Problematic smartphone use and sleep disturbance: the roles of metacognitions, desire thinking, and emotion regulation

Metacognition, Desire Thinking, and Problematic Social Media Use: Investigating Effects of Active and Passive Engagement in Facebook and Instagram Users

The current study aimed to improve the understanding of cognitive and metacognitive processes underlying problematic social media use (PSMU) by comparing active and passive user engagement and contrasting Facebook and Instagram users. The metacognitive model of desire thinking (MCMDT) was utilized to explore these distinctions within a community sample of 337 participants (64% female, Mage = 36.10). Participants completed self-report measures to assess their metacognitive processes, desire thinking patterns, and social media engagement. The MCMDT demonstrated robust fit across all scenarios, with the most optimal fit for Instagram (χ2(3) = 0.850, p = 0.838, CFI = 1.000, RMSEA = 0.000, SRMR = 0.0062, variance explained 59.4%), and the least optimal fit for passive users (χ2(3) = 1.151, p = 0.765, CFI = 1.000, RMSEA = 0.000, SRMR = 0.0206, variance explained 45.9%). The initiation and elaboration stages of the MCMDT were supported, but the pathological amplification stage was not. As expected, active users showed better model fit than passive users, and Facebook users had more pronounced verbal perseveration (VP) activation during the elaboration stage. Contrary to expectations, Instagram did not display more pronounced imaginal prefiguration (IP) activation than Facebook. These results enhance understanding of the cognitive and metacognitive processes driving PSMU, which may contribute to developing targeted interventions. Future research should investigate how VP and IP interact with and influence the later stages of the MCMDT of desire thinking across various populations and contexts.

Investigation on the association between college students' smartphone-related behaviors and sleep quality during COVID-19

OBJECTIVE

This study examines the quantifiable effects of pre-sleep smartphone use on sleep quality among college students during the COVID-19 pandemic, aiming to identify high-risk behaviors and inform targeted interventions.

METHODS

Based on data from 508 students of different genders and academic years, the study first conducted univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses to explore the association between smartphone-related behaviors and sleep quality. Subsequently, the adjusted smartphone behaviors were stratified by gender(male/female) and academic year(freshmen/Sophomore/juniors) into subsets for further subgroup analysis, aiming to examine the relationship and impact of smartphone-related behaviors on sleep disturbancess across different genders and academic years.

RESULTS

he analysis revealed that specific pre-sleep activities were significantly associated with sleep quality. Notably, playing games before sleep (OR=6.071, p<0.001), late-night phone use (OR=2.824, p=0.002), having the phone off during sleep (OR=3.311, p<0.001), and using social media apps (OR=2.797, p=0.005) were linked to an increased risk of sleep disturbancess. Conversely, video-watching (OR=0.349, p=0.007) and moderate music listening (OR=0.220, p=0.004) were associated with a reduced risk of sleep disturbancess. Further analysis indicated that behaviors such as playing games and having the phone off during sleep significantly increased the risk of sleep disturbancess across different genders and academic years (OR>1, p<0.05).

CONCLUSION

During the COVID-19 pandemic, smartphone-related behaviors such as having the phone off during sleep, playing games before sleep, and using social media apps were identified as risk factors affecting sleep quality. This study provides empirical evidence for developing interventions aimed at improving sleep quality among college students in the context of heightened stress and disrupted routines caused by the pandemic.

Effects of exercise interventions on Internet addiction among college students: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

BACKGROUND

Internet addiction (IA) has gradually emerged as a significant public health concern, especially among college students. This study aims to systematically investigate and quantitatively analyze the effects of exercise interventions on IA among college students and provides an objective assessment of the available evidence. For this study, IA is defined as compulsive, excessive Internet use, including via mobile phones, that disrupts daily life and causes significant distress, and we combine Internet addiction and mobile phone addiction in our analysis to provide a comprehensive understanding of this phenomenon.

METHODS

The search for eligible studies was conducted from inception until May 2024 across various databases including Web of Science, PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), and Wan Fang. The risk of bias within the included studies was assessed utilizing the Cochrane Collaboration's risk of bias tool, while methodological quality was evaluated using the modified Jadad Scale.

