Smartphone addiction, daily interruptions and self-reported productivity

Technostress Among Older Workers: A Central European Perspective

Introduction

This study explores the impact of two major labor market phenomena-the aging workforce and digitalization, which have global significance. The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the adoption of digital technologies, resulting in economic growth, improved business processes, and reduced social isolation. However, the study also addresses the challenges and threats associated with digitalization, with a specific focus on technostress. The research analyses the primary techno-stressors experienced by older employees and self-employed individuals in four EU countries. Investigating various demographic factors such as gender, age, education level, employment type, and country of origin, the study aims to identify stress levels related to techno-demands and techno-disruption.

Methods

This study utilized a quantitative research design with a cross-sectional survey approach. A Quota sampling method in combination with Computer Assisted Web Interviewing (CAWI) was used to collect data. The overall response rate was 42% (varied by country) in total data collected. A sample of 1306 workers (aged 50-64), representing diverse demographics, was recruited and interviewed. The techno-stressors were assessed using a 14-item scale encompassing major stress-creating conditions as already reported in earlier studies.

Results

The results reveal intriguing patterns, particularly notable gender-based differences in technostress experiences across age groups. Younger male seniors and female seniors reported higher levels of techno-disruption, while techno-demands were more problematic for female seniors. Additionally, respondents' country of origin also influenced their experiences with technostress.

Discussion

Overall, the study sheds light on the challenges of digitalization for older workers in central European perspective and provides important missing information and data on variation in technostress based on nationality, age, and gender. The results prompt further research on longitudinal trends and discussions on geography, industry, and country specific impact of digitalization on the modern workforce.

"Phone in the Room, Mind on the Roam": Investigating the Impact of Mobile Phone Presence on Distraction

In the digital age, mobile phones significantly impact human cognition and behavior. This experimental study examined the effects of passive mobile phone presence on attentional control in young adults aged 18-25. Participants were randomly assigned to a control (no phone) or an experimental group (phone present). Attention control was measured using the Attention Network Test (ANT). In contrast, smartphone nomophobia and addiction were measured with the Nomophobia Questionnaire (NMP-Q) and the Smartphone Addiction Scale-Short Version (SAS-SV). Contrary to previous literature, the presence of a mobile phone did not significantly distract participants or impair attentional performance. No significant relationship emerged between self-reported levels of distraction or nomophobia and actual attentional performance, although smartphone addiction seemed to have a weak effect on the errors made by those who performed in the presence of their mobile phone. Significant gender differences were found in terms of nomophobia, with women reporting higher levels than men. This study suggests that the relationship between mobile phone presence and attentional processes is more complex than previously hypothesized, bringing the existing literature under further consideration.

Smartphone addiction among elderly individuals: its relationship with physical activity, activities of daily living, and balance levels

BACKGROUND

The growing use of smartphones among elderly individuals, driven by social and informational needs, may lead to smartphone addiction, potentially impacting their daily lives. This study aimed to determine whether there is a difference in physical activity, activities of daily living, and balance levels between elderly individuals with and without smartphone addiction.

METHODS

This descriptive and cross-sectional study included 94 elderly individuals. Data were obtained using the Smartphone Addiction Scale-Short Version (SAS-SV), the Physical Activity Scale for the Elderly (PASE), the Lawton Instrumental Activities of Daily Living Scale (Lawton IADL), the Fullerton Advanced Balance Scale (FAB-T), and the Timed Up and Go Test (TUG). The participants were divided into two groups according to their SAS-SV scores: those with (n = 45) and those without (n = 49) smartphone addiction.

RESULTS

When the groups with and without smartphone addiction were compared, there was a significant difference between the groups in terms of Lawton IADL (t = 4.223, p < 0.001), total PASE (t = 7.791, p < 0.001), PASE work-related activity (t = 2.541, p = 0.013), household activity (t = 3.598, p = 0.001), and leisure activity (t = 7.063, p < 0.001). Structural equation modeling showed that Lawton IADL (β = -0.320, p < 0.001), PASE total (β = -0.518, p < 0.001), and PASE work-related activity (β = -0.211, p = 0.033), household activity (β = -0.300, p = 0.002), and leisure time activity (β = -0.483, p < 0.001) subscales had a direct negative predictive effect on SAS-SV. FAB-T had a direct positive predictive effect on total PASE (β = 0.186, p = 0.030) and work-related activity subscales (β = 0.197, p = 0.046). FAB-T had a direct positive predictive effect on Lawton IADL (β = 0.247, p = 0.009), but a direct negative effect on TUG (β = -0.541, p < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

The study determined that smartphone addiction was directly related to the maintenance of physical activity and daily living activities in elderly individuals but did not lead to a change in balance status. Future studies should consider including potential confounders, such as baseline physical fitness, socioeconomic status, and cognitive impairment, in structural equation modeling to provide more comprehensive insights.

Factors influencing smartphone overdependence in university students: an ecological model: a descriptive study

Purpose

This study investigated the factors influencing smartphone overdependence in university students using an ecological model and descriptive research.

Methods

Data were collected from 482 students at 13 universities in the six regions in South Korea from October 20, 2020, to March 25, 2021. Data analysis involved descriptive statistics, the chi-square test, the independent samples t-test, analysis of variance, and hierarchical multiple regression.

Results

The significant ecological factors influencing smartphone overdependence included self-awareness of smartphone overdependence (β=.33, p<.001), autonomy (β=-.25, p<.001), average daily smartphone usage time (β=.18, p<.001), gender (β=.15, p=.001), college year (β=.15, p=.020), forming relationships with others as a motivation for smartphone use (β=-.15, p=.008), friend support (β=.14, p=.006), and age (β=-.12, p=.047). The model explained 34.9% of the variance.

Conclusion

The study emphasized the role of personal and interpersonal factors, in smartphone overdependence among university students. Tailored intervention strategies are necessary to address smartphone overdependence, considering the unique characteristics of students' environments. A significant aspect of this study is that it provides an explanation of the multidimensional factors contributing to smartphone overdependence among university students, including intrapersonal, interpersonal, and environmental influences.

Cognitive failures and hand/neck discomfort: Does smartphone addiction contribute?

