Abstract
Adolescence is the stage of development where the reward and emotional regulation systems are yet to be adjusted and where most excessive behaviors start, like smartphone abuse. In addition, in this evolutionary period adolescents are more susceptible to behavioral changes through specific interventions or educational programs. Thus, it is fundamental to analyze the personality profile of those adolescents showing excessive mobile phone usage to properly approach later prevention strategies. Impulsivity is one of the most repeated variables associated with teenage addictions, although it has been observed that not all impulsive behaviors need to be detrimental. The aim of this study is to analyze how impulsivity affects smartphone addiction directly, but also indirectly, by assessing its association with sensation seeking variables (thrill and adventure seeking, experience seeking, disinhibition, and boredom susceptibility) which are in turn decisive when using these technologies improperly. The sample was made up of 614 adolescents aged 13–18 attending secondary education from Burgos, Spain. Dickman Impulsivity Inventory, Sensation Seeking Scale, and Ad-hoc questionnaire on adolescent self-perception as to smartphone use were applied. Results show that 41.4% of participants admit to abusing smartphones sometimes, while 18.3% admit to abusing them more frequently and 24% to, at least ever, having defined themselves as smartphone addicts. Stepwise regression analysis revealed that gender (female), dysfunctional impulsivity and sensation seeking (disinhibition and thrill and adventure seeking) evidence 15.7% of variance in smartphone abuse. In addition, sensation seeking (thrill and adventure seeking, disinhibition, and boredom susceptibility) were found to mediate the relationship between dysfunctional impulsivity and smartphone abuse. Therefore, dysfunctional impulsivity was directly connected with teenage smartphone abuse, but also had an indirect stronger association through thrill and adventure seeking, disinhibition and boredom susceptibility.
Highlights
The relationship between adolescents and their way to use information and communication technologies have raised much interest in research over the last few years, in view of the number of publications in this respect
The aim of this research was, on the one hand to analyze the direct association of impulsivity and sensation seeking scales on smartphone usage; and, on the second hand to evaluate the indirect association of dysfunctional impulsivity on smartphone abuse, through the sensation seeking variables which are in turn decisive when using these technologies improperly
A total of 25.2% of participants admit that they have fought with their parents due to the use they make of the mobile phone, 41.8% state that their parents think that they spend too much money on mobile phones and 15.8% consider that mobile use might have reduced their achievement at school
Summary
The relationship between adolescents and their way to use information and communication technologies (hereinafter referred to as ICTs) have raised much interest in research over the last few years, in view of the number of publications in this respect. There is no consensus in the scientific literature about the best term to refer to improperly use of the smartphone; the most commonly used concepts are problematic, abusive, excessive or maladaptive use. The limits of abusive behavior are blurred, for example, for Montag and Walla (2016) the relationship between smartphone use and adaptive functioning represents an inverted U-curve, where moderate use has beneficial effects but excessive use has harmful consequences. The potentially negative effects of an excessive use of the smartphone become especially important amongst teenagers, since the psychological skills which support their decisionmaking and moderate risk-taking are still developing (Steinberg, 2005). The adolescent brain has not yet completed its development, especially the prefrontal areas, which are involved in processes of regulation, planning and execution of action, so they are more vulnerable to abusive behaviors (Prencipe et al, 2011). Adolescence is the stage at which most excessive behaviors start, as occurs, for example, with alcohol consumption (Zych et al, 2020)
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