Comparing Smartphone, WhatsApp, Facebook, Instagram, and Snapchat: Which Platform Elicits the Greatest Use Disorder Symptoms?

The "Vicious Circle of addictive Social Media Use and Mental Health" Model

Social media use (SMU) is a significant part of many people's everyday life. Research around the globe describes an increase of addictive SMU tendencies since the COVID-19 outbreak. The present work combines available findings in the "Vicious Circle of addictive Social Media Use and Mental Health" model to explain how social media (SM) activity can contribute to the development of addictive tendencies, which consequences they have for mental health, and how to prevent them. Following the model, the interplay between the risk factors negative experiences caused by daily hassles and by unexpected global and traumatic events, SMU (dimension "quality"), and SM flow can directly contribute to addictive SMU through the "vicious circle". Time spent on SMU (dimension "quantity"), symptoms of depression and anxiety, and the personality trait narcissism contribute to the circle as moderators. Symptoms of stress, insomnia, and suicide-related outcomes are described as potential consequences of addictive SMU. Based on longitudinal intervention studies, a conscious reduction of SMU time and an increase of physical activity, as well as positive mental health and mindfulness are identified as protective factors that reduce the risk of addictive tendencies. The model contributes to a better understanding of addictive SMU. Implications of the model for future research and praxis, specifically for mental health programs and therapeutic treatment are discussed.

Smartphone and Instagram use, body dissatisfaction, and eating disorders: investigating the associations using self-report and tracked data

BACKGROUND

Previous research has linked smartphone and Instagram use to higher body dissatisfaction (BD) as well as eating disorder (ED) symptomatology. However, these studies have typically been limited to using self-report measures for technology use which, as shown by scientific literature, might not be reliable. In the present work, we combine self-reported assessments as well as tracked smartphone and Instagram use.

METHODS

The effective sample comprised N = 119 women (34 with ED diagnosis history) who were queried about BD and ED symptomatology, and who provided the data about their smartphone and Instagram use duration for each day of the previous week.

RESULTS

The study results show that women with an ED diagnosis history scored higher on both BD as well as ED scales. Although women with an ED diagnosis history had higher smartphone screen time, there were no statistically significant differences in Instagram screen time. Tracked smartphone use duration was positively correlated with both BD and ED symptomatology, but the role of Instagram use needs to be further elucidated.

CONCLUSIONS

The results of this study show that while BD and ED symptomatology are correlated with smartphone use, it may be that Instagram use is not the main contributor to that relationship.

Negative psychological and physiological effects of social networking site use: The example of Facebook

Social networking sites (SNS), with Facebook as a prominent example, have become an integral part of our daily lives and more than four billion people worldwide use SNS. However, the (over-)use of SNS also poses both psychological and physiological risks. In the present article, we review the scientific literature on the risk of Facebook (over-)use. Addressing this topic is critical because evidence indicates the development of problematic Facebook use ("Facebook addiction") due to excessive and uncontrolled use behavior with various psychological and physiological effects. We conducted a review to examine the scope, range, and nature of prior empirical research on the negative psychological and physiological effects of Facebook use. Our literature search process revealed a total of 232 papers showing that Facebook use is associated with eight major psychological effects (perceived anxiety, perceived depression, perceived loneliness, perceived eating disorders, perceived self-esteem, perceived life satisfaction, perceived insomnia, and perceived stress) and three physiological effects (physiological stress, human brain alteration, and affective experience state). The review also describes how Facebook use is associated with these effects and provides additional details on the reviewed literature, including research design, sample, age, and measures. Please note that the term "Facebook use" represents an umbrella term in the present work, and in the respective sections it will be made clear what kind of Facebook use is associated with a myriad of investigated psychological variables. Overall, findings indicate that certain kinds of Facebook use may come along with significant risks, both psychologically and physiologically. Based on our review, we also identify potential avenues for future research.

