Psychopathological Symptoms and Personality Traits as Predictors of Problematic Smartphone Use in Different Age Groups.

Lea-Christin Wickord,Claudia Quaiser-Pohl

doi:10.3390/bs12020020

Lea-Christin Wickord, Claudia Quaiser-Pohl

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3390/bs12020020

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Abstract

The study investigates psychopathological symptoms and the Big Five personality traits as predictors of “problematic smartphone use” (PSU) in different generational groups. The generational groups were selected to analyze whether the different life stages and developmental tasks that need to be completed have an impact on PSU. The groups were divided into digital immigrants, digital natives, and Generation Y and Z as subgroups of digital natives. A total of 399 subjects participated (312 women, 86 men, 1 diverse; mean age = 25.9; range 14–67; 44 digital immigrants, 355 digital natives, 35 Generation Y, and 320 Generation Z). They completed the ICD-10 Symptom Rating (ISR), the Big Five Inventory-10 (BFI-10), and the Mobile Phone Problematic Use Scale (MPPUS). The results show differences between digital immigrants and digital natives in the expression of PSU, neuroticism, conscientiousness, depression, anxiety, and compulsivity. Concerning Generations Y and Z, differences were only found in the expression of the PSU. Regression revealed that symptoms for obsessive-compulsive disorders, depression, conscientiousness, and gender were significant predictors of PSU. Moderations have shown that being a digital immigrant/native moderates the impact of eating disorders on PSU. Belonging to Generation Y/Z moderates the influence of conscientiousness and depression on PSU. Thus, it shows that in different generations, different factors seem to play a role in the development and maintenance of PSU.

Highlights

The results show differences between digital immigrants and digital natives in the expression of problematic smartphone use” (PSU), neuroticism, conscientiousness, depression, anxiety, and compulsivity
Moderations have shown that being a digital immigrant/native moderates the impact of eating disorders on PSU
Regression for H3 revealed that psychopathological symptoms for obsessive-compulsive disorders and depression, the personality trait conscientiousness, and gender were significant predictors of PSU

Summary

Introduction

Jr. Smartphones are considered among the most widespread and popular communication devices [1,2]. In 2019, around 81.7% of Germans over the age of 14 owned a smartphone [3]. In this context, it can be seen that the smartphone medium has shaped and changed the existing communication and information landscape enormously. Smartphones facilitate a variety of life domains, providing, for example, sociability, entertainment, distraction, information gathering, time management, coping strategies, and enacting one’s identity [6,7,8,9,10]. The handy telecommunication device becomes an indispensable part of everyday life [11]

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