Problematic Phone Research Articles

“Phones off while school's on”: Evaluating problematic phone use and the social, wellbeing, and academic effects of banning phones in schools

AbstractBackground and aimsMobile phone bans in secondary schools are claimed to reduce student distraction and promote learning and face-to-face socializing. Currently, the evidence on phone bans is limited. The aim of this preregistered study was to evaluate the South Australian mobile phone ban's effects on students' problematic phone use, academic engagement, school belonging, and bullying. The study also sought to identify student variables that predict phone ban compliance.MethodsAs the ban was phased in over 2023, a 2 (phone ban: yes/no) × 2 (time: baseline, 1-month follow-up) repeated-measures design was employed. Students (n = 1,282 at baseline; n = 1,256 at follow-up) in Grades 7 to 12 were recruited from five public secondary schools. Surveys included measures drawn from the Longitudinal Study of Australian Children (LSAC) and the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA).ResultsProblematic phone use was reported by 2.6% of the sample. Being older and a more frequent user of social media predicted lower phone ban compliance. Linear mixed models indicated that ban and no ban school groups did not differ significantly in terms of problematic phone use, academic engagement, and school belonging. There was slightly higher bullying in the ban group but bullying decreased significantly in both groups.DiscussionImposing access restrictions may not affect the underlying psychological mechanisms that drive problematic phone use. Although these results indicate limited to no short-term benefits of the ban, further evaluation with more sensitive methodologies is recommended.ConclusionsStudent-technology interactions in learning institutions should be continually monitored to determine the optimal balance to support student etiquette, learning, and wellbeing.

Relationships between experiences of humiliation on social networks, problematic phone use, and aggressive and altruistic behaviors in young adults.

The purpose of this study was to analyze the relationships between cybervictimization in social networks, problematic smartphone use, aggressive behaviors, and prosocial altruistic tendencies in young adults. The sample consisted of 601 young adults (mean age = 19.96 years; SD = 2.27; 69.1% female) who were administered online assessments of experiences of humiliation on networks, problematic smartphone use, prosocial altruistic tendencies, and aggressiveness. Results indicated significant indirect effects of cyber victimization on aggressiveness and prosocial altruistic tendencies through problematic smartphone use. Problematic cell phone use explained the relationships between online humiliation and aggressive and prosocial altruistic behaviors. The results confirmed the positive relationship between cybervictimization and problematic cell phone use, consistent with previous research. However, the negative relationship between cybervictimization and altruistic prosocial tendencies was not corroborated. The findings emphasize the need to promote actions that foster social connectedness and interdependence among young individuals to develop their identity within the community.

Latent Profiles and Transitions of Bedtime Procrastination Among Chinese College Students: The Predictive Roles of Anxiety, Depression, Problematic Smartphone Use and Self-Control.

Bedtime procrastination (BP) has become an important factor affecting individual well-being. This study aimed to assess the stability and changes in BP and examine risk and protective factors. The study recruited 1423 respondents. Latent profile analysis was used to identify subgroups of BP and latent transition analysis to determine transition probabilities for each subgroup. Logistic regression examined associations between identified classes and related factors. Three subgroups of BP were identified. In terms of stability and changes, the moderate bedtime procrastination group showed the highest stability (66%), followed by the severe bedtime procrastination group (62.4%), and the mild bedtime procrastination group had a 52% probability of switching to moderate bedtime procrastination. In terms of influencing factors, more problematic phone use (PSU) (OR: 1.08; 95% CI = 1.05-1.12), more depression (OR: 1.17; 95% CI = 1.06-1.29) and anxiety (OR: 1.16; 95% CI = 1.05-1.28) are all factors that aggravate the transition from mild to moderate sleep procrastination. Similarly, PSU (OR: 1.15; 95% CI = 1.12-1.19), anxiety (OR: 1.10; 95% CI = 1.06-1.14), and depression (OR: 1.10; 95% CI = 1.06-1.14) increased the risk of severe bedtime procrastination. Self-control emerged as a protective factor against BP. This study identified three subgroups of BP at two time points and the rule of transition for each subgroup. Our findings indicate that BP were relatively stable, with some changes over time. The results also highlight the important function that PSU, depression, anxiety, and self-control can play in preventing and intervening in BP.