TikTok use and psychosocial factors among adolescents: Comparisons of non-users, moderate users, and addictive users

Short-video applications like TikTok are increasingly popular. This study examines the association between short-video application use (SVU) and psychosocial factors in 1,346 adolescents (M_age = 14.97, 51.8% female). 199 non-users and 1147 users (686 moderate users, 461 addictive users) were identified. Results revealed a high prevalence of addictive SVU in the sample. Addictive users exhibited worse mental health conditions than non-users and moderate users, including higher levels of depression, anxiety, stress, loneliness, social anxiety, attention problems, and lower life satisfaction and sleep quality. Addictive users also faced higher academic stress, poorer academic performance, more bullying victimization, worse parental relationships, more negative parenting styles, and lower parental education levels. Moderate users had different family environments than non-users, but no differences in mental health or school performance. Together, these findings suggest that addictive users experience a more disadvantageous situation across mental health, family, and school conditions, while non-users have advantageous family environments. Moderate SVU may not be associated with negative mental health condition or poor school performance. Moderate and addictive SVU should be considered distinct phenomena. Given the psychiatric symptoms present in addictive users of TikTok and similar apps, targeted interventions and treatments are urgently needed.

The interplay between social media use and problematic internet usage: Four behavioral patterns

Objective

The study aims to identify typical interplay between the use of social media apps on smartphones and Problematic Internet Usage (PIU).

Method

Our study utilizes data from a smartphone app that objectively monitors user usage, including the apps used and the start and finish times of each app session. This study included 334 participants who declared a need to be aware of their smartphone usage and control it. Problematic Internet Usage (PIU) was measured using the Problematic Internet Use Questionnaire-Short Form-6 (PIUQ-SF6). The total PIU score can range from 6 to 30, with a score above 15 indicating that a person is at risk of PIU. Time spent on Social Media (SM) apps of Facebook, WhatsApp, and Instagram, and whether people used each of these apps were studied along with the total PIU score. K-Prototype clustering was utilized for the analysis.

Results

Four distinct clusters, typifying the relationship between social media use and PIU, were identified. All the individuals in Cluster 1 (Light SM Use Cluster; Cluster size = 270, 80.84% of total dataset) spent between 0 and 109.01 min on Instagram, between 0 and 69.84 min on Facebook, and between 0 and 86.42 min on WhatsApp and its median PIU score was 17. Those who were in cluster 2 (Highly Visual SM Cluster; Cluster size = 23, 6.89% of total dataset) all used Instagram, and each member spent between 110 and 307.63 min on Instagram daily. The cluster median PIU score and average daily usage of Instagram were respectively 20 and 159.66 min. Those who were in Cluster 3 (Conversational SM Cluster; Cluster size = 19, 5.69% of total dataset) all used WhatsApp, and spent between 76.68 and 225.22 min on WhatsApp daily. The cluster median PIU score and average time spent per day on WhatsApp were 20 and 132.65 min, respectively. Those who were in Cluster 4 (Social Networking Cluster; (Cluster size = 22, 6.59% of total dataset) all used Facebook, and each spent between 73.09 and 272.85 min daily on Facebook. The cluster median PIU score and average time spent per day on Facebook were 18 and 133.61 min respectively.

Conclusion

The clusters indicate that those who use a particular social media app spend significantly less time on other social media apps. This indicates that problematic attachment to social media occurs primarily for one of three reasons: visual content and reels, conversations with peers, or surfing network content and news. This finding will help tailor interventions to fit each cluster, for example by strengthening interpersonal skills and resistance to peer pressure in the case of Cluster 3 and increasing impulse control in the case of Cluster 2.

The effects of social media (Snapchat) interventions on the knowledge of oral health during pregnancy among pregnant women in Saudi Arabia

BACKGROUND

There is growing interest in using social media to improve pregnant women's well-being. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of social media (Snapchat) dissemination of health-promoting interventions on knowledge of oral health during pregnancy among pregnant women in Saudi Arabia.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Using a single-blinded parallel group randomized controlled trial design, 68 volunteers were assigned to either a study group (SG) or a control group (CG). The SG received information about oral health during pregnancy via Snapchat, while the CG received the same information using WhatsApp. The participants were assessed three times: T1 prior to the intervention, T2 immediately following the intervention, and T3 as a follow-up 1 month later.

