information, problematic smartphone use, subjective well-being, and teacher-student relationship scales. The results showed that: after controlling for SES and gender, (1) problematic smartphone use had a direct and negative effect on students' subjective well-being; (2) mathematics performance partially mediated the effects of problematic smartphone use on students' subjective well-being; (3) teacher-student relationships moderated the effects of problematic smartphone use on mathematics performance/students' subjective well-being; (4) with the increase in problematic smartphone use, high teacher-student relationships produced a lower rate of the positive moderating effect than low teacher-student relationships. The implications of this study and suggestions for future research are discussed.

Correlations between smartphone addiction and alexithymia, attachment style, and subjective well-being: A meta-analysis

Background

Smartphone addiction (SA) has become a social problem that affects peoples’ quality of life and is frequently reported to be correlated with alexithymia, avoidant or anxious attachment styles, and subjective well-being. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between SA and alexithymia, attachment style, and subjective well-being.

Methods

A meta-analysis was conducted following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. The following electronic databases were searched: PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, PsycINFO, PsycArticles, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), WANFANG DATA, and Chongqing VIP Information Co., Ltd. (VIP). Stata 16.0 was used to analyze the overall effect and test the moderating effect.

Results

One hundred and ten studies were included, involving a total of 96,680 participants. SA had a significantly high positive correlation with alexithymia (r = 0.40), attachment anxiety (r = 0.37), and negative emotions (r = 0.31), and a low positive correlation with attachment avoidance (r = 0.17). In addition, there was a high negative correlation between SA and subjective well-being (r = –0.33) and a low negative correlation between SA, life satisfaction (r = –0.17), and positive emotions (r = –0.18). A moderation analysis revealed that age significantly moderated the relationship between SA and positive emotions. The tools for measuring SA significantly moderated the relationship between SA, alexithymia, attachment anxiety, and subjective well-being. Meanwhile, subjective well-being measurement tools significantly moderated the relationships between SA, subjective well-being, and negative emotions.

Conclusion

SA was closely related to alexithymia, attachment style, and subjective well-being. In the future, longitudinal research can be conducted to better investigate the dynamic changes in the relationship between them.

Systematic review registration

[www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/], identifier [CRD42022334798].

Qudah MF, Al-Barashdi HS, Bakhiet SF, Darandari E, Al-Asqah SS, Hammad HI, Al-Khadher MM, Qara S, Al-Mutairy SH, Albursan HI. Smartphone Addiction among University Students in Light of the COVID-19 Pandemic: Prevalence, Relationship to Academic Procrastination, Quality of Life, Gender and Educational Stage

The current study aims to identify the level and proportions of smartphone addiction, and academic procrastination among university students in the light of the Corona pandemic; identify the differences in smartphone addiction, academic procrastination, and quality of life according to gender and stage of study; and revealing the predictive ability of academic procrastination and quality of life for smartphone addiction. Methods: 556 male and female students from Saudi universities participated in the study, whose ages ranged from 18 to 52 years. Measures of academic procrastination and quality of life were used, in addition to the Italian scale of smartphone addiction, which was translated and checked for validity and reliability. Results: The results revealed that 37.4% of the sample were addicted to smartphone use, while 7.7% had a high level of procrastination, and 62.8% had an average level of procrastination. The results did not show statistically significant differences in smartphone addiction and quality of life according to gender and educational stage, while there were statistically significant differences in academic procrastination according to gender in favor of males, and according to stage of education in favor of undergraduate students. The results also revealed a statistically significant positive relationship between academic procrastination and smartphone addiction, and a statistically significant negative relationship between smartphone addiction and quality of life. A negative relationship between quality of life and academic procrastination was found. The results also revealed that addiction to smartphones could be predicted through academic procrastination and quality of life.