Can’t stop won’t stop: problematic phone use, sleep quality, and mental health in U.S. Graduate students

Objective Prior work has suggested the impact of problematic phone use on the mental health of graduate students. This research explores the mediating effect of sleep quality on this link. Participants A total of 186 graduate students from the United States were collected using an online data acquisition platform. Graduate study areas represented a wide range of subjects. Methods Participants completed questionnaires about problematic phone use, sleep quality, and both anxiety and depressive symptoms. Phone use was further broken down into time spent on specific phone applications. Results Analyses revealed significant indirect effects from problematic phone use to both depression and anxiety through diminished sleep quality. Effects were stronger for individuals who spent higher amounts of time on social media applications. Conclusions Findings suggest that U.S. graduate students are particularly prone to the negative effects of problematic phone use. Implications for interventions in graduate programs are discussed.

Heavy Users, Mobile Gamers, and Social Networkers: Patterns of Objective Smartphone Use in Parents of Infants and Associations With Parent Depression, Sleep, Parenting, and Problematic Phone Use

Smartphone use during parenting is common, which may lead to distraction (also known as technoference). However, it is likely that some phone activities are less disruptive to parents and children. In this study, we explored smartphone use (via passive sensing across 8 days) within 264 parents of infants, measuring parents’ application use on their phone (e.g., messaging, social media, mobile gaming, video chat) and phone use across contexts (e.g., during feeding and at bedtime). We utilized latent profile analysis to identify profiles of users, revealing five user types: Moderate User Social Networkers (37%), followed by Moderate User Gamers (20%), Moderate User Video Chatters (17%), Low Users (15%), and Heavy Users (11%). Parents varied in their use, from Low Users, who used their phone approximately 2.4 h each day, spent only 13% of their child time on their phone, and used their phone for about 18 min at bedtime, to Heavy Users, who spent approximately 8 h a day, about 50% of their child time on their phone, and about 1 h at bedtime. Heavy Users showed higher depressive symptoms and poorer sleep (although not poorer sleep than Moderate User Gamers). Surprisingly, we found no differences between groups in perceptions of parenting stress, responsiveness to their infant, or problematic phone use and distraction. We also explored demographic differences across groups. We call for future work to examine parent phone use more comprehensively and holistically and to view specific phone use activities as simultaneously interconnected with other types of use activities.

The Relationship Between Loneliness and the Overuse of WeChat Among Chinese Elderly: The Chain Mediation Role of Sensation Seeking and Fear of Missing Out.

With the advent of new media technology, WeChat, as China's largest social networking platform, has significantly impacted people's lives. Growing concerns exist about social media usage, particularly regarding mental health issues stemming from problematic smartphone use. However, limited research has explored the relationship between social media usage and mental health among older adults in China, particularly the mechanisms influencing this relationship. This study addresses this gap by investigating the relationship between excessive WeChat use and loneliness among older adults, examining the mediating roles of sensation seeking and fear of missing out (FoMO). To clarify the intermediary role of sensation seeking and FoMO in the relationship between elderly loneliness and problematic phone use, this study employed the loneliness scale, brief sensation seeking scale, the scale of FoMO and WeChat overuse scale in a questionnaire survey on the Chinese elderly aged 55 to 89 (N=913). A chained mediation model was constructed, with descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation analysis, and mediation effect tests performed. The results indicate that the relationship between loneliness and excessive WeChat use among Chinese elderly is mediated by sensation seeking and FoMO. The findings reveal that loneliness, sensation seeking and FoMO and problematic mobile phone use (WeChat) are interconnected; (ii) sensation seeking and FoMO are the two important intermediary mechanisms between loneliness and problematic mobile phone use; and (iii) sensation seeking and FoMO can act as mediators in the relationship between loneliness and problematic mobile phone use among the elderly. In the difference test of demographic variables, it was found that women had more WeChat overuse behavior than men, and urban residents demonstrated significantly higher levels of overuse than their township residents. The study has revealed the psychological mechanism between loneliness and problematic mobile phone use among the elderly, which provides guiding suggestions for the prevention and intervention of such behaviors in the elderly.

Parents’ desire to change phone use: Associations with objective smartphone use and feelings about problematic use and distraction

We examined objective smartphone use (via a mobile sensing application) and self-reported desire to change phone use among a sample of 268 U.S. parents of infants. Using the Transtheoretical Stages of Change model as a conceptual foundation, we contextualized their attitudes and behaviors and explored how phone use and desire to change relate to perceptions of distraction and problematic phone use around their child. Latent profile analysis of parents' precontemplation, contemplation, and action scores revealed two classes—precontemplators (15%) and contemplators (85%). Contemplators—those considering or desiring change—showed more bedtime phone use and general social networking than precontemplors; however, there were no significant differences between groups on other objective use measures (e.g., total daily duration of phone use, phone use around child, etc.). Contemplators also showed greater perceptions of problematic use around their child and parenting distraction. Moreover, parents’ problematic use and distraction were predictive of higher contemplation scores, even after controlling for demographic and objective phone use variables. Taken together, these results suggest that perceptions of phone use as problematic may be more important than actual phone habits, especially total phone use duration, for desire to change. Suggestions for future research and intervention are provided.