BACKGROUND

Due to the emergence of smartphone addiction, as a 21th century phenomenon, investigating its subsequent negative effects is essential.

OBJECTIVE

The present study aims to test the predicting effect of smartphone addiction on musculoskeletal discomfort in hand/neck region as well as cognitive failures.

METHODS

A cross-sectional study was designed in which 533 smartphone users (60.2% females and 39.8% males; mean age: 35.9±11.0 years) participated. Smartphone Addiction Scale (SAS), Cognitive Failures Questionnaires (CFQ), Neck Disability Index (NDI) and Cornell Hand Discomfort Questionnaire (CHDQ) were used for data collection. Age, gender and occupational use of electronic devices were considered as socio-demographic factors. Independent t-test, chi-square, and logistic regression were used for data analysis.

RESULTS

The overall prevalence of smartphone addiction was 37.9% among Iranian 20-61 years users. Addicted smartphone users were 3.3, 2.2, 2.9, and 2.8 times more likely to develop musculoskeletal discomfort in right hand, left hand, neck, and cognitive failures than non-addicted smartphone users. High occupational use of electronic devices predicted right-hand discomfort (by 2.6 times) as well as cognitive failures (by 3.4 times). Women were significantly more likely to develop all the studied outcomes. Age did not predict any of the studied outcomes.

CONCLUSIONS

Addiction to smartphones can lead to a sharp rise in the prevalence of neck and hand discomfort, as well as cognitive failures, particularly among working age people. This is concerning issue that requires effective preventive and corrective measures. Developing behavioral approaches to address this problem can help reduce its impact on society.

Prevalence and associations of problematic smartphone use with smartphone activities, psychological well-being, and sleep quality in a household survey of Singapore adults

INTRODUCTION

Despite the many benefits of smartphones, researchers have raised concerns over problematic smartphone use (PSU) and its negative effects on physical and psychological well-being. Studies examining PSU and its impact among adults remain limited. Hence, we aim to examine the prevalence of PSU among adults in Singapore, and explore its associations with smartphone activities, sleep quality, and psychological well-being, as well as age and gender-related differences in these associations.

METHODS

A household survey (n = 1200) was conducted among multi-ethnic Singapore adults aged 21 to 60. The survey employed a proportionate stratified random sampling approach. The Smartphone Addiction Scale-Short Version was used to determine risk of PSU. Adjusted multivariable logistic regressions, age-stratified (21-30, and above 30) analyses and sensitivity analyses were performed.

RESULTS

The survey response rate was 45.7%. PSU prevalence rate was estimated to be 34.0%. Adults at risk were younger (OR = 3.72, p < 0.001), had poor sleep quality (OR = 2.94), reported depressive (OR = 2.84, p = 0.001) or anxiety symptoms (OR = 2.44, p < 0.001), tend to use smartphones for social media (OR = 2.81, p = 0.002) or entertainment (OR = 2.72, p < 0.001). Protective factors include higher levels of social support (OR = 0.76, p = 0.007), using smartphones for calling family (OR = 0.39, p = 0.003) and friends (OR = 0.53, p = 0.030), and spending four hours or less of smartphone usage duration (OR = 0.40, p < 0.001). Sensitivity analyses confirmed these findings. Associations between PSU and poor sleep quality (OR = 3.72, p < 0.001), depressive (OR = 3.83, p < 0.001), and anxiety symptoms (OR = 2.59, p = 0.004) and social media usage (OR = 3.46, p < 0.001) were more pronounced in adults over 30. PSU was more prevalent among females in those aged 21-30 (OR = 2.60, p = 0.022). Social support appears to be a protective factor for adults over 30 (OR = 0.64, p < 0.001) but was not observed in those aged 21-30. Among males, younger age (21-30 years), poor sleep quality, depressive symptoms, and anxiety symptoms, and using social media and entertainment apps were significantly associated with PSU. Females showed similar associations. Social support appears to be a protective factor for females (OR = 0.70, p = 0.018), but this association was not observed for males. Shorter smartphone usage times were inversely associated with PSU in both genders.

CONCLUSION

A substantial proportion of adults exhibited PSU. Findings highlight the differential associations between PSU and psychological well-being, social support, interactions with technology, and sleep quality. These associations are influenced by age which has implications for preventive efforts.

Impact of problematic mobile phone use among nursing students in India: Exploring associations with depression, insomnia, self-esteem and satisfaction with life

AIM

This research aimed to determine the impact of problematic mobile phone use on negative mental health outcomes among nursing students in India, highlighting the necessity for targeted interventions and support mechanisms to enhance the overall well-being and adaptability of future healthcare professionals.

METHODS

A cross-sectional survey was conducted in three randomly selected nursing colleges in South India, employing validated and standardized tools such as the Mobile Phone Problematic Use Scale, Patient Health Questionnaire, Insomnia Severity Index Scale, Satisfaction with Life Scale and Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale.

RESULTS

The study included 402 nursing students with an average age of 20.47 years, revealing a 39% prevalence of severe problematic mobile phone usage. Positive correlations were observed between mobile phone problematic use and age, depression and insomnia. Additionally, strong negative correlations were found between satisfaction with life and self-esteem. Depression and satisfaction with life served as chain mediators in the impact of self-esteem on problematic mobile phone use, and both self-esteem and satisfaction with life negatively predicted problematic mobile phone use.

CONCLUSION

The study highlights a prevalent issue of problematic mobile phone use among nursing students, indicating a pressing need for timely intervention, as it correlates with depression, sleep insomnia, low self-esteem and life dissatisfaction.

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.

The impact of hedonic social media use during microbreaks on employee resources recovery

This study investigates the impact of social media-related microbreaks on the resource recovery of employees. Specifically, we examined whether or not the brief, hedonic use of social media through algorithmic videos could fully replenish resources, such as vigor and fatigue, that are depleted after performing clerical tasks. We also compared this form of recovery to other established microbreak activities. We used a pre-registered, mixed-method experimental design to collect data from 308 employees. A series of mixed-method ANOVA tests complemented by quadratic linear contrast terms and post-hoc analyses were performed to test hypotheses and address research questions. The findings indicate that although social media microbreaks offer a certain degree of resource replenishment, they do not provide full recovery, particularly regarding fatigue. Social media facilitate a reasonable psychological detachment but fall short in other recovery experiences. Notably, exposure to nature yielded more beneficial results. The study contributes novel insights to a field primarily focused on the negative impacts of excessive social media use and suggests that rational and brief usage can be advantageous for employee well-being.