Integrating the Role of UTAUT and TTF Model to Evaluate Social Media Use for Teaching and Learning in Higher Education

Investigation of task-technology fit and intention to use social media tools needs to focus specifically on higher education for teaching and learning, and its impact on students' academic performance. This article aims to develop a model that would identify essential aspects that are predicted to continue to play a large role in TTF for learning in BI, which could be used to improve academic performance in higher education. The purpose of this study was to investigate the characteristics and aspects of SM and the relationship between their use in the TTF and UTAUT theory to determine how they affect research students' satisfaction and AP in HE institutions. Data for the unified theory of acceptance and use of technology (UTAUT) and task-technology fit (TTF) theories were collected using a questionnaire survey. This research hypothesizes that behavioral intention to utilize social media and task-technology fit for learning will influence social characteristics, technology characteristics, performance expectancy, and effort expectancy, all of which will improve academic performance. As a test bed for this research, a structural equation model (SEM) was constructed examining the relationships between factors that affect students' academic performance. A stratified random sample strategy was used to disseminate the main tool of data collection, a questionnaire, to 383 students. A quantitative method was used to examine the results. The obtained outcomes showed that there was a correlation among social characteristics, technological characteristics, behavioral intention to use social media, and task-technology fit for academic performance, which aided student performance and results. The study indicates that PEX and EEX also demonstrated a strong relation to task-technology fit and behavioral intent to use social media for academic purposes, both of which positively impacted academic performance. As a result, the study found that behavioral intention to utilize and task-technology-fit social media promote students' active learning and enable them to discuss and exchange knowledge and information more efficiently. In conclusion, we encourage students to use social media for educational purposes in their studies and teaching through lectures in HE institutions.

Pattern of mobile phone and internet use among 11-15-years-old

OBJECTIVE

To assess the pattern of problematic internet and mobile use in a sample of adolescents.

METHOD

Cross-sectional descriptive study in 8 primary and secondary education centres attached to a semi-rural health centre serving 21,000 inhabitants. Two-stage, cluster and systematic sampling, with a final sample size of 446 participants. Sociodemographic variables and data related to the questionnaire for mobile phone-related experiences (CERM) and questionnaire on internet-related experiences (CERI) were collected.

RESULTS

446 valid surveys were obtained, 228 boys (51.1%) and 218 girls (48.9%) 11-15 years old. A total of 418 (93.7%) had their own mobile. Median mobile usage was 12h on weekdays and 10 at weekends. The most used platforms were WhatsApp (53.6%) and social media (31.4%). Criteria for problematic internet use (CERI>26) were observed in 15.7%, more in 2nd and 3rd ESO. Girls had higher CERI -interpersonal conflict scores (p=.04). Regarding mobile use, girls had higher scores in total CERM (p=.001) and CERM-communicative and emotional use (p=.001).

CONCLUSIONS

The results indicate early onset of problems with internet and mobile use, probably related to the accessibility of the new technologies. No parental control was observed. More problematic use of mobile and internet in second and third compulsory secondary education and higher scores in the group of girls related to communication, emotional use and interpersonal conflicts were observed. The findings can help to raise awareness of this problem, detect it early and prevent the effects of addiction to technologies in adolescents.

Toward a Holistic Approach to Reducing Academic Procrastination With Classroom Interventions

Although academic procrastination is prevalent, few interventions targeting it have been rigorously tested. We propose a novel approach to developing effective classroom interventions for academic procrastination, based on the ideas that changing complex behaviors requires a holistic, multipronged approach and that intervention research must embrace objective measures of procrastination behavior. We illustrate what such intervention efforts may look like by deriving some easily implementable techniques from a simple process model of self-control, which characterizes procrastination as a goal-management failure resulting from a need to repair negative emotion triggered by impending academic tasks.