Is Nomophobia Problematic or Functional? A Perspective from Bifactor Structure.

With the extensive use of mobile phones globally, some people engage in excessive or problematic phone use behaviors. However, little is known regarding the latent structure of problematic mobile phone use. The current study employed the Chinese versions of the Nomophobia Questionnaire, Mobile Phone Addiction Tendency Scale, and Depression-Anxiety-Stress Scale-21 to explore the latent psychological structure of problematic mobile phone use and nomophobia and their associations with mental health symptoms. Results showed that a bifactor latent model best fit nomophobia, which contained a general factor and four unique factors involving the fear of being unable to access information, losing convenience, losing contact, and losing one's Internet connection. Results also showed significant correlations among latent factors of nomophobia, problematic mobile phone use, and mental health symptoms. Through these findings, we can conclude that two problematic mobile phone use behaviors share a common factor concerning excessive use, and nomophobia has independent unique factors concerning usable function. This study clarifies the structure of problematic mobile phone use, and it implies that we can distinguish problematic mobile phone use from functional use; further investigation of problematic mobile phone use is warranted.

Motives for digital social multitasking (DSMT)and problematic phone use among adolescents.

Phone use during face-to-face interactions (i.e., digital social multitasking [DSMT]) is a growing activity among adolescents. DSMT appears to be a risk factor for problematic phone use, but little is known about why adolescents engage in DSMT and how different motives of DSMT would beassociated with problematic phone use. Drawing on the framework of DSMT and the uses and gratifications theory, this study explored (1) the motives of adolescent DSMT and (2) the direct and indirect relationships between DSMT motives and problematic phone use via the level and perception of DSMT. The study involved survey data from 517 adolescents in the United States recruited through the Qualtrics panels (Mage = 14.83, SD = 1.93) in the fall of 2020. The sample's gender and racial/ethnic distributions were nationally representative. We developed a scale measuring adolescent DSMT motives, which showed that adolescents engaged in DSMT because of enjoyment and connection, boredom, information, and habitual use. The motive of habitual use was associated with problematic phone use both directly and indirectly via level of DSMT and perceived distraction caused by DSMT. The information motive was directly associated with problematic phone use, while the boredom motive was indirectly associated with problematic phone use via perceived distraction. Conversely, the motive of enjoyment and connection was related to lower problematic phone use both directly and indirectly via lower perceived distraction. The study identifies DSMT-related risk and protective factors for problematic phone use. The findings should help adults recognize adaptive versus maladaptive forms of DSMT among adolescents and develop proper guidance and intervention.

Loneliness and Social Anxiety as Predictors of Problematic Phone Use and Compulsive Internet Use Among Youth of Punjab

Loneliness and Social Anxiety as Predictors of Problematic Phone Use and Compulsive Internet Use Among Youth of Punjab

Evaluating the relationship between smartphone addiction/overuse and musculoskeletal pain among medical students at Taif University

Background: Smartphone use has recently increased, and smartphones do the most common daily tasks. Therefore, a lot of time spent on these devices can be associated with a bad posture that can lead to musculoskeletal pain. Thus, in this study, we aim to raise awareness and assess the relationship between smartphone addiction/overuse and musculoskeletal pain among Taif University, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, medical students. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted at Taif University. The Problematic Use of Mobile Phones (PUMP) scale was used to estimate the level of smartphone addiction; meanwhile, Nordic Musculoskeletal Scale was used to assess musculoskeletal pain. Mann-Whitney and Kruskal-Wallis tests were used to associate PUMP scores with demographic factors and Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire items. Results: The study included 285 participants, of which 67.4% were males. The average PUMP score among participants was 62.3. Neck pain was reported by 61.1% of participants, upper and lower back pains were reported by 37.5% and 47.7%, respectively, and 41.4% reported shoulder pain. PUMP score was significantly associated with age (p = 0.000), as the highest PUMP score was reported among the eldest age group (25 years or older), followed by the youngest (19 to 20 years). PUMP score was also significantly associated with neck pain (p = 0.000), right shoulder pain (p = 0.004), right elbow pain (p = 0.030), right wrist pain (p = 0.012), upper and lower back pain (p = 0.000, p = 0.000, respectively). Conclusion: The study found an association between problematic phone usage and discomfort in the neck, upper back, and lower back. The research also found that those with higher PUMP scores had more significant discomfort on their right elbow and wrist than on their left.