RESULTS

A total of 63 participants completed the study in the SG or CG. According to paired t-test, total knowledge scores in the SG and CG increased significantly from T1 to T2 (p < 0.001) and from T1 to T3 (p < 0.001), but there was no significant change from T2 to T3 in either the SG or CG (p  =  0.699 and p  =  0.111, respectively). Using t-test, no significant differences were found between the SG and CG at T2 (p  =  0.263) or T3 (p  =  0.622). Also using t-test, no significant differences were found in the scores of the SG and CG from T2 to T1 (p  =  0.720), T3 to T2 (p  =  0.339), or T3 to T1 (p  =  0.969).

CONCLUSIONS

Using social media (e.g., Snapchat and WhatsApp) as a health-promoting intervention is a promising method for improving women's knowledge about oral health during pregnancy for short term. However, further studies are needed to compare social media with conventional standard lecturing methods. also, to assess the longevity of the impact (short or long term).

Implicit Cognitions, Use Expectancies and Gratification in Social-Networks-Use Disorder and Tobacco Use Disorder

Abstract: Aims: The problematic use of social networks is discussed as a further specific type of Internet-use disorders. Our project aims to clarify whether social-networks-use disorder (SNUD) is marked by characteristics of addictive behaviors by tracking behavior and investigating the relevance of 1) implicit cognitions, 2) the experiences of gratification and compensation and 3) use expectancies in SNUD compared to tobacco-use disorder. Methodology: Four groups will be examined: individuals with 1) SNUD without tobacco use, 2) risky use patterns with regard to social networks without tobacco use, 3) tobacco use disorder and 4) healthy controls. All participants first complete a laboratory examination including the Implicit Association Test (IAT) and the Approach-Avoidance task (AAT). We will use smartphone-based data tracking for 14 days following laboratory testing to record smoking and social-networks-use patterns. During this period, we further measure use expectancies and the experience of gratification and compensation by means of a smartphone-based experience sampling method (ESM). Conclusions: This is the first study to examine relevant characteristics of addictive behaviors in individuals with SNUD compared to individuals with tobacco use, using a combination of experimental psychological methods and smartphone-based measurements. We expect that this investigative approach will contribute to a deeper understanding of the processes involved in SNUD.

The Use of Media in Stunting Extension to Adolescents at Senior High School, Langsa City

Abstract BACKGROUND: stunting is still a severe problem in today's youth. One of the causes of stunting nutrition problems is the ignorance of adolescents about adolescent nutrition and nutritional problems that occur. Knowledge of adolescent nutrition about health and nutritional problems, especially stunting, is needed to break the intergenerational chain of stunting in the future. One of the efforts to deal with stunting in adolescents is counseling using media.      AIM: Knowing the Use of Media in Stunting Counseling for Teenagers at Langsa High School          METHODS: This type of research is a quasi-experiment with a two-group pre-test and post-test design. The test used was the Pairet Sample t-test and Independent t-test with a significance level (α) of 0.05 (95%).   RESULTS: The results showed a difference in the knowledge of the students of Senior High School 1 Langsa after the Leaflet and tik to intervention with the mean value after the leaflet intervention 18.63 and the mean difference being 1.188. The mean value after the tick-tock intervention is 17.44, and the mean difference is 1.188 with a p-value of 0.005. This value implies differences in the knowledge of Senior High School  1 Langsa students after the intervention using leaflets and tik tok. In the attitude aspect, there are differences in the students' attitudes of Senior High School  2 Langsa after the Leaflet and Tik-Tok intervention, with the mean value after the leaflet intervention 40.13 and the mean difference being 3,958. The mean value after the Tik-Tok intervention is 36.17, the mean difference is 3.958, and the p-value is 0.011. This value means that there are differences in the attitudes of students at Senior High School  2 Langsa after the Leaflet and Tik-Tok intervention was carried out     CONCLUSION: The use of TikTok and Leaflet media has proven effective in stunting counseling for adolescents in high school in Kota Langsa. This is evidenced by the statistical results that show differences in knowledge and attitudes of Senior High School  1 and Senior High School 2 students after the intervention using leaflets and Tik-Tok (p-value 0.005).         

