Emotion dysregulation factors associated with problematic smartphone use severity: The mediating role of fear of missing out

Christiane Arrivillaga; Caleb J Hallauer; Christian Montag; Jon D Elhai

doi:10.1016/j.addbeh.2023.107708

Emotion dysregulation factors associated with problematic smartphone use severity: The mediating role of fear of missing out

Addict Behav. 2023 Aug:143:107708. doi: 10.1016/j.addbeh.2023.107708. Epub 2023 Mar 25.

Authors

Christiane Arrivillaga¹, Caleb J Hallauer², Christian Montag³, Jon D Elhai⁴

Affiliations

¹ Faculty of Psychology, University of Malaga, Malaga 29010, Spain. Electronic address: carrivillagad@uma.es.
² Department of Psychology, University of Toledo, Toledo, OH 43606, USA. Electronic address: caleb.hallauer@rockets.utoledo.edu.
³ Department of Molecular Psychology, Institute of Psychology and Education, Ulm University, Helmholtzstraße 8/1, 89081 Ulm, Germany. Electronic address: christian.montag@uni-ulm.de.
⁴ Department of Psychology, University of Toledo, Toledo, OH 43606, USA; Department of Psychiatry, University of Toledo, Toledo, OH 43614, USA. Electronic address: contact@jon-elhai.com.

PMID: 37001259
DOI: 10.1016/j.addbeh.2023.107708

Abstract

Based on current theoretical frameworks, there has been increasing research examining psychopathology leading to problematic smartphone use (PSU). However, less is known about the affective and cognitive processes linked to PSU. The present study aimed at analyzing the fear of missing out (FoMO) as a mediator in the association between emotion dysregulation and PSU severity. Participants were 343 U.S. undergraduate students (64.7 % female, Mage = 19.3, SD = 2.51) who completed online measures of emotion dysregulation, FoMO and PSU. A fully latent structural equation model was analyzed. Results indicate greater impulse control dysregulation was associated with heightened PSU via increased FoMO. Our findings present evidence suggesting emotion dysregulation and FoMO as affective and cognitive mechanisms associated with PSU, with FoMO serving a mediating role between impulse control and PSU severity. Clinical implications are discussed.

Keywords: Emotion dysregulation; Fear of missing out; Mediation analysis; Problematic smartphone use; Structural equation modeling.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Fear* / psychology
Female
Humans
Male
Smartphone*
Students / psychology