Understanding the Link Between Social Skills and Phone Use

Smartphones took the world by storm in the 2000s. Over the years, smartphones have become vital in everyday life. Each generation responds to technology differently. The younger generation is much more involved with smartphones as well as technology as a whole. Thus, spending too much time on a smartphone could be related to individual’s well-being. The purpose of the present study is to measure Emotional Intelligence (EI), mindfulness, and social competence among different age cohorts and see if there are differences in phone use. Our hypothesis is that participants who score higher on EI, Social Skills, and Mindfulness will score lower on the Problematic Phone Usage Scale. Younger adults will score lower on EI, Social Skills, and Mindfulness and higher on Problematic Phone Usage than middle aged and older adults. We ran correlational analyses among, mindfulness, social competence, and problematic phone usage and an ex-post facto comparison between the four cohorts with ages ranging 18-30 (n=105), 31-40 years old (n= 30), 41-50 (n= 30), and 51 and older (n= 21). Survey questions included the Trait Emotional Intelligence Questionnaire- Short Form (TEIQ-SF), Kentucky Inventory of Mindfulness Skills, Social Competence, and Problematic Phone Usage Scale. Data showed that as age increased phone use decreased. EI, mindfulness, and social competence scores for younger adults were much lower than for middle aged and older adults while younger adults had a significantly larger problematic phone use than middle aged.

Parent Distraction with Technology and Child Social Competence during the COVID-19 Pandemic: The Role of Parental Emotional Stability

ABSTRACT This study aimed to test the possible moderating role of parents’ emotional stability on the relationship between parent distraction with technology and child social competence during the COVID-19 pandemic. Data used in the study were collected in May 2020 when extensive restrictive measures, labeled as lockdown, were present in Croatia. Data on technoference in parenting, parents’ problematic phone tendencies, and child social competence were collected using an online questionnaire from parents (n = 281) of children aged 3 to 14 years. The results show a significant negative effect of overall technoference in parenting on child social competence. This negative effect was significantly moderated by parents’ emotional stability, as expected. Medium and high levels of parents’ emotional stability buffer the negative effect of low technoference in parenting on child social competence. Results imply technoference in parenting negatively affects child development, but the emotional stability of parents can be a protective factor.

The DISRUPT : A measure of parent distraction with phones and mobile devices and associations with depression, stress, and parenting quality

The landscape of modern parenting has shifted as an increasing number of parents have and utilize smartphones and other mobile devices throughout the day. A validated measure of parent distraction with these devices is needed in the field. It is important to have a validated measure of parent distraction with mobile devices (e.g., phubbing, technoference), as this distraction can be common at times and could negatively impact the quality of parenting that children receive. In the current study, I developed a brief, parent-reported survey measure of parent distraction (DISRUPT), examined its reliability and validity (convergent, divergent) in two survey studies (Study 1, n = 473 parents; Study 2, n = 294 parents), and examined its usefulness in predicting parenting quality (predictive validity). Overall, the results provide initial support for the DISRUPT as a valid and reliable measure of parent problematic tendencies with their phone or mobile devices during time they spend with their children. The DISRUPT's items loaded together well and were internally consistent, and scores were associated with technology use (e.g., problematic phone use) and well-being variables (e.g., depression, stress) in the expected directions. Results also revealed the measure to be useful, as scores predicted parenting-related variables over and above other technology use variables. The DISRUPT also functioned as a mediator in a conceptual model of depression and parenting stress predicting parent distraction (DISRUPT) which then predicted parenting quality.

Attention Enhancing Technology: A New Dimension in the Design of Effective Wellbeing Apps

Excessive phone use negatively impacts mental health and productivity. However, moderating phone usage is difficult because a deep understanding of the psychology of habit-forming and attention-grabbing has been deliberately exploited in design. Consequently, wellbeing applications (apps) which are not themselves grounded in behavioral science are unable to address problematic phone use effectively. In this article, we propose a set of design principles for wellbeing apps that brings together elements of value-sensitive design from interaction design and behavioral models from psychology. We describe the design of a wellbeing app according to these principles, its implementation, and its evaluation. The results show that our app can support users in controlling their phone use, but moreover, the design principles point the way toward attention-enhancing technology that can be used for habit-breaking, rehabilitation, and self-protection.

The Relationship Between Children's Problematic Internet-related Behaviors and Psychological Distress During the Onset of the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Longitudinal Study.