How the COVID-19 Pandemic Changed Adolescents’ Use of Technologies, Sense of Community, and Loneliness: A Retrospective Perception Analysis

The COVID-19 pandemic has brought important changes to how we engage in relationships of any kind. To combat the spread of the virus, schools resorted to remote-learning, and teenagers had to rely on various technologies to meet many of the needs that they used to satisfy offline (e.g., social, informational, and recreational/leisure purposes). This article was written to investigate the changes that the students at an Italian high school went through in terms of use of technologies, loneliness, and sense of community, through a survey focusing on their retrospective perceptions. The study was carried out on 917 students. In general, we have found that the COVID-19 pandemic has greatly increased the perception of loneliness in teenagers (especially in female respondents), as well as their use of technologies for social, informational, and leisure purposes. However, maybe thanks to the opportunities provided by ICTs and remote learning, the sense of community in Italian teenagers was only marginally impacted.

Adaptation and validation of the Online-Fear of Missing Out Inventory into Turkish and the association with social media addiction, smartphone addiction, and life satisfaction

Background

In online environments, fear of missing out (FoMO) is where individuals become constantly preoccupied with what others are doing online and feel unable to log off in case they miss something. FoMO is a concept associated with the use of online social media (OSM; e.g., Facebook use, Instagram use) and various scales have been developed to assess the concept. One such scale is the Online Fear of Missing Out (On-FoMO) Inventory. The present study translated the On-FoMO Inventory into Turkish and its main aim was to test the validity and reliability of the scale. The secondary aim was to investigate the relationships between FoMO, social media addiction, smartphone addiction, and life satisfaction.

Methods

A total of 419 participants (289 females and 130 males, mean age = 25.43 years, SD = 6.37) completed a self-report questionnaire including the On-FoMO Inventory, Fear of Missing Out Scale, Bergen Social Media Addiction Scale, Smartphone Addiction Scale-Short Version, and Satisfaction with Life Scale. In the adaptation process of the On-FoMO Inventory, confirmatory factor analysis, concurrent validity, and reliability analyses were performed.

Results

The four-factor structure of the On-FoMO Inventory was confirmed and the Turkish version of the scale demonstrated good reliability. Online FoMO was positively related to social media addiction and smartphone addiction, and negatively related to life satisfaction.

Conclusion

The results showed that the Turkish version of the On-FoMO Inventory has strong psychometric properties.

The relationship between adolescent emotion dysregulation and problematic technology use: Systematic review of the empirical literature

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

We aimed to systematically identify, evaluate and summarize the research on adolescent emotion dysregulation and problematic technology use. We critically appraise strengths and limitations and provide recommendations for future research.

METHODS

We followed the guidelines of the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) and conducted a systematic review of published original reports on adolescent emotion dysregulation and problematic technology use published until March 1, 2022. A thorough search preceded the selection of studies matching prespecified criteria. Strengths and limitations of selected studies, regarding design and reporting, were identified based on current best practices.

RESULTS

39 studies met inclusion criteria. All of these studies provided on the relationship between adolescent emotion dysregulation and problematic technology use severity based on self-report data.

DISCUSSION

There was a positive correlation between adolescent emotion dysregulation and the severity of problematic technology use. Beyond this, other variables (such as anxiety, depression, self-esteem, etc.) were also closely related to emotion dysregulation and problematic technology use. Such studies are of importance to better understand cause-effect relations regarding both variables.

