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Given the prominent role that smartphones have in everyday life, research in the field has proliferated. From a theoretical perspective, problematic smartphone use (PSPU) is described as a multi-faceted phenomenon entailing a variety of dysfunctional manifestations (e.g., addictive, antisocial and dangerous use). To date, however, there is still a lack of empirical evidence supporting the identification of PSPU as a potential behavioural addiction. Driven by theory, the aim of the present study was to provide an empirically validated model by testing the contribution of specific factors leading to PSPU. Relationships among individual characteristics (internalised psychopathology, impulsivity and personality traits) and PSPU uses (addictive, antisocial and dangerous) were investigated according to the updated version of the theoretical framework provided by the Pathway Model of problematic smartphone use (Billieux et al., 2015). An online survey was administered to a convenience sample (N = 511) of smartphone users in order to examine their daily engagement, problematic usage patterns and related psychological correlates. Path analysis revealed important information about different PSPU components and results are discussed in light of the available literature. Recommendations for future research are proposed to further investigate the problematic behaviour, including the study of additional variables, such as the fear of missing out (FoMO), nomophobia and excessive social media use.

Childhood and adolescent experiences have undergone a major transition in interaction with digital technologies since the advent of smartphones. Following a needs assessment study, adolescent online uses and motivations for social networking site use were explored. Six focus groups (comprising 42 adolescent students of secondary schools in the UK) were recruited. Transcripts were analysed using thematic analysis. Six motivational themes emerged from the analysis, reflecting interactivity and need for control of content and relationships, exhibiting the dynamic nature of engagement with social networking sites: (i) symbiotic relationship with peers online via social media and smartphone attachment, (ii) digital omnipresence related to the need for control and loss of control, (iii) emotional regulation and enhancement, (iv) idealization versus normalization of self and others, (v) peer comparison and ego validation, and (vi) functionality - facilitation of communication functions. These findings offer an understanding of the key drivers of normative adolescent social media behaviour that go beyond the theoretical associations with Uses and Gratifications Theory and Self-Determination Theory, suggesting an additional alternative motivational factor for social media use, that of need to control relationships, content, presentation and impressions. This need may be underlying FoMO and nomophobia and could therefore be responsible for increasing engagement or compulsive use. These findings shed light on cognitive-emotive aspects that may be implicated in problematic use and may inform interventions targeting excessive or problematic screen time and specific social media use aspects that merit scientific attention.

Previous research on stress and media use mainly concentrated on between-person effects. We add to this research field by additionally assessing within-person associations, assuming that experiencing more stress than usual goes along with more nomophobia (“no-mobile-phone phobia”) and more passive and active Facebook use than usual, cross-sectionally and over time, and by exploring potential age differences. We conducted a secondary analysis of three waves of a representative multi-wave survey of adult Dutch internet users (N = 861). Specifically, we used two subsamples: (1) smartphones users for the analyses on nomophobia (n = 600) and (2) Facebook users for the analyses on social media (n = 469). Employing random-intercept cross-lagged panel models, we found within-person correlations between nomophobia and stress at one time-point, but not over time. For the younger age group (18–39 years), more passive Facebook use than usual was associated with more stress than usual six months later, and more stress than usual was followed by less passive Facebook use six month later. There were no longitudinal relationships for active Facebook use across the different age groups. Methodological and theoretical implications are discussed., Highlights • We study the relationships of nomophobia, Facebook use and stress over time. • Nomophobia and stress correlate on the within-person level at one time-point. • Passive Facebook use is associated with more stress over time for younger adults. • Stress relates to less passive Facebook use six months later for younger adults. • There are no longitudinal effects for nomophobia, active Facebook use, and stress.

The present paper develops a new concept, called Reflective Smartphone Disengagement (RSD), defined as individuals’ deliberate efforts to control and restrict smartphone use. Based on the reflective-impulsive model, we examined the RSD concept in four studies, using cross-sectional data of adolescents (Study 1, n = 453, Study 3, n = 760) and adults (Study 4, N = 672), as well as panel data of adults (Study 2, n = 461). In Study 1, findings from exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses supported the one-dimensionality of the RSD scale. In Study 2, we found evidence for high test–retest reliability as well as discriminant validity, and in terms of predictive validity, RSD negatively predicted excessive smartphone use, information overload, and the social availability norm over time. Study 3 demonstrated convergent validity with a negative relationship with trait nomophobia and a positive one with trait self-reflection. Study 4 confirms the structural validity of a shorter version of the scale. We discuss avenues for future research and broader implications of the RSD concept for the field. ispartof: Computers In Human Behavior vol:128 status: Published online