Hedonic use, stress, and life satisfaction as predictors of smartphone addiction

This study examined the relationship between hedonic smartphone use (entertainment, social media, games), perceived life stress, and satisfaction with life with smartphone addiction (SA). We tested the connections using structural equation modeling (SEM) on questionnaire data obtained from 410 participants (73.2% women). Results indicated a good overall fit of the model (χ2 (36) = 58.06, p = .011; CFI = 0.970, TLI = 0.954, RMSEA[90% CI] = 0.039 [0.019, 0.056], SRMR = 0.037). Perceived stress and hedonic use were positive predictors of SA (β = 0.264, p = .001 and β = 0.176, p = .002, respectively). Satisfaction with life did not directly predict SA, but an indirect effect, via perceived stress, was statistically significant (β = -0.146, p = .001). Women showed greater SA than men, but the effect of age was not significant. Perceived stress was negatively predicted by satisfaction with life, and positively by hedonic use. Based on the compensatory internet use theory, hedonic or non-utilitarian smartphone use might be associated with SA. The study concludes that being female, hedonic smartphone use, and perceived life stress predict SA.

Psychometric Properties of the Academic Procrastination Scale (APS) in Brazil

Academic procrastination has a significant influence on students’ lives, being related to several relevant variables, such as lower self-esteem, higher levels of academic anxiety, and fear of failure. The development and adaptation of reliable instruments help to assure a more in-depth study of academic procrastination. The present research aimed to adapt and assess evidence of validity and reliability of the scores of the Academic Procrastination Scale (APS) for a Brazilian sample ( N = 1241). In Study 1, an exploratory factor analysis supported the unidimensional structure of the APS (25 items). In Study 2, the one-factor structure had an adequate model fit via confirmatory factor analysis. Also, through item response theory, the APS items showed adequate discrimination, difficulty, and level of information. The scores of the APS were also significantly correlated with the scores of the Tuckman Procrastination Scale, providing evidence of convergent validity.

Smartphone Addiction Prevalence and Its Association on Academic Performance, Physical Health, and Mental Well-Being among University Students in Umm Al-Qura University (UQU), Saudi Arabia

Smartphone use can lead to smartphone addiction, which is a growing concern worldwide. However, there are limited studies about smartphone addiction and its impacts on university students in Saudi Arabia. This study aims to fill this gap. This is a quantitative study conducted among undergraduate students in Umm Al-Qura University (UQU), Saudi Arabia from May 2019 and February 2021. Study data were collected using both online and hard copy administered surveys. A self-administered questionnaire, Grade point average, Smartphone Addiction Short Version, and Kessler Psychological Distress scales were used to assess the outcomes. A total of 545 undergraduate students, mostly females, aged ≤21 years old and lived with large family sizes. More than half owned a smartphone for 5–8 years and the majority used their smartphone on average 6–11 h per day for social networking (82.6%), entertainment (66.2%) and web surfing (59.6%). Most of the participants were smartphone-addicted (67.0%). Logistic regression analysis showed that age ≤ 21, not gainfully employed, small family size and high family income were the main significant socio-demographic predictors of smartphone addiction. Smartphone-addicted participants were more likely to: have lower academic performance (GPA); be physically inactive; have poor sleep; be overweight/obese; have pain in their shoulder (39.2%), eyes (62.2%) and neck (67.7%) and have a serious mental illness (30.7%). This finding has significant implications for decision makers and suggests that smartphone education focusing on the physical and mental health consequences of smartphone addiction among university students can be beneficial.

Problematic Smartphone Use and Problematic Social Media Use: The Predictive Role of Self-Construal and the Mediating Effect of Fear Missing Out

Problematic smartphone use (PSU) and problematic social media use (PSMU) are two interrelated constructs which have received significant research attention over the past decade. The present study investigated the relationship between self-construal (distinguished as independent and interdependent), PSU and PSMU with Fear of Missing Out (FoMO) as a mediating variable. The sample comprised 405 Italian students who completed standardized psychometric scales assessing the variables of the study. Bivariate correlations analysis showed that FoMO and independent self-construal was significantly and negatively associated. On the contrary, interdependent self-construal was significantly and positively associated with FoMO, PSU, and PSMU. Mediation analysis showed that FoMO mediated the relationship between self-construal and both PSMU and PSU, but at different levels. The results demonstrated that FoMO full mediated the relationships between interdependent self and PSU, whereas only partial mediation was found between interdependent self and PSMU. Therefore, taking these personality characteristics into account may help reduce dysfunctional behaviour associated with problematic technology use and promote psychological well-being among students. However, it is recommended that further studies replicate the proposed model by including other psychological constructs.

