Abstract
Problematic smartphone use (PSU) during adolescence has been associated with negative short- and long-term consequences for personal well-being and development. Valid and reliable predictors and indicators of PSU are urgently needed, and digital trace data can add valuable information beyond self-report data. The present study aimed to investigate whether trace data (duration and frequency of smartphone use), recorded via an app installed on participants' smartphone, are correlated with self-report data on smartphone use. Additionally, the present study aimed to explore which usage indicators, i.e., duration, frequency, and time distortion of smartphone use, better predict PSU levels cross-sectionally and longitudinally, one year later. Results from a sample of 84 adolescents showed that adolescents tend to rely on the frequency of smartphone use when reporting on the time they spent with the smartphone. Traced duration of smartphone use as well as time distortion, i.e., over-estimation, are significant predictors of PSU. Methodological issues and theoretical implications related to predictors and indicators of PSU are discussed.
Highlights
The rise of digital media has sparked numerous studies on adolescents’ use of these media, frequently focusing on the associations with developmental and well-being outcomes [1,2,3,4,5,6,7]
Survey data are collected in collaboration with schools, who distribute the questionnaire using a Unique Identifier (U-ID) and the associated student name, to which only school staff has access
Trace data for frequency of use showed that adolescents activated the screen of their smartphones, on average, 57 times during a typical day, ranging from 7 to 222 times
Summary
The rise of digital media has sparked numerous studies on adolescents’ use of these media, frequently focusing on the associations with developmental and well-being outcomes [1,2,3,4,5,6,7]. A large body of previous studies is concerned with the negative aspects of too much media use, especially adolescents’ dependency on digital devices like smartphones. According to a recent review, one out of four adolescents shows symptoms of Problematic Smartphone Use (PSU) [5], which negatively affects social and emotional well-being [9] and academic outcomes [10]. Until today, most of the studies focusing on PSU relied on self-report data making it hard to draw valid conclusions on which type of smartphone activity can be described as problematic [11].
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