FINDINGS

A meta-analysis of 19 pairwise comparisons showed that exercise interventions significantly reduced the total IA scores (g = -1.25). Furthermore, the interventions resulted in significant reductions in anxiety (g = -1.30), loneliness (g = -1.57), stress (g = -0.77), inadequacy (g = -1.77), mental health (g = -1.08), fatigue (g = -0.66), and depression (g = -0.56).

CONCLUSIONS

Exercise interventions showed efficacy in decreasing levels of IA and alleviating psychological symptoms in college students with IA. The optimal types of exercise for college students suffering from IA are open motor skill and the combination of both open and closed skill. However, future work is needed given the limited randomized controlled trials and the high heterogeneity of the included studies.

Exploring Differences in Four Types of Online Activities Across Individuals with and without Problematic Smartphone Use

Studies on problematic online activities commonly focus on one type of online activity, such as social media. However, individuals often use their Smartphones for more than one online activity. This study examined four types of online activities (social networking, gaming, information acquisition, and short-form video viewing). Based on a combinatory assessment of problematic smartphone use and hours spent online, two groups were created from a larger sample (N = 642): a problematic smartphone user group (PSU; N = 230; F = 72%; Age = 24.99 ± 6.60) and a non-problematic smart phone user group (NPSU; N = 87; F = 62%; Age = 30.49 ± 10.22). As compared to the NPSU group, the PSU group engaged in more social networking, gaming, information acquisition, and short-form video seeing. The PSU group also scored higher on psychological distress, sleep disturbance, fear of missing out, metacognitions about Smartphone use (MSU), desire thinking (DT), and lower on satisfaction with life and cognitive reappraisal. Regression analyses were employed to probe correlates of each online activity among the PSU and NPSU groups. The findings are discussed in light of the metacognitive model of addictive behaviors and future directions are provided concerning the challenges of distinguishing individuals for problematic Internet-related behaviors.

Canonical correlation-based relationships between social support and sleep quality in a hospital psychiatric outpatient population with examining the mediating roles of anxiety and depressive symptoms

OBJECTIVE

This study aims to examine the associations between various dimensions of social support and sleep quality in a hospital psychiatric outpatient population using canonical correlation analysis, while also investigating the potential mediating roles of anxiety and depressive symptoms.

METHODS

Employing a cross-sectional design, survey data were collected from 10,071 individuals visiting Hangzhou Seventh People's Hospital between October 2020 and October 2023. After excluding invalid cases, a total of 10,063 participants were included for analysis. The survey encompassed gathering basic demographic information as well as administering the Social Support Rating Scale, Self-rating Depression Scale, Self-rating Anxiety Scale, and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index Scale. Data analysis was conducted using SPSS 27.0 statistical software with canonical correlation analysis employed to examine the relationships. Additionally, the mediating effects of anxiety and depression symptoms were examined using the SPSS PROCESS macro.

RESULTS

Canonical correlation analysis reveals a significant positive correlation between social support dimensions and various aspects of sleep quality. The first pair of canonical variables (r = 0.586, p < 0.001) accounts for an impressive 97% of the cumulative contribution. It is found that this pair of canonical variables explains 68.9% of the variance in social support and 49.0% in sleep quality. Mediation analysis revealed that anxiety and depressive symptoms significantly mediated the relationship between social support and sleep quality, accounting for 88% of the total effect. Specifically, anxiety accounted for 47% mediation while depression accounted for 41%.

CONCLUSION

The study findings revealed a significant positive correlation between social support and sleep quality dimensions, indicating a robust association between increased social support and enhanced individual sleep quality. Furthermore, the results indicated that anxiety and depression partially mediated the relationship between social support and sleep quality, offering novel insights into the intricate connection between mental health and sleep quality.