Academic Procrastination and Negative Emotions Among Adolescents During the COVID-19 Pandemic: The Mediating and Buffering Effects of Online-Shopping Addiction

Purpose

The COVID-19 pandemic that began in 2019 has had a significant impact on people’s learning and their lives, including a significant increase in the incidence of academic procrastination and negative emotions. The topic of how negative emotions influences academic procrastination has been long debated, and previous research has revealed a significant relationship between the two. The purpose of this study was to further investigate the mediating and buffering effects of online-shopping addiction on academic procrastination and negative emotions.

Methods

The researchers conducted a correlation analysis followed by a mediation analysis and developed a mediation model. The study used stratified sampling and an online questionnaire as the data collection method. In this study, first, five freshmen students at vocational and technical colleges in Guangdong Province, China, were called to distribute the questionnaire. Second, after communicating with them individually, first-year students of Guangdong origin were selected as participants. Finally, 423 freshman students participated by completing the questionnaire. The questionnaire consisted of 4 parts: demographic information, an online-shopping-addiction scale, an academic-procrastination scale and a negative-emotions scale. A total of 423 students, 118 males (27.9%) and 305 females (72.1%) from 10 vocational and technical colleges in Guangdong were surveyed. SPSS 25.0 was used to process and analyze the data. The data collected were self-reported.

Results

The results showed that: first, academic procrastination was significantly and positively associated with online-shopping addiction (r = 0.176, p < 0.01). Second, academic procrastination was significantly and positively associated with negative emotions (r = 0.250, p < 0.01). Third, online-shopping addiction was significantly and positively associated with negative emotions (r = 0.358, p < 0.01). In addition, academic procrastination had a significant positive predictive effect on online-shopping addiction (β = 0.1955, t = 3.6622, p < 0.001). Online-shopping addiction had a significant positive predictive effect on negative emotions (β = 0.4324, t = 7.1437, p < 0.001).

Conclusion

This study explored the relationship between students’ academic procrastination, negative emotions, and online-shopping addiction during the COVID-19 pandemic. The results indicated that students’ level of academic procrastination positively influenced their level of online-shopping addiction and negative emotions, and their level of online-shopping addiction increased their negative emotions. In addition, there was a mediating effect between the degree of participants’ online-shopping addiction and their degree of academic procrastination and negative emotions during the pandemic. In other words, with the mediating effect of online-shopping addiction, the higher the level of a participant’s academic procrastination, the more likely that the participant would have a high score for negative emotions.

Parental Autonomy Support, Parental Psychological Control and Chinese University Students' Behavior Regulation: The Mediating Role of Basic Psychological Needs

The present research examined relationships between parental autonomy support, parental psychological control, and Chinese emerging adults' autonomous regulation in their university studies as well as dysregulation in social media engagement. A total of 287 (102 female and 185 male) Chinese university students reported on their perceived parenting styles, psychological needs, and behavior regulation. Results showed that basic psychological need satisfaction was positively associated with parental autonomy support and autonomous regulation of learning; need frustration was positively correlated with parental psychological control and dysregulation in social media engagement. More importantly, psychological need frustration was a mediator of the relation between parental psychological control and dysregulation in social media engagement. Our findings suggest that students living in an autonomy-supportive familial environment tend to have satisfied psychological needs as well as autonomous learning behavior. Impairment of psychological needs could be one of the mechanisms through which psychologically controlling parenting was linked to dysregulation of social media use in Chinese culture.