Bridging Theory and Practice Using Facebook: A Case Study

In the past few years, Facebook has been increasingly studied for academic purposes due to its potential benefits to undergraduate education. Problems commonly found in university education include the lack of course engagement and the gap between theory and practice. This research contributes to the literature by investigating the impact of incorporating a non-mandatory Facebook group on learning outcomes. The analysis was done using a Taguchi method design, conducted with three two-level controlled factors (term, Facebook, and teacher). Results indicated that the students who participated in Facebook groups were more engaged with the course and applied theoretical knowledge to real-life problems better than students who learned under traditional instructional designs. Moreover, the use of Facebook groups led to better evaluation of teachers by the students. Furthermore, the student academic impact (knowledge and competence) was higher even though this complementary activity was not included in the course grade. We concluded that Facebook groups are excellent support tools that boost student engagement and their understanding of theoretical concepts and applying them in practice.

The Self-perception of Text message Dependence Scale (STDS): A Brazilian-Portuguese validation and expansion of its psychometric properties

Text messaging is the primary form of technology-mediated interpersonal contact and the most carried out activity on cell phones. Despite its advantages, text messaging is not exempt from risks. The present paper aimed to validate and expand the psychometric properties of the Self-perception of Text-message Dependency Scale (STDS) in a Brazilian sample of adult internet users. In this cross-sectional study, we recruited a convenience sample of Brazilian internet users aged 18 and over. A total of 1,642 (M age = 38.6, SD = 13.5; 73% female) participants completed the STDS, the Mobile Phone Problem Usage Scale-27 (MPPUS), and the Problematic Internet Use Questionnaire - Short form - 9 questionnaires (PIUQ-SF-9). Multigroup confirmatory factor analysis showed measurement invariance for gender and age. Internal consistency was high when accessed by both McDonalds' Omega and Cronbach's alpha. Network Analysis provided insights into the core symptoms of problematic text messaging. Convergent validity of the STDS was demonstrated by the subscale's correlation with MPPUS and PIUQ-SF-9. Due to its expanded psychometric properties and brevity, the STDS can be used in more comprehensive investigations about other excessive technology-related behaviors, such as problematic smartphone and internet use, allowing a better understanding of the mechanisms involved in problematic technology use.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s12144-022-02957-8.

Mining Digital Traces of Facebook Activity for the Prediction of Individual Differences in Tendencies Toward Social Networks Use Disorder: A Machine Learning Approach

More than three billion users are currently on one of Meta's online platforms with Facebook being still their most prominent social media service. It is well known that Facebook has designed a highly immersive social media service with the aim to prolong online time of its users, as this results in more digital footprints to be studied and monetized (via psychological targeting). In this context, it is debated if social media platforms can elicit addictive behaviors. In the present work, we demonstrate in N = 1,094 users that it is possible to predict from digital footprints of the Facebook users their self-reported addictive tendencies toward social media (R > 0.30) by applying machine-learning strategies. More specifically, we analyzed the predictive power of a set of models based on different sets of features extracted from digital traces, namely posting activity, language use, and page Likes. To maximize the predictive power of the models, we used an ensemble of linear and non-linear prediction algorithms. This work showed also sufficient accuracy rates (AUC above 0.70) in distinguishing between disordered and non-disordered social media users. In sum, individual differences in tendencies toward "social networks use disorder" can be inferred from digital traces left on the social media platform Facebook. Please note that the present work is limited by its cross-sectional design.

From low sense of control to problematic smartphone use severity during Covid-19 outbreak: The mediating role of fear of missing out and the moderating role of repetitive negative thinking

Since the outbreak of Covid-19, the use of digital devices, especially smartphones, remarkably increased. Smartphone use belongs to one's daily routine, but can negatively impact physical and mental health, performance, and relationships if used excessively. The present study aimed to investigate potential correlates of problematic smartphone use (PSU) severity and the mechanisms underlying its development. Data of 516 smartphone users from Germany (Mage = 31.91, SDage = 12.96) were assessed via online surveys in April and May 2021. PSU severity was significantly negatively associated with sense of control. In contrast, it was significantly positively linked to fear of missing out (FoMO), repetitive negative thinking (RNT), and daily time spent on smartphone use. In a moderated mediation analysis, the negative relationship between sense of control and PSU severity was significantly mediated by FoMO. RNT significantly moderated the positive association between FoMO and PSU severity. Specifically, the higher the RNT, the stronger the relationship between FoMO and PSU. The present findings disclose potential mechanisms that could contribute to PSU. Potential ways of how to reduce PSU severity are discussed.