Cognitive, Metacognitive, Motivational, and Emotional Predictors of the Intensity of Internet Gaming Disorder among Adolescents

Internet gaming disorder (IGD) is multifaceted and can have significant negative consequences. The present study examined the contribution of cognitive, metacognitive, motivational, and emotional factors as predictors for IGD severity. In a cross-sectional study, 703 Iranian adolescents (36.8% females, mean age = 16.98 years [SD = 1.23]) completed an online survey. Hierarchical regression analysis showed that the cognitive, metacognitive, motivational, and emotional factors predicted 7.8%, 17.4%, 1.4%, and 1.9% of the variance in IGD symptoms, respectively. The findings indicated that the cognitive factors including some maladaptive cognitions, such as cognitive salience, regret, and perfectionism, and metacognitive factors including some maladaptive metacognitions (negative metacognitions regarding the uncontrollability of online gaming and negative metacognitions regarding the dangers of online gaming) were significant predictors of IGD severity, highlighting their importance in understanding and predicting problematic gaming behaviors. Although contributing to the variance in IGD, motivational factors (escape, coping, and skill development) and emotional factors including emotion regulation (especially reappraisal) played relatively smaller roles compared to cognitive and metacognitive factors. Of the examined predictive factors, metacognitions were the most important predictor of IGD severity. Exploratory moderator analyses showed significant interactions between three predictors of IGD (reappraisal, negative metacognitions, and cognitive salience) with loneliness, stress, anxiety, and depressive symptoms. Reappraisal was the most frequent predictor and had a significant interaction with these variables. Other predictors independently impacted IGD irrespective of the level of loneliness, stress, anxiety, or depressive symptoms. Based on these findings, special attention to metacognitive, cognitive, emotional, and motivational factors is suggested in the treatment of IGD.

Associations of problematic smartphone use with depressive symptoms and suicidal ideation in university students before and after the COVID-19 outbreak: A meta-analysis

BACKGROUND AND AIM

Problematic smartphone use (PSU) has been suggested to present with depressive symptoms and suicidal ideation (SI) as well as sleep disturbance, lack of social support, and emotional isolation. The aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to evaluate the association between PSU with depressive symptoms and SI in university students, and to determine the potential influence of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak.

METHODS

Observational studies pertinent to our research were identified through comprehensive searches of the PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science databases. To account for potential heterogeneity, the random-effects models were employed to aggregate the findings.

RESULTS

Eighteen datasets from 17 case-control studies, including 24,019 university students, were included. Among them, 8,775 (36.5 %) had PSU. A higher prevalence of depressive symptoms (odds ratio [OR]: 2.40, 95 % confidence interval [CI]: 2.19 to 2.63, p < 0.001; prediction interval: 1.95 to 2.96) was observed in university students with higher scores for PSU measures. A subgroup analysis showed a stronger association between PSU and depressive symptoms after the COVID-19 outbreak as compared to that before the outbreak (OR: 2.76 versus 2.16, p for subgroup difference = 0.002), which explained the heterogeneity. The association between PSU and depressive symptoms in university students was similar to those reported in studies from China and other countries, and in studies with different quality scores. Finally, a meta-analysis of three studies suggested that PSU was also associated with the prevalence of SI (OR: 2.18, 95 % CI: 1.77 to 2.68, p < 0.001; I2 = 0 %).

CONCLUSION

In university students, PSU may be a risk factor for depressive symptoms and SI, and the association between PSU and depressive symptoms became stronger after the COVID-19 outbreak.

A systematic review of the relationship between generic and specific metacognitive beliefs and emotion dysregulation: A metacognitive model of emotion dysregulation

Although a probable association between metacognitive beliefs (also termed 'metacognitions') and emotion dysregulation has been suggested in the literature, the evidence is still sparse and inconclusive. The current study aims to present a comprehensive evaluation of the literature examining the association between metacognitive beliefs and emotion dysregulation. In accordance with Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) criteria, a search was conducted on PubMed and Ebsco. A manual search of reference lists was also run. Search terms were 'metacognitions/metacognitive beliefs/positive metacognitive beliefs/negative metacognitive beliefs/cognitive self-consciousness/beliefs about the need to control thoughts/cognitive confidence/negative beliefs about thoughts concerning uncontrollability and danger/AND difficulties emotion regulation/emotion dysregulation'. A total of 19 studies met the inclusion criteria. In both non-clinical and clinical populations, a higher endorsement of dysfunctional metacognitive beliefs was found to be associated with emotion dysregulation and vice versa. A higher endorsement of metacognitive beliefs may be associated, either directly or via maladaptive forms of mental control (e.g., worry, rumination and suppression) to emotion dysregulation. Metacognitive beliefs could be the potential therapeutic target in clinical interventions aimed at reducing emotion regulation difficulties.