The impact of family factors and digital technologies on mental health in university students

Introduction

A substantial body of research indicates an increasing prevalence of mental health issues among university students in a range of countries. A number of psychosocial factors have been put forward in the research literature as possible explanations for this persistent decline in psychological wellbeing in higher education. The present study focused on the role of family factors and the use of digital technologies by students.

Methods

A replication study was conducted at the University of the Americas (Chile) based on a previous study on psychosocial factors of academic learning patterns and mental health of university students at the Complutense University of Madrid (UCM), Spain. A cross-sectional design was employed, using the same questionnaire, plus indicators of most frequently used digital technologies by the students. The questionnaire was administered online at the same time to all incoming students, gathering a sample of 4,523 students. A series of multiple regressions and ANOVAs was conducted to ascertain the extent to which family and digital factors could be identified as predictors of mental health indicators.

Results

The most significant findings indicate that high levels of parental protection and control/discipline, and especially the high use of social media and smartphones, are particularly salient factors contributing to mental health problems in the learning process of higher education students.

Discussion

The results suggest strategies to promote wellbeing, with a focus on the psychosocial diversity within an inclusive university community. Social and digital innovation, collective entrepreneurship, and participatory place-building may facilitate networks of artistic, cultural, ecological, and sports spaces to promote the sense of university community. A longitudinal follow-up on the same sample across academic years will reveal the extent to which these wellbeing initiatives are fruitful.

The Hidden Pain: Understanding Smartphone Pinky Awareness and Risk Perception in the Eastern Province Population

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVE

 The detrimental effects of smartphone addiction impair hand functions and pinch strength. One prominent issue is the occurrence of "smartphone pinky," which leads to dysfunction and pain in the fifth finger. This study aims to assess the level of awareness regarding smartphone pinky and its associated risk factors among the population of the Eastern Provinces.

METHODS

 This cross-sectional study was carried out on 500 participants from the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia. Participants voluntarily took part in the research, which spanned from July 2023 to February 2024. Data collection was carried out using a semi-structured questionnaire designed to gauge awareness of smartphone pinky and its contributing factors within the Eastern Province population.

RESULTS

 The study included 500 participants. This study showed that about half of the participants (48.8%) use smartphones for five to eight hours during the day. Moreover, about two-thirds of them (64.6%) held the smartphone in the wrong way. The majority of participants 74.4% have not heard about the smartphone pinky. Also, the results reveal that less than half of the participants (45.8%) think that the smartphone pinky can affect daily life.

CONCLUSIONS

 This study concluded that the majority of participants have not heard about smartphone pinky and do not have awareness of the risk factors of smartphone use.

Work-related smartphone use during off-job hours and work-life conflict: A scoping review

Over recent decades the use of smartphones for work purposes has burgeoned both within and beyond working hours. The aim of the study was to conduct a scoping review to explore the association between the use of smartphone technology for work purposes in off-job hours with employees' self-reported work-life conflict. Arksey and O'Malley's methodological framework was adopted. Searches were conducted in PsycINFO, International Bibliography of the Social Sciences (IBSS), Academic Search Complete, ProQuest Central, Web of Science, ProQuest Theses, Emerald, Business Source Complete, ScienceDirect, Scopus, Google Scholar. Articles were eligible that reported on a sample of workers, were published in English between 1st January 2012 and 29th November 2023. The review was conducted and reported using a quality assessment checklist and PRISMA-ScR (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews). Data charting and synthesis was undertaken narratively, using the framework approach and thematic analysis. Twenty-three studies were identified, conducted in nine countries. Nineteen studies (83%) showed a significant association between increased use of smartphone for work purposes in off job-hours and increased work-life conflict, with small-to-moderate effect sizes. This relationship was mediated by psychological detachment from work, and communication about family demands with one's supervisor. Moderators either strengthened or attenuated the relationship between use of smartphone for work purposes in off job-hours and increased work-life conflict. Findings suggest that smartphone use during off-job hours is likely to impact negatively on work-life conflict, which has implications for employee wellbeing. Managers could play a key role in clarifying expectations about after-hours availability, reducing job pressure, advocating psychological detachment from work in off-job hours where it is appropriate, and creating a workplace culture where communication about the interplay between work and home life is encouraged. The protocol is registered on the Open Science Framework (OSF) (https://doi.org/10.17605/OSF.IO/WFZU6).

Clinical Manifestations' Spectrum of Smartphone Addiction: Moving from an Addiction toward a Clinical Syndrome

Background

Smartphone addiction is an emerging type of addiction in the digital era, characterized by smartphone dependence that negatively affects human health with a wide range of psychological and physical manifestations.

Objective

This study aimed to evaluate the detailed clinical manifestations of smartphone addiction as a delineated clinical syndrome.

Methods

A cross-sectional study design was employed to assess smartphone addiction prevalence and its health impacts among Syrian undergraduates using the Smartphone Addiction Scale-Short Version (SAS-SV 2013), the Kessler psychological distress scale (K-6), and a comprehensive assessment of the clinical manifestations frequently linked to smartphone addiction in the literature. Different statistical modeling techniques were applied; a P value of < .05 was considered statistically significant.

Results

Of 1532 invited undergraduates, 1401 (91.45%) completed the assessment adequately. Most participants were females (59.7%) and below 23 years of age (73.2%). The prevalence of smartphone addiction was 67.80%; statistically significant smartphone addiction associations were revealed with psychological distress (P < .0001) with odds ratios of 3.308. Most screened physical manifestations also showed a significant association with smartphone addiction.

Conclusion

A high prevalence of smartphone addiction was observed with a broad spectrum of associated mental and physical manifestations. As smart device addiction becomes a global health concern, combining the clinical findings reported in the related literature into one clinical identity is necessary to develop a holistic management approach for the delineated clinical syndrome.