Background:The outbreak of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has generated negative effects on psychological well-being worldwide, including in schoolchildren. Government requirements to stay at home and avoid social and school settings may impact psychological well-being by modifying various behaviors such as problematic phone and Internet use, yet there is a paucity of research on this issue. This study examined whether the COVID-19 outbreak may have impacted problematic smartphone use (PSU), problematic gaming (PG), and psychological distress, specifically the pattern of relationships between PSU, PG, and psychological distress in schoolchildren.Methods:Longitudinal data on psychological distress, PSU, and PG were collected from 575 children in primary schools in 3 waves: Waves 1 and 2 were conducted before the COVID-19 outbreak and Wave 3 during the outbreak. Cross-lagged panel models were used to examine relationships between factors across the 3 waves.Results:Cross-lagged models found that higher levels of PSU were not significantly related prospectively to greater psychological distress before the COVID-19 outbreak, but this prospective relationship became significant during the COVID-19 outbreak. Whereas PG was associated prospectively with psychological distress before the COVID-19 outbreak (ie, between Waves 1 and 2), this association became nonsignificant during the COVID-19 lockdown (ie, between Waves 2 and 3).Conclusions:The COVID-19 outbreak has seemed to change prospective relationships between PSU and psychological distress and PG and psychological distress in schoolchildren. Future research should examine whether restrictions on or information provided to schoolchildren may exacerbate PSUs effects on psychological distress.

Prevalence, pattern and factors associated with problematic phone use among youths in Kano Metropolis, Nigeria

Mobile phones have increasingly penetrated our societies with huge benefits accrued from its use. A rapidly growing number of youths are acquiring the cell but the extent to which usage constitutes a problem in their daily lives has not been studied much in northern Nigeria. This study assessed the prevalence, pattern, perceived effect and factors associated with problematic phone use among youths in Kano metropolis. Using a descriptive cross-sectional design, 320 youths aged 15-24 years old who were available on social media sites (Twitter, Facebook and WhatsApp) were studied. A pretested online questionnaire was sent to respondents via the different social media and entries collected for a month. Data was analyzed using SPSS vs 21.0. Majority (N=210; 65.6%) of the study participants were habitual users, while 10.3% (n=33) were problematic users. An additional 10% (n=32) were found to be at risk of problematic phone use. Three quarters of the respondents (n=238; 74.4%) spent five or more hours on their phones per day, more than half (n=175; 54.7%) were awakened at least once in the night and majority (n=230; 71.8%) used their phones in inappropriate situations. Reported symptoms were mainly physical symptoms (n=144; 45.0%) such as headache, ear warmth and injuries. Problematic phone use was not associated with sociodemographic factors, however was associated with excessive usage patterns and reported negative symptoms. There is a relatively high prevalence of problematic phone use with reported physical and social consequences among youths in Kano metropolis. Public health strategies that include parents and families would go a long way to limit excessive use of mobile phones among youths.

‘Just checking’: Vulnerable and grandiose narcissism subtypes as predictors of phubbing

“Phubbing” (phone snubbing) refers to a set of behaviors where phone users focus on their mobile phone instead of interacting with their physically proximal companions. Building on existing understanding of problematic phone use, this study examined narcissism subtypes as predictors of phubbing behavior. Participants ( n = 250 smartphone users) completed an anonymous online study where they reported their phubbing behaviors and completed measures of vulnerable narcissism, grandiose narcissism, psychopathy, and Machiavellianism. Analysis was via multiple regression, with vulnerable and grandiose narcissism as predictors; psychopathy and Machiavellianism were also included to account for shared variance with grandiose narcissism. As hypothesized, vulnerable narcissism emerged as a significant predictor in the model, such that higher levels of vulnerable narcissism were associated with more phubbing. In light of previously established negative social outcomes associated with phubbing behaviors, we conclude that although phubbing might help those high in vulnerable narcissism to manage their need for admiration and their contingent self-worth, phubbing may be particularly problematic for these individuals.

Problematic phone use, depression, and technology interference among mothers.

Problematic phone use, depression, and technology interference among mothers.

Parental Monitoring and Adolescent Problematic Mobile Phone Use: The Mediating Role of Escape Motivation and the Moderating Role of Shyness.

In an attempt to reduce the negative consequences of adolescent media use, parents often monitor their children’s online activities. However, research suggests that parental monitoring often does not reduce children’s problematic mobile phone use as expected. Based on the results of a survey of 584 Chinese adolescents, we found that parental monitoring positively predicted children’s problematic mobile phone use (PMPU) within a Chinese cultural context. The results also showed that children’s escape motivation partially mediated this relationship, while their level of shyness moderated both the mediated path and the direct impact of parental monitoring on children’s PMPU. The findings suggested that a higher level of shyness increased the likelihood that parental monitoring would increase the child’s escape motivation and PMPU. The study results provide guidelines for parents and educators regarding interventions for adolescents’ problematic phone use.