Characterizing the Content Related to Oral Health Education on TikTok

Neglecting oral hygiene in adolescents negatively affects dental caries and periodontal diseases, in addition to social and emotional well-being. Thus, the TikTok platform (ByteDance, Beijing, China)as a social media could be a powerful channel to provide health-related information and educational content. This study aims to assess the quality of the TikTok videos corresponding to #oralhealtheducation. Sixty-nine videos were identified. Three oral health professionals (OHP), three health education professionals (HEP), and ten of TikTok's target audience watched and evaluated the videos from a qualitative questionnaire. OHP detected false or incorrect information in 11.6% (8/69) of the videos. At least two HEPs reported being unable to detect this type of content or whether the video met dental ethics standards in both the videos. Disagreement was observed among the professionals themselves. The evaluation indicated that TikTok's target audience was satisfied with the products viewed with an average score of >2.5, unlike the professionals, whose average score was <2.5 on a scale of 0 to 5. Users are advised to think critically and to consider the content of TikTok oral health videos with caution. The involvement of health professionals in the writing and validation of the videos could be an added value to positively respond to the needs of the adolescents.

The Overlap Between Problematic Smartphone Use and Problematic Social Media Use: a Systematic Review

Purpose of Review

Over the last decade, problematic smartphone use (PSU) and problematic social media use (PSMU) have emerged as new potential problematic behaviours. Several studies have suggested that smartphones are predominantly used for social purposes (i.e., using messaging apps and social networking sites). The aim of the current article is to provide a systematic review of the extant literature that has explicitly analysed the association between PSU and PSMU in order to examine study characteristics in terms of samples analysed and effect sizes of the associations reported. This systematic review is based on the ongoing debate about whether the smartphone can be considered as the medium of one or more problematic activities, including PSMU.

Recent Findings

Existing evidence suggests that the effect sizes of the associations between PSU and PSMU are medium to large and large across the 13 studies included, with the largest correlations observed between PSU and problematic WhatsApp use or general PSMU. Overall, reviewed results suggest a partial overlap between the two problematic behaviours.

Summary

PSU and PSMU are overlapped mostly because the smartphone is a common medium to use social media, especially concerning instant messaging apps like WhatsApp. Moreover, PSU should be preferentially studied with a focus on specific types of apps used rather than a more holistic phenomenon.

Social Media as Source of Information, Stress Symptoms, and Burden Caused by Coronavirus (COVID-19)

Abstract. This cross-national study investigated the extent of social media use (SMU) as a source of information about COVID-19, and its relationship with the experienced burden caused by the pandemic. Representative data from eight countries (France, Germany, Poland, Russia, Spain, Sweden, the UK, the USA) were collected online (end of May to the beginning of June 2020). Of the overall 8,302 participants, 48.1% frequently used social media (SM) as a COVID-19 information source (range: 31.8% in Germany, to 65.4% in Poland). In the overall samples and in all country-specific samples, regression analyses revealed the experienced burden caused by COVID-19 to be positively associated with SMU and stress symptoms. Furthermore, stress symptoms partly mediated the relationship between SMU and the burden. The results emphasize the significant association between the use of SM as a source of information, individual emotional state, and behavior during the pandemic, as well as the significance of conscious and accurate use of SM specifically during the COVID-19 outbreak.

Exploring the Associations Between Self-reported Tendencies Toward Smartphone Use Disorder and Objective Recordings of Smartphone, Instant Messaging, and Social Networking App Usage: Correlational Study

Background

Social communication via instant messaging (IM) and social networking (SN) apps makes up a large part of the time that smartphone users spend on their devices. Previous research has indicated that the excessive use of these apps is positively associated with problematic smartphone use behaviors. In particular, image-based SN apps, such as Instagram (Facebook Inc) and Snapchat (Snap Inc), have been shown to exert stronger detrimental effects than those exerted by traditional apps, such as Facebook (Facebook Inc) and Twitter (Twitter Inc).