The Relationship between Reasons for Smartphone Use, Addictive Use Tendencies, Fear of Missing Out, Depression, and Life Satisfaction: A Qualitative and Quantitative Analysis

INTRODUCTION

In the present cross-sectional study, we investigated whether reasons for smartphone use are similar to those of social media use. Also, we explored links between reasons of smartphone use and mental health variables (problematic smartphone use, FOMO, depression symptoms, and life satisfaction) in Germany during the COVID-19 lockdown period.

METHODS

Overall, 571 smartphone users (Mage = 31.60, SDage = 12.73) provided their reasons for smartphone use. The reasons were assigned to six categories by an inductive qualitative content analysis.

RESULTS

Five of six reasons were similar to those of social media described by previous research. "Search for social interaction" goes along with less problematic smartphone use and depression symptoms and more life satisfaction. "Search for positive feelings" is associated with lower life satisfaction. More depressed people, those with problematic smartphone use tendencies, higher FOMO, and lower life satisfaction tend to "escape from negative emotions."

DISCUSSION

Our results help to understand the relationships between reasons for smartphone use and mental health variables.

Fear of missing out and problematic smartphone use among Chinese college students: The roles of positive and negative metacognitions about smartphone use and optimism

BACKGROUND

Problematic smartphone use (PSU) has become a common phenomenon among college students. Fear of missing out (FoMO) is an important factor affecting PSU, but how FoMO affects PSU is not clear. Therefore, the mediating effect of positive and negative metacognitions about smartphone use (PMSU and NMSU) and the moderating effect of optimism are explored.

METHODS

514 Chinese college students aged 17 to 25 from 6 Chinese universities were investigated with the Trait-State FoMO Scale, the Metacognitions about Smartphone Use Questionnaire, the Temperament Optimism Scale, and the Smartphone Addiction Scale for College Students. The data were analyzed with SPSS software.

RESULTS

FoMO was positively associated with PSU, PMSU and NMSU mediated this association. Optimism moderated the relationship between FoMO and PSU, i.e., FoMO had a less prominent positive effect on PSU for college students with a high level of optimism.

CONCLUSIONS

There is a positive relationship which exists between FoMO and PSU among college students. In addition, PMSU and NMSU play mediating roles in FoMO and PSU, and optimism plays an moderating role in FoMO and PSU. These findings can help not only educators understand the predictors of PSU and develop interventions to effectively prevent PSU among college students but also college students reduce the level of PSU by improving their understanding of PMSU and NMSU and optimism level.

Social media use and everyday cognitive failure: investigating the fear of missing out and social networks use disorder relationship

BACKGROUND

Nearly five billion individuals worldwide are using social media platforms. While the benefits of using social media, such as fostering social connections, are clear, ongoing discussions are focused on whether excessive use of these platforms might have adverse effects on cognitive functioning. Excessive social media use shares similarities with addictive behaviors and is believed to result from a complex interplay of individual characteristics, emotions, thoughts, and actions. Among these contributing factors, one of particular interest is the Fear of Missing Out (FoMO), a state where an individual apprehends that others are experiencing rewarding moments in their absence (but see more information on the FoMO trait/state debate in this article).

METHODS

In this study, we aimed to explore the intricate relationships between FoMO, tendencies towards Social Networks Use Disorder (SNUD), and everyday cognitive failures. To achieve this, we gathered a large sample of N = 5314 participants and administered a comprehensive set of questionnaires. These included a Fear of Missing Out (FoMO) scale, which assessed both trait and state aspects of FoMO, the Social Networking Sites-Addiction Test (SNS-AT), designed to gauge tendencies towards SNUD, and the Cognitive Failure Questionnaire (CFQ), which measured everyday cognitive lapses.

RESULTS

Our findings revealed that among non-users of social media, both FoMO and everyday cognitive failures were at their lowest levels. Further, in the group of social media users, we observed a significant relationship between FoMO and cognitive failures, which was mediated by SNUD tendencies. This mediation was particularly pronounced for the state component of FoMO, which encompasses maladaptive thoughts related to online behavior.

CONCLUSIONS

While our study is cross-sectional and thus cannot establish causality, one plausible interpretation of our findings is that higher FoMO tendencies may trigger excessive social media use, which in turn could lead to cognitive failures, possibly due to distraction and reduced attention to everyday tasks.

Nursing Performance and Smartphone Use in Clinical Settings

Objectives

The present study was conducted to examine the relationship between smartphone dependency and its effect on clinical tasks of nurses in educational and medical centers of Hamadan, in western Iran.

Method

In this cross-sectional study, 248 nurses were selected via the proportional allocation sampling method. The required data were collected using a self-report, reliable and validated questionnaire, covering patterns of smartphone use, smartphone dependency, effects of smartphone dependency, and influence of smartphone on the clinical performance of nurses. The collected data were analyzed through descriptive statistics and logistic regression analysis.

Results

The average age of the participants was 30.43 (± 5.68) years. The average smartphone dependency, effects of smartphone dependency, and clinical performance of the examined nurses were, respectively, 38.65 (20.93), 20.78 (13.90), and 29.48 (10.03). Clinical performance of nurses decreased with age (P = 0.02) and increase of smartphone dependency (P = 0.02), effects of smartphone dependency (P ≤ 0.001), and smartphone use while working (P ≤ 0.001). Higher work experience (P = 0.02) and the application of smartphone multiple capabilities (P = 0.02) had positive effects on the clinical performance of the examined nurses.

Conclusions

The results of this study indicated that using smartphones affects the clinical performance of nurses, and if not well managed, it can lead to some physical, psychological, and social problems for the individual nurse, patients, and society. Thus, training nurses and developing regulations for the use of smartphones in the workplace must be considered by the relevant authorities.

A Scoping Review of Digital Well-Being in Early Childhood: Definitions, Measurements, Contributors, and Interventions

Digital well-being concerns the balanced and healthy use of digital technology, and the existing studies in this area have focused on adolescents and adults. However, young children are more vulnerable to digital overuse and addiction than adults; thus, their digital well-being deserves empirical exploration. In this scoping review, we synthesized and evaluated 35 collected studies on young children's digital use and their associated well-being that were published up to October of 2022 to understand the related definitions, measurements, contributors, and interventions. The synthesis of the evidence revealed that (1) there was no consensus about the definition of the concept of digital well-being; (2) there were no effective ways of measuring young children's digital well-being; (3) both child factors (the duration and place of digital use, as well as the child's demographic characteristics) and parent factors (digital use, parental perception, and mediation) contribute to young children's well-being; and (4) there were some effective applications and digital interventions reported in the reviewed studies. This review contributes to the development of this concept by mapping the existing research on young children's digital well-being, as well as proposing a model and identifying the research gaps for future studies.