Despite the increasing popularity of smartphones in our daily lives, their usage among college students has been broadly discouraged because ample studies demonstrate that this usage has a strongly negative impact on academic performance. This study strives to revisit this relationship by scrutinizing the distinctions among mobile applications. Based on a survey of more than 10,000 college students, our study offers robust evidence that, if used appropriately, smartphones can motivate better academic performance. Specifically, based on activity theory and psychological trait theories, we quantify the impacts of using six different mobile applications on students’ academic performance and detect their indirect impacts mediated by both nomophobia (the fear of being unavailable to mobile phones) and behavioral habits. Two kinds of poor sleep habits are investigated: late sleep and insomnia. Our results reveal positive, direct impacts of using mobile learning and news applications on academic performance and adverse effects of playing mobile games, as well as using social media, music and video, and entertainment book-reading applications. Notably, the use of mobile learning applications does not contribute to nomophobia. However, the other five types of mobile applications — social media, mobile games, music and video, entertainment book reading, and news — do.

A smartphone is a device which offers advanced technologies, functions similarly to a computer, supports multitasking and makes it easy to remain connected with others. The following survey design research examined the usage patterns of smartphone users across different demographics. The results of this study provide insights into the prevalence of respondents usage of smartphones and their habits and behavior related to smartphone use itself especially among the younger generation of social disorders such as nomophobia and phubbing. In addition to documenting the experience of smartphone users, the research also examines personality patterns related to smartphone usage, the trends of different age groups, and the effects of gender preferences. We investigate behavioral patterns and impacts of smartphone usage.We discuss personal challenges of mental disorder due to smartphone's addiction.Smartphone's addiction habit is leaning more towards the younger generation.Gender is considered to be statistically significant in term of smartphone's habit.A positive relationship between accessing the internet and messaging activity.

Results of several studies have suggested that smartphone addiction has negative effects on mental health and well-being. To contribute to knowledge on this topic, our study had two aims. One was to investigate the relationship between risk of smartphone addiction and satisfaction with life mediated by stress and academic performance. The other aim was to explore whether satisfaction with life mediated by stress and academic performance facilitates smartphone addiction. To identify test subjects, systematic random sampling was implemented. A total of 300 university students completed an online survey questionnaire that was posted to the student information system. The survey questionnaire collected demographic information and responses to scales including the Smartphone Addiction Scale - Short Version, the Perceived Stress Scale, and the Satisfaction with Life Scale. Data analyses included Pearson correlations between the main variables and multivariate analysis of variances. The results showed that smartphone addiction risk was positively related to perceived stress, but the latter was negatively related to satisfaction with life. Additionally, a smartphone addiction risk was negatively related to academic performance, but the latter was positively related to satisfaction with life. Stress mediates the relationship between smartphone addiction and satisfaction with life.Academic performance mediates the relationship b/w smartphone addiction & satisfaction with life.There is a zero order correlation between smartphone addiction and satisfaction with life.

Nomophobia and cyber-bullying are of particular interest for their intrinsic interplay. This study aims to describe the association between the two phenomena. The data presented in this study derived from a large school-based population survey that included 2959 students in 12 middle schools in the (place omissed for double blind peer review metropolitan city of Naples, Italy). The survey included several questions for nomophobia phenomena (smartphone addiction (SA), Check the smartphone (CS), Phantom phone signal (PPS), and for cyber-bullying (victimization and perpetration). SA was associated with cyber-perpetration; CS was associated with both cyber-victimization and cyber-perpetration. PPS was associated with both cyber-victimization and cyber-perpetration. Correlation analyses confirmed the association of nomophobia and cyber-bullying with emotional and behavioural difficulties. Nomophobia and Cyber-bullying were widespread phenomena among adolescent population. Data on their interplay showed that nomophobia was associated with an increase in cyber-perpetration behaviours. Both phenomena are associated with emotional problems, hyperactivity, conduct problems and total problems. Therefore these situations should be assessed and targeted carefully in their intrinsic relationship and potential impact on psychopathological risk. Information interventions are needed and psychotherapeutic treatments should consider these findings. Due to the cross-sectional nature of the study, the direction of the relationships remains uncertain and will require longitudinal and intervention studies to determine.

Smartphones provide many advantages for people's daily life, which makes the phone become a valuable attachment object. Attachment to a smartphone may have negative psychological consequences, such as anxiety about being separated from the smartphone. Considerable research has been done on smartphone separation anxiety (or nomophobia). However, they are rarely concerned about the impact of smartphone activity on it. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of mobile activity on smartphone separation anxiety by emphasizing the uniqueness of the phone itself and the importance of the activity. The present study examined the anxiety levels of 1733 Chinese young adults (mean age = 19.13, SD = 1.28) in four imaginary scenarios in which they could not engage in mobile activity. Our study found that computers did not alleviate the separation anxiety that individuals experience when they interrupt their smartphone activity. Furthermore, smartphone separation anxiety may depend on the type of mobile activity currently being disrupted. The anxiety when interrupting online activities was more related to the unavailability of the phone network, and anxiety level in stopping offline activities was more associated with the unavailability of the phone power. These findings help to understand smartphone separation anxiety.