Objective

In this study, we investigated the correlation between individuals’ tendencies toward smartphone use disorder (SmUD) and objective measures of the frequency of smartphone usage. Additionally, we put to test the hypothesis that the pathway linking the frequency of actual smartphone usage to self-reported tendencies toward SmUD was mediated by the increased frequency of IM and SN app usage.

Methods

We recruited a sample of 124 adult smartphone users (females: 78/124, 62.9%; age: mean 23.84 years, SD 8.29 years) and collected objective information about the frequency of smartphone and SN app usage over 1 week. Participants also filled in a self-report measure for assessing the multiple components of tendencies toward SmUD. Bivariate associations were investigated by using Spearman correlation analyses. A parallel mediation analysis was conducted via multiple regression analysis.

Results

The frequency of smartphone usage, as well as the use of IM apps (Messenger, Telegram, and WhatsApp [Facebook Inc]), Facebook, and image-based apps (Instagram and Snapchat), had significant positive associations with at least 1 component of SmUD, and the cyberspace-oriented relationships factor exhibited the strongest associations overall. We found support for an indirect effect that linked actual smartphone usage to SmUD tendencies via the frequency of the use of image-based SN apps.

Conclusions

Our novel results shed light on the factors that promote SmUD tendencies and essentially indicate that image-based SN apps seem to be more strongly associated with problematic smartphone behaviors compared to IM apps and traditional SN apps, such as Facebook.

Mind-Wandering Mediates the Associations Between Neuroticism and Conscientiousness, and Tendencies Towards Smartphone Use Disorder

Mounting evidence suggests that smartphone overuse/smartphone use disorder (SmUD) is associated with negative affectivity. Given a large number of smartphone users worldwide (currently about 4.7 billion) and the fact that many individuals carry their smartphones around 24/7, it is of high importance to better understand the phenomenon of smartphone overuse. Based on the interaction of person-affect-cognition-execution (I-PACE) model, we investigated the links between SmUD and the personality traits, neuroticism and conscientiousness, which represent two vulnerability factors robustly linked to SmUD according to a recent meta-analysis. Beyond that, we tested the effects of mind-wandering (MW) and fear of missing out (FoMO) in the relation between individual differences in personality and tendencies towards SmUD. The effective sample comprised 414 study participants (151 men and 263 women, age M = 33.6, SD = 13.5). By applying a structural equation modeling (SEM) technique, we observed that the associations of higher neuroticism and lower conscientiousness with higher levels of SmUD were mediated by higher scores in mind-wandering. These novel findings can help to understand the associations between personality and SmUD in more detail.

Investigating Links Between Fear of COVID-19, Neuroticism, Social Networks Use Disorder, and Smartphone Use Disorder Tendencies

The present study investigates links between fear of COVID-19, the personality trait of neuroticism, social networks use disorder, and smartphone use disorder (SNUD and SmUD, respectively) tendencies. In an online survey, N = 932 participants recruited at a Chinese University (237 males and 695 females) completed self-reports on fear of COVID-19, neuroticism (and other personality traits from the Big Five Inventory-44), the Bergen Social Media Addiction Scale (assessing tendencies toward SNUD), and the Smartphone Addiction Scale short version—assessing individual differences in tendencies toward SmUD.

Our findings showed that all variables of main interest were positively correlated with each other. A mediation model suggested that SNUD (in parts) mediated the association between fear of COVID-19 and SmUD. Although neuroticism was robustly correlated with all mentioned variables, no moderation effect could be observed on the investigated fear-of-COVID-19-SNUD-link.

The findings of this work provide further evidence that the smartphone itself is only a device giving individuals access to software applications, which might be excessively used. Beyond that, the present data indicate neuroticism to be a risk factor with respect to fear of COVID-19, SNUD, and SmUD, although the study is limited by its cross-sectional study design.