Engaging in physical activity instead of (over)using the smartphone: An experimental investigation of lifestyle interventions to prevent problematic smartphone use and to promote mental health

Aim

Tendencies of problematic smartphone use (PSU) have risen during the past decade. As PSU is consistently linked to mental health issues, measures to prevent its appearance and to promote mental health are urgently required.

Subject and Methods

The present study investigated the impact of three interventions on health behavior, PSU, positive mental health (PMH), and depression and anxiety symptoms. Overall, 503 persons from Germany (M age = 29.19, SD age = 10.51, range: 18-79) participated in the study. Over 14 days, the three experimental groups (a) reduced their daily smartphone use time by 60 minutes, (b) increased their daily level of physical activity by 30 minutes, and (c) combined both measures. The control group continued its behavior as usual. Outcomes were assessed via online surveys at five measurement time points (baseline, intermediate, post-intervention, and 1 and 3 months after the intervention).

Results

All interventions resulted in a significant increase in weekly physical activity and in reduced symptoms of PSU, depression, and anxiety. Furthermore, the smartphone reduction and the combination of both measures contributed to a significant reduction of participants' daily smartphone use and higher levels of PMH. The effects of the reduction of smartphone use time and its combination with increased physical activity were more stable in the longer term than the increase in physical activity only.

Conclusion

Combined with an increase in physical activity, the reduction of smartphone use time could serve as an efficient and cost-effective measure for the prevention of PSU and the promotion of mental health.

Neuroimaging the effects of smartphone (over-)use on brain function and structure-a review on the current state of MRI-based findings and a roadmap for future research

The smartphone represents a transformative device that dramatically changed our daily lives, including how we communicate, work, entertain ourselves, and navigate through unknown territory. Given its ubiquitous availability and impact on nearly every aspect of our lives, debates on the potential impact of smartphone (over-)use on the brain and whether smartphone use can be "addictive" have increased over the last years. Several studies have used magnetic resonance imaging to characterize associations between individual differences in excessive smartphone use and variations in brain structure or function. Therefore, it is an opportune time to summarize and critically reflect on the available studies. Following this overview, we present a roadmap for future research to improve our understanding of how excessive smartphone use can affect the brain, mental health, and cognitive and affective functions.

The influence of distractions of the home-work environment on mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic

Previous research showed that office workers are mainly distracted by noise, influencing their mental health. Little investigation has been done into the influence of other workspace characteristics (i.e. temperature, amount of space, visual privacy, adjustability of furniture, wall colours, and workspace cleanliness) on distractions at the office, and even fewer while working from home (WFH). The influence of home-workspace distractions on mental health also received limited attention. This research aims to investigate relationships between home-workspace and personal characteristics, distraction, and mental health while WFH during COVID-19. A path analysis approach was used, to find that, at home, employees were distracted by noise and when having a small desk. Those with a dedicated workroom were less distracted. Distractions mediated most relationships between home-workspace characteristics and mental health, while personal characteristics influenced mental health directly. Employers can use these results to redesign policies regarding home-and-office working to stimulate a healthy work environment.Practitioner summary: The investigation of the influence of home-workspace characteristics on distractions and mental health while WFH during COVID-19 appears to be limited. This research filled this gap by performing a path analysis, using a holistic definition of mental health. Findings showed that distractions mediate relationships between home-workspace characteristics and mental health.

Temporal associations between physical activity and three types of problematic use of the internet: A six-month longitudinal study

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

Internet use has become an important part of daily living. However, for a minority it may become problematic. Moreover, problematic use of the Internet/smartphone (PUIS) has been associated with low physical activity. The present study investigated the temporal associations between three types of PUIS (i.e., problematic smartphone use [PSPU], problematic social media use [PSMU] and problematic gaming [PG]) and physical activity among Taiwanese university students.

METHODS

A six-month longitudinal survey study comprising three time points for assessments was conducted. From the original 974 participants, a total of 452 completed all three waves of an online survey comprising the International Physical Activity Questionnaire Short Form (IPAQ-SF) assessing physical activity level, Smartphone Application-Based Addiction Scale (SABAS) assessing PSPU, Bergen Social Media Addiction Scale (BSMAS) assessing PSMU, and Internet Gaming Disorder Short Form (IGDS9-SF) assessing PG.

RESULTS

The linear mixed effects model found positive temporal associations of PSMU and PG with physical activity level (PSMU: B = 85.88, SE = 26.24; P = 0.001; PG: B = 36.81, SE = 15.17; P = 0.02). PSPU was not associated with physical activity level (B = 40.54, SE = 22.99; P = 0.08). Additionally, the prevalence rates were 44.4% for at-risk/PSPU, 24.6% for at-risk/PSMU, and 12.3% for at-risk/PG.

DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS

PSMU and PG unexpectedly demonstrated correlations with higher physical activity level. The nature of these relationships warrants additional investigation into the underlying mechanisms in order to promote healthy lifestyles among university students.

Study of working from home: the impact of ICT anxiety and smartphone addiction on lecturers at NIPA School of Administration on job performance

The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly impacted on the working system, shifting working from office (WFO) into working from home (WFH) practice that requires employees to be skillful in using technology to support their work activities. However, this condition can affect job performance. This study aims to analyze the impact of ICT anxiety and smartphone addiction on job performance of all lecturers at NIPA School of Administration (Jakarta, Bandung, and Makassar). This study applied a quantitative method with a total sampling technique and conducted a survey on 135 respondents using an online questionnaire. Furthermore, this study employed job demands and resources theory as well as PLS-SEM to analyze five variables (ICT anxiety, smartphone addiction, interruption, job efficacy, and job performance) and to test seven hypotheses. The findings show that there is a positive relationship between ICT anxiety and interruption while interruption has negative influences on job efficacy and job performance. Therefore, this study recommends the facilitation of knowledge sharing related to ICT competence or literacy. In addition, NIPA should improve the security guarantees of the intellectual rights of the lecturers in relation to the choice of technology and integrate the demands of ICT needs with administrative-technical procedures.