We examined anxiety when wireless mobile devices were unexpectedly not available.Participants felt significantly more anxious over time.Heavy wireless mobile device users were more anxious than low or moderate users.Wireless mobile device dependency may cause anxiety when device is absent.Heavy wireless mobile device users may feel separation anxiety when device is absent. Overuse of wireless mobile devices (WMDs) may be associated with a form of psychological dependency, of which a prominent feature may be anxiety arising from separation from these devices. College students, who are among the most avid consumers of WMDs, might be susceptible to the negative effects of WMD overuse. The present study examined anxiety in American college students when their WMDs were unexpectedly not available. Upon arrival, approximately one half of the 163 participants were randomly assigned to have their WMDs removed from their possession; the other half was allowed to keep their WMDs but were required to turn them off and place them out of sight. Participants were forced to sit quietly with no distractions during the study. The state portion of the State/Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) was administered three times, 20min apart, beginning 10min after the participants entered the room. The results showed that participants felt significantly more anxious over time. However, this pattern was evident only with heavy WMD users and with moderate WMD users whose devices were taken away. Dependency upon WMDs, mediated by an unhealthy connection to their constant use, may lead to increased anxiety when the device is absent.

Smartphones have become necessities in people' lives. Along with its obvious benefits, however, the smartphone has other effects that are not all that glorious. This study investigates the dark side of the smartphone trend. We examine the link between psychological traits and the compulsive behaviors of smartphone users, and look further into the stress caused by those compulsive behaviors. We conducted an empirical study consisting of 325 participants and compared Structural Equation Modeling with competing models. The results suggest that compulsive usage of smartphone and technostress are positively related to psychological traits including locus of control, social interaction anxiety, materialism and the need for touch. Gender differences are also found in the aforementioned relationships. The results have practical implications to user-oriented smartphone design and operation companies as well as government agencies as they combat the social ills brought on by smartphones.

As the penetration of mobile phones in societies increases, there is a large growth in the use of mobile phones especially among the youth. This trend is followed by the fast growth in use of online social networking services (SNS). Extensive use of technology can lead to addiction. This study finds that the use of SNS mobile applications is a significant predictor of mobile addiction. The result also shows that the use of SNS mobile applications is affected by both SNS network size and SNS intensity of the user. This study has implications for academia as well as governmental and non-for-profit organizations regarding the effect of mobile phones on individual's and public health.

Social media utilities have made it easier than ever to know about the range of online or offline social activities one could be engaging. On the upside, these social resources provide a multitude of opportunities for interaction; on the downside, they often broadcast more options than can be pursued, given practical restrictions and limited time. This dual nature of social media has driven popular interest in the concept of Fear of Missing Out – popularly referred to as FoMO. Defined as a pervasive apprehension that others might be having rewarding experiences from which one is absent, FoMO is characterized by the desire to stay continually connected with what others are doing. The present research presents three studies conducted to advance an empirically based understanding of the fear of missing out phenomenon. The first study collected a diverse international sample of participants in order to create a robust individual differences measure of FoMO, the Fear of Missing Out scale (FoMOs); this study is the first to operationalize the construct. Study 2 recruited a nationally representative cohort to investigate how demographic, motivational and well-being factors relate to FoMO. Study 3 examined the behavioral and emotional correlates of fear of missing out in a sample of young adults. Implications of the FoMOs measure and for the future study of FoMO are discussed.

Background: The increasing use of new technologies and virtual communication involving personal computers (PCs), tablets and mobile phones are causing changes in individuals' daily habits and behavior. We report the case of an individual with social phobia who developed a dependency on communication through virtual environments (i.e., nomophobia), and used a PC as a form of relating to the outside world to reduce stress and to avoid direct social relations. Nomophobia refers to the discomfort or anxiety caused by the non-availability of a mobile phone, PC or any another virtual communication device. Social phobia is described as an anxiety disorder of chronic evolution. Objective: To study nomophobia as a manifest behavior that might serve as an indication of a possible anxiety disorder. Methodology: The treatment consisted of the use of medication, cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) and the application of evaluation tools (interviews, scales, inventories and questionnaires). Results: The individual responded satisfactorily to medication and CBT treatment, which reduced his time using the PC and increased his exposure to real-life situations. Conclusion: Nomophobic behavior produces changes in daily habits and can reveal other aspects to be investigated, such as the presence of comorbid mental disorders.