On the Psychology of TikTok Use: A First Glimpse From Empirical Findings

TikTok (in Chinese: DouYin; formerly known as musical.ly) currently represents one of the most successful Chinese social media applications in the world. Since its founding in September 2016, TikTok has seen widespread distribution, in particular, attracting young users to engage in viewing, creating, and commenting on "LipSync-Videos" on the app. Despite its success in terms of user numbers, psychological studies aiming at an understanding of TikTok use are scarce. This narrative review provides a comprehensive overview on the small empirical literature available thus far. In particular, insights from uses and gratification theory in the realm of TikTok are highlighted, and we also discuss aspects of the TikTok platform design. Given the many unexplored research questions related to TikTok use, it is high time to strengthen research efforts to better understand TikTok use and whether certain aspects of its use result in detrimental behavioral effects. In light of user characteristics of the TikTok platform, this research is highly relevant because TikTok users are often adolescents and therefore from a group of potentially vulnerable individuals.

Exploring the Dimensions of Smartphone Distraction: Development, Validation, Measurement Invariance, and Latent Mean Differences of the Smartphone Distraction Scale (SDS)

Background: Distraction is a functional emotion regulation strategy utilized to relieve emotional distress. Within the attention economy perspective, distraction is increasingly associated with digital technology use, performance impairments and interference with higher-order cognitive processes. Research on smartphone distraction and its association with problematic smartphone use is still scarce and there is no available psychometric assessment tool to assess this cognitive and emotive process parsimoniously. Method: The present study reports the development and evaluation of the psychometric properties of the Smartphone Distraction Scale (SDS) through exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis, construct validity, gender invariance, and latent mean differences. The study was conducted in a sample of British university students (N = 1,001; M = 21.10 years, SD = 2.77). Results: The 16-item SDS was best conceptualized in a four-factor model solution comprising attention impulsiveness, online vigilance, emotion regulation, and multitasking. Construct validity was established using relevant psychosocial and mental health measures, with SDS scores being moderately associated with deficient self-regulation and problematic social media use. Gender measurement invariance was achieved at the configural, metric, and scalar levels, and latent mean differences indicated that females had significantly higher means than males across all four SDS latent factors. Discussion: The SDS presents with several strengths, including its theoretical grounding, relatively short length, and sound psychometric properties. The SDS enables the assessment of distraction, which appears to be one of the pathways to problematic smartphone use facilitating overuse and overreliance on smartphones for emotion regulation processes. The assessment of distraction in relation to problematic use in vulnerable populations may facilitate interventions that could encourage metacognition and benefit these groups by allowing sustained productivity in an increasingly disrupted work and social environment.

Exploring the Role of Social Media Use Motives, Psychological Well-Being, Self-Esteem, and Affect in Problematic Social Media Use

Given recent advances in technology, connectivity, and the popularity of social media platforms, recent literature has devoted great attention to problematic Facebook use. However, exploring the potential predictors of problematic social media use beyond Facebook use has become paramount given the increasing popularity of multiple alternative platforms. In this study, a sample of 584 social media users (M_age = 32.28 years; 67.81% female) was recruited to complete an online survey assessing sociodemographic characteristics, patterns, and preferences of social media use, problematic social media use (PSMU), social media use motives, psychological well-being, self-esteem, and positive and negative affect. Results indicated that 6.68% (n = 39) of all respondents could be potentially classed as problematic users. Moreover, further analysis indicated that intrapersonal motive (β = 0.38), negative affect (β = 0.22), daily social media use (β = 0.18), surveillance motive (β = 0.12), and positive affect (β = −0.09) each predicted PSMU. These variables accounted for about 37% of the total variance in PSMU, with intrapersonal motive driving the greatest predictive contribution, over and above the effects of patterns of social media use and sociodemographic variables. These findings contribute to the increasing literature on PSMU. The results of this study are discussed in light of the existing literature on PSMU.