Problematic smartphone use in nursing students and its relationship With life goals

PURPOSE

This descriptive study was conducted to investigate the relationship between problematic smartphone use and the life goals.

DESIGN AND METHODS

The study was conducted on 310 nursing students. The data were collected with the "Smartphone Addiction Scale'' and "Life Goals Scale."

FINDINGS

Increased internal life goals of the students was found to decrease the tendency to be engaged in a virtual relationship while increased external life goals increased the risk of smartphone addiction.

PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS

Programs to increase awareness should be developed to minimize smartphone addiction and increase internal goals in nursing students, and similar programs should also be conducted for nurses.

Established Adults, Who Self-Identify as Smartphone and/or Social Media Overusers, Struggle to Balance Smartphone Use for Personal and Work Purposes

Smartphone ownership and use continues to proliferate, allowing people to easily access online communication, entertainment, and information. Importantly, individuals can perceive that they overuse their smartphone and/or the social media applications (apps) they access on their devices. Much of the research on smartphone overuse has focused on youth and emerging adults, with little research focusing on individuals in the established adulthood stage of life. This study examines smartphone use among established adults who perceive that they overuse their smartphone and/or social media. As part of a larger study, we conducted in-depth interviews with 21 individuals (30-45 years old) who self-identified as smartphone and/or social media overusers. Data were collected through a pre-survey, 1-hour interview, and smartphone use screenshots. Audio-recorded interviews were transcribed and then coded using NVivo software. Participants' average age was 35.9 years (SD = 4.1). The majority of the sample were female (67%), White (76%), and had a master's degree or higher (76%). Participants spent an average of 215 min on their smartphone daily, primarily using social media, video conferencing, and texting apps. Issues with smartphone use occurred when there was an unclear separation between work and personal use. Participants felt pressure to always respond quickly to work emails. An effort was made to limit smartphone use for work and during family time to be present for their family. Established adults strive to balance smartphone use for personal and work purposes. Creating boundaries for how and when established adults use their smartphone may help them find this balance.

Aberrant intrinsic neural network strength in individuals with "smartphone addiction": An MRI data fusion study

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

Excessive smartphone use, also referred to as "smartphone addiction" (SPA), has increasingly attracted neuroscientific interest due to its similarities with other behavioral addictions, particularly internet gaming disorder. Little is known about the neural mechanisms underlying smartphone addiction. We explored interrelationships between brain structure and function to specify neurobiological correlates of SPA on a neural system level.

METHODS

Gray matter volume (GMV) and intrinsic neural activity (INA) were investigated in individuals with SPA (n = 20) and controls (n = 24), using multimodal magnetic resonance imaging and multivariate data fusion techniques, that is, parallel independent component analysis.

RESULTS

The joint analysis of both data modalities explored shared information between GMV and INA. In particular, two amplitudes of low frequency fluctuations-based independent neural systems significantly differed between individuals with SPA and controls. A medial/dorsolateral prefrontal system exhibited lower functional network strength in individuals with SPA versus controls, whereas the opposite pattern was detected in a parietal cortical/cerebellar system. Neural network strength was significantly related to duration of smartphone use and sleep difficulties.

DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS

We show modality-specific associations of the brain's resting-state activity with distinct and shared SPA symptom dimensions. In particular, the data suggest contributions of aberrant prefrontal and parietal neural network strength as a possible signature of deficient executive control in SPA.

SCIENTIFIC SIGNIFICANCE

This study suggests distinct neural mechanisms underlying specific biological and behavioral dimensions of excessive smartphone use.

Relationship between Lifestyle and Self-Reported Smartphone Addiction in adolescents in the COVID-19 pandemic: A mixed-methods study

OBJECTIVES

1) To verify the association between Lifestyle and Self-Reported Smartphone Addiction in adolescents; and 2) to analyze the adolescents' perception of this relationship in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic.

METHOD

A mixed-methods research study with a sequential and explanatory design, developed with Brazilian adolescents aged between 15 and 18 years old. In the first phase, a quantitative, observational and cross-sectional study was carried out with 479 participants and, in the second, a qualitative approach of an exploratory and descriptive nature, with 16 participants.

RESULTS

An association was verified between Lifestyle and Self-Reported Smartphone Addiction by adolescents (p < 0.01), with a large size effect (d=0.98). All the domains related to lifestyle were associated with Self-Reported Smartphone Addiction, with greater effects evidenced in the following aspects: high effect for sleep, seat belt, stress and safe sex (d=0.85); and moderate effect for insight (d=0.74) and career (d=0.71). Subsequently, the qualitative analysis resulted in a category that describes how the adolescents understand this relationship in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic.

CONCLUSION

More problematic lifestyles were evidenced among the adolescents classified as dependent. In addition to that, it was understood that the COVID-19 pandemic exerted a considerable impact on the lifestyle and behavior established by the adolescents with their smartphones.

IMPLICATIONS FOR THE PRACTICE

Nurses and other health professionals are essential in the promotion of healthy lifestyles and adaptive behavior in smartphone use, especially in the face of this pandemic scenario and, thus, mitigating the harms to the adolescents' health.

Factors Influencing Pedestrian Smartphone Use and Effect of Combined Visual and Auditory Intervention on “Smombies”: A Chinese Observational Study

Objective: This was a large-scale multicenter study with two objectives. One was to study the factors influencing pedestrian smartphone use while crossing roads, and the other was to study the effect of combined visual and auditory intervention on smartphone zombies (smombies) at crossroads.

Methods: This study was conducted in four different Chinese cities. By observing pedestrians crossing intersections, the weather, time, and characteristics of the pedestrians were recorded by four researchers. Then, its influencing factors and the effects of the intervention were studied in two consecutive periods.

Results: A total of 25,860 pedestrians (13,086 without intervention and 12,774 with visual and auditory intervention) were observed in this study. Logistic regressions showed that gender, age of the pedestrians, weather, and time were the factors influencing smombies crossing roads. The number of smartphone users decreased from 4,289 to 3,579 (28.1%) (χ² = 69.120, p < 0.001) when the intervention was conducted.

Conclusion: Based on large-sample, multicenter research, this study revealed the factors influencing pedestrian smartphone use while crossing roads, contributing to our understanding of the current situation of smombies in China. Furthermore, the effect of visual and auditory intervention was demonstrated, providing a new paradigm for global prevention of smombie behavior.

Problematic Smartphone Use Leads to Behavioral and Cognitive Self-Control Deficits

Excessive use of smartphones has been associated with a number of negative consequences for individuals. Some of these consequences relate to many symptoms of behavioral addiction. The present study aims to investigate whether participants with high levels of smartphone usage may have difficulty with their ability to wield the self-control that is needed to restrict smartphone usage compared to participants with lower levels of smartphone addiction. Specifically, we expect that people with high levels of smartphone usage may have problems in refraining from using a smartphone. In addition, we expect people with a high level of smartphone use may show deficiencies in cognitive tasks such as memory, executive control, and visual and auditory attention. An ABA design was applied to analyze the effects of smartphone withdrawal. The first A refers to baseline measurements: Visual RT, Auditory RT, Go/No-Go RT and N-Back RT and Eriksen flanker RT. The B refers to 3 days of smartphone withdrawal, whereas the second A refers to the same measurements used in the baseline. In addition, several standardized scales were administered, among them: Smartphone addiction scale-short version (SAS-SV), Fear of missing out scale (FoMOs), Procrastination scale, and Psychological General Well-Being Index. One hundred and eleven participants took part in the study. Based on median split they were divided into two groups: high level and low level smartphone users. Moreover, thanks to an app installed on the participants' smartphones, it was possible to measure levels of compliance with the task. Results indicate that participants with low levels of smartphone usage show less difficulty in their ability to wield the self-control needed to withdraw smartphone use and faster reaction times on cognitive tests than participants with high levels of smartphone usage. Moreover, the profile of participants with high levels of smartphone usage shows higher scores on the FoMOs and Procrastination scale, and lower scores in the Psychological General Well-Being Index. The results are discussed in light of self-regulation theory.

Choice Hygiene for "Consumer Neuroscientists"? Ethical Considerations and Proposals for Future Endeavours

Is the use of psychological and neuroscientific methods for neuromarketing research always aligned with the principles of ethical research practice? Some neuromarketing endeavours have passed from informing consumers about available options, to helping to market as many products to consumers as possible. Needs are being engineered, using knowledge about the human brain to increase consumption further, regardless of individual, societal and environmental needs and capacities. In principle, the ground ethical principle of any scientist is to further individual, societal and environmental health and well-being with their work. If their findings can be used for the opposite, this must be part of the scientist's considerations before engaging in such research and to make sure that the risks for misuse are minimised. Against this backdrop, we provide a series of real-life examples and a non-exhaustive literature review, to discuss in what way some practices in the neuromarketing domain may violate the Helsinki Declaration of Experimentation with Human Subjects. This declaration was set out to regulate biomedical research, but has since its inception been applied internationally also to behavioural and social research. We illustrate, point by point, how these ground ethical principles should be applied also to the neuromarketing domain. Indisputably, the growth in consumption is required due to current prevalent economical models. Thus, in the final part of the paper, we discuss how alternative models may be promotable to a larger public, aided by more ethical marketing endeavours, based on neuroscientific discoveries about the human brain. We propose this as a philosophical question, a point of discussion for the future, to make neuromarketing as a discipline, fit for the future, respecting the ethical implications of this research.

College students’ attachment to their smartphones: a subjective operant approach

Background

Smartphone use has become a pervasive aspect of youth daily life today. Immersive engagement with apps and features on the smartphone may lead to intimate and affectionate human-device relationships. The purpose of this research is to holistically dissect the ranked order of the various dimensions of college students’ attachment to the smartphones through the by-person factorial analytical power of Q methodology.

Methods

Inspired by extant research into diverse aspects of human attachment to the smartphones, a concourse of 50 statements pertinent to the functional, behavioral, emotional and psychological dimensions of human-smartphone attachment were pilot tested and developed. A P sample of 67 participants completed the Q sort based on respective subjective perceptions and self-references. Data was processed utilizing the open-source Web-based Ken-Q Analysis software in detecting the main factorial structure.

Results

Five distinct factor (persona) exemplars were identified illustrating different pragmatic, cognitive and attitudinal approaches to smartphone engagement. They were labeled mainstream users, disciplined conventionalists, casual fun-seekers, inquisitive nerds, and sentient pragmatists in response to their respective psycho-behavioral traits. There were clear patterns of similarity and divergence among the five personas.

Conclusion

The typological diversity points to the multiplicate nature of human-smartphone attachment. Clusters of cognitive, behavioral and habitual patterns in smartphone engagement driving each persona may be a productive area of exploration in future research in exploring their respective emotional and other outcomes. The concurrent agency of nomophobia and anthropomorphic attribution is an intriguing line of academic inquiry.

Nomophobia and smartphone addiction: do the variables age and sex explain this relationship?

Abstract This study aimed to identify the extent nomophobia explains smartphone addiction, controlling for age and gender effects. Participants were 316 people from the 22 Brazilian states (Mage = 28.1 years), most from Paraíba (38.9%) and Piauí (16.5%), equally distributed between genders. They answered the Nomophobia Questionnaire, the Smartphone Addition Scale and demographic questions. The results demonstrate that the factors of the nomophobia measure explained smartphone addiction, indicating that more nomophobic behavior equates to increased smartphone addiction, especially in the younger participants, there was no difference regarding gender. These findings are discussed according to the literature on adherence to new technologies, revealing the current problem of smartphone addiction in young people.

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.

The reciprocal relationship between mobile phone dependence and school adaptation in Korean adolescents: Autoregressive cross-lagged modeling

The purpose of this study is to investigate the reciprocal longitudinal effects between mobile phone dependence and school adaptation among Korean adolescents, controlling for sociodemographic characteristics. An autoregressive cross-lagged model was applied to a data set from a sample of 1659 adolescents from the Korean Children and Youth Panel Survey conducted by the National Youth Policy Institute. We found that the positive autoregressive effects of mobile phone dependence and school adaptation were statistically significant over the study period. Results from the cross-lagged analyses demonstrated a unidirectional relationship between two variables: Superior school adaptation decreased mobile phone dependence, but mobile phone dependence did not affect school adaptation. Thus, we identified the causal direction and reciprocal relationship between mobile phone dependence and school adaptation. Girls were found to have a higher level of mobile phone dependence than boys did. Furthermore, the higher the household income, the better adolescents adapted to school. Child abuse and neglect played a role in increasing mobile phone dependence and negatively affected school adaptation.

Multidimensional Profiles of Addictive Smartphone Use: A Latent Profile Analysis

Given that crucial psychological attributes of smartphone addiction have been studied in isolation from each other, we examined latent profiles of emotional distress (depression, stress, loneliness, and fear of missing out; i.e., FoMO); protective traits (self-control, mindfulness, grit); the behavioral inhibition system (BIS) and approach system (BAS; drive, reward responsiveness, and fun seeking) in relation to addictive smartphone use. We identified three distinctive profiles, using five fit statistics: AIC, BIC, adjusted BIC, an entropy, and LRT. The self-controlled, gritty, and mindful profile (22.7%) was characterized by heightened levels of self-control, grit, and mindfulness but lower levels of emotional distress, BIS, and BAS. The emotionally distressed profile (29.8%) was distinguished by elevated levels of depression, stress, loneliness, FoMO, and BIS, but relatively lower protective traits and BAS. Lastly, the approach sensitive profile (47.5%) corresponded to the normative group characterized by relatively higher BAS but mostly average levels of emotional distress and protective traits. When both global and pairwise comparisons between profiles were performed using Wald tests, we found that the self-controlled, gritty, and mindful profile was associated with significantly lower smartphone addiction tendencies than emotionally distressed or approach sensitive profiles, while the latter two did not differ from each other. These results still held when multiple covariates (age, sex, and income) were controlled for. Using a sophisticated person-centered approach, our findings underscore multidimensional psychological profiles that have different associations with smartphone addiction.

A feasibility study of the delivery of online brief cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT-T) for eating disorder pathology in the workplace

OBJECTIVE

CBT-T is a brief (10 sessions) version of cognitive behavioral therapy for non-underweight eating disorders. This report describes the protocol for a single center, single group, feasibility trial of online CBT-T in the workplace as an alternative to the health-service setting. By offering mental health services for eating disorders in the workplace, greater accessibility and increased help-seeking behaviors could be achieved.

METHOD

Treatment will be delivered online over 10 weeks and offered to employees based on self-referral rather than meeting diagnostic criteria, making treatment available to employees with sub-threshold eating disorder symptoms.

RESULTS

Assessments will be conducted at baseline, mid-treatment (week 4), posttreatment (week 10) and at follow-up (1 month and 3 months posttreatment). For the primary outcome, measures will include recruitment, attrition and attendance data using pre-set benchmarks to determine high, medium or low feasibility and acceptability. Qualitative participant experiences data will be analyzed using thematic analysis. Impact on work engagement and effect sizes will be determined from secondary outcome measures; the latter enabling sample size calculations for future study.

DISCUSSION

These pilot data will provide insights to recruitment, acceptability, effectiveness and viability of a future fully powered clinical trial of online CBT-T in the workplace.

PUBLIC SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT

This study will present feasibility data from an eating disorders intervention (online CBT-T) using the workplace as an alternative to the healthcare setting to recruit and treat workers. Recruitment will be based on self-reported eating and weight concerns rather than diagnosis potentially enabling treatment to employees who have not previously sought help. The data will also provide insights to recruitment, acceptability, effectiveness, and future viability of CBT-T in the workplace.

Examining the Interplay of Smartphone Use Disorder, Mental Health, and Physical Symptoms

The current study examined antecedents and possible consequences of smartphone use disorder (SmUD). In particular, we aimed to increase the understanding of the interplay of SmUD, mental health, and physical symptoms. Studies found that SmUD is associated with diverse psychological and physical health impairments, ranging from depression and anxiety to headaches and sleep disturbances. Based on existing works, we assumed that mental problems mediate the relationship between SmUD and bodily problems. We conducted a cross-sectional random-quota online survey among 938 German smartphone owners aged 14 to 64 years. An instrument based on the 5th edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) was used to measure SmUD severity. The data was analyzed using structural equation modeling. We identified a rate of 4.0% potentially disordered users. Males and younger participants showed more signs of SmUD. As expected, SmUD severity was found to be associated with physical (more frequent headaches, sleep disturbances, gastrointestinal problems) as well as psychological (higher levels of loneliness, stress, depression/anxiety) health impairments. Investigating the interplay of these variables showed that depression and anxiety, and stress partially mediated the relationship between SmUD severity and physical symptoms. Taken together, our results confirm that increased SmUD severity is associated with mental problems as well as with somatic symptoms. We assume complex (and presumably circular) relationships, which future studies should examine in more detail. SmUD prevention and intervention programs should follow a broad approach that considers decreases in physical and mental health, possibly causing or resulting from SmUD.

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.

Disconnectedness in a connected world: why people ignore messages and calls

Purpose

People are living in a world where they maintain connectivity through sending and receiving messages and calls. Yet, almost daily, people choose not to respond to certain messages or calls, which can make the sender anxious, and adversely affect their communication. The aim of this study was to investigate the receivers' reasons for not responding.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors used theories related to information avoidance, power, interpersonal deception and emotions and conducted interviews of smartphone users.

Findings

The study found that the receiver’s physical and psychological state, the time of the day and the content of the message impacted non-response. The findings suggest that the non-response behavior is moderated by the power relationship between the sender and the receiver. The receiver’s state of mind will determine the likelihood of non-response, while the sender’s state of mind will determine how the sender deals with non-response.

Research limitations/implications

The study contributes to research in mobile information behavior, and the wider fields of information science, sociology and communication.

Practical implications

The process of interviewing itself helped raise awareness about these issues with the people who were interviewed.

Social implications

The findings shed light on the current communicative practices and ways to overcome the disconnectedness and stress suffered by people regularly using smartphones.

Originality/value

The study provides recommendations for healthy communication between the sender and the receiver using their smartphones.