Does adolescents’ social anxiety trigger problematic smartphone use, or vice versa? A comparison between problematic and unproblematic smartphone users

Wei, Xinyi; Ren, Lei; Jiang, Huaibin; Liu, Chang; Wang, Hongxia; Geng, Jingyu; Gao, Ting; Wang, Jing; Li, Lei

doi:10.1016/j.chb.2022.107602

Cited by 11 publications

(6 citation statements)

References 65 publications

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“…Fear of negative evaluation is the core belief of social anxiety ( Kirk et al., 2019 ). According to compensatory internet use theory, to some extent, social anxiety activates individuals' desire to use their smartphone because socially anxious individuals may use the internet to regulate and compensate for their social anxiety ( Kardefelt-Winther, 2014 ; Wei et al., 2023 ). Meanwhile, people with higher FoMO have stronger expectations of internet use because they believe there are interesting and rewarding experiences on the internet ( Wegmann et al., 2017 ).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The impact of long-term online learning on social anxiety and problematic smartphone use symptoms among secondary school students with different levels of fear of missing out: Evidence from a symptom network and longitudinal panel network analysis

Tao,

Tang,

Wang

et al. 2024

JBA

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BackgroundThe advancement of communication technology and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic have led to an increased reliance on online education. However, the effects of the long-term use of smart devices for online learning on students' social anxiety and problematic smartphone use (PSU) and the role of fear of missing out (FoMO) in this process have yet to be fully explored.MethodsThis study analysed longitudinal data from 2,356 high school students (female = 1,137 (48.26%), mean age = 13.84, SD age = 1.37) in China, divided into high- and low-FoMO groups based on their scores on the FoMO scale, to examine the impact of four months of online learning on social anxiety and PSU. The Social Anxiety Scale (SAS) and Mobile Phone Addiction Index (MPAI) were used to assess social anxiety and PSU symptoms.ResultsThe undirected symptom networks revealed more bridge symptoms among the students in the high-FoMO group, although their overall symptom scores decreased. The results of the directed cross-lagged panel networks showed that “productivity loss” predicted other symptoms in the low-FoMO group but that “afraid of negative evaluation” was the predictor in the high-FoMO group. Meanwhile, “withdrawal/escape” and “productivity loss” were the symptoms that were most affected by other symptoms in the high-FoMO and low-FoMO groups, respectively.ConclusionsThe current study therefore sheds light on the changes in social anxiety and PSU symptoms among secondary school students during long-term online learning, as well as the moderating role of FoMO.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The impact of long-term online learning on social anxiety and problematic smartphone use symptoms among secondary school students with different levels of fear of missing out: Evidence from a symptom network and longitudinal panel network analysis

Tao,

Tang,

Wang

et al. 2024

JBA

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“…However, even though research has usually shown that symptoms of social anxiety are associated with internet addiction (Turgeman et al, 2020;Wang et al, 2022), and even predicting it in longitudinal settings, our study results did not support the claim that social anxiety antecedes internet addiction. This discrepancy may emerge because most studies that have found said relationships are either crosssectional (Saadati et al, 2021) or did not use withinsubjects variance decomposition (Leo et al, 2021;Wei et al, 2023) which has been shown to modify regression estimates (Zhou et al, 2020). In examining the more proximal predictors of internet usage, avoidance of social interactions, and coping with loneliness online emerged as precursor antecedents leading to internet addiction, both showing medium effect sizes.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…People suffering from such difficulties to control the time they spent online have an increased likelihood for social anxiety disorder ( Turgeman et al, 2020 ; Cai et al, 2023 ; Wei et al, 2023 ), which has an estimated prevalence of 4% worldwide ( Stein et al, 2017 ) and is characterized by intense fear or avoidance of social interactions and situations that involve the possibility of being scrutinized ( American Psychiatric Association, 2013 ). While the association between Internet addiction and social anxiety has been identified, there remains a significant gap in the literature regarding the directionality of this relationship, hindering the translation of research into practice.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The cycle of solitude and avoidance: a daily life evaluation of the relationship between internet addiction and symptoms of social anxiety

Hernández,

Ferrada,

Ciarrochi

et al. 2024

Front. Psychol.

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A consistent association has been observed between internet addiction and symptoms of social anxiety. However, there is a lack of empirical research that delves into potential explanations for this relationship and its directionality, making it difficult to translate findings into development of interventions for social anxiety that account for technology-related behaviors. The present study aimed to evaluate the longitudinal dynamics between internet addiction, symptoms of social anxiety, avoidance of social interactions, and using the internet to cope with loneliness. By means of an ecological momentary assessment study, we evaluated a sample of 122 young adults from Chile using intensive self-report measurements five times a day, for a period of 10 days. Using mixed-effects models, we examined the directionality between internet addiction and symptoms of social anxiety, together with an explanation of their relationship. Results indicate that internet addiction antecedes symptoms of social anxiety; however, the reverse relationship was not observed. Furthermore, instances where individuals avoided social interactions or used the internet to cope with loneliness were predictive of later increases in levels of internet addiction, suggesting a vicious cycle. Significant heterogeneity was observed in these effects, highlighting the need for a more personalized approach when including technology-related behaviors in social anxiety interventions. Theoretical and clinical implications are discussed.

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“…While self-care courses such as Life101 have the potential to benefit students’ psychological and physical health, it is important to continually improve these courses to meet the evolving mental health needs of students. In addition to the typical stressors faced by college students, such as academic pressure and financial burdens, research has highlighted the link between psychological stress and excessive use of social media platforms [ 14-17 ]. Excessive use of social media has been associated with declining mental health [ 15 16 ].…”

Section: Future Directionsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Can an Online Course, Life101: Mental and Physical Self-Care, Improve the Well-Being of College Students?

Jafari

2024

JMIR Med Educ

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The COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on the mental health of college students worldwide. As colleges shifted to online instruction, students faced disruptions and increased stressors, leading to a decline in mental health that appears to continue in the postpandemic era. To alleviate this problem, academic institutions have implemented various interventions to address mental health issues; however, many of these interventions focus on a single approach and lack diverse delivery methods. This viewpoint introduces the concept of a multimodal self-care online course, Life101: Mental and Physical Self-Care, and discusses the potential effectiveness of such an intervention in improving students’ well-being. The course combines evidence-based interventions and incorporates interactive lectures, workshops, and guest speakers. Pre- and postcourse surveys were conducted over a span of 4 academic terms to evaluate the impact of this course on the well-being and self-care practices of students. The survey data suggest positive outcomes in students taking Life101, including the adoption of healthier habits, reduced stress levels, and increased knowledge and practice of self-care techniques. Life101 represents a novel multimodality intervention to address the epidemic of mental health issues faced by students today. By implementing similar evidence-based multimodal didactic curricula across campuses, academic institutions may be able to better equip students to navigate challenges and promote their overall well-being.

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Does adolescents’ social anxiety trigger problematic smartphone use, or vice versa? A comparison between problematic and unproblematic smartphone users

Cited by 11 publications

References 65 publications

The impact of long-term online learning on social anxiety and problematic smartphone use symptoms among secondary school students with different levels of fear of missing out: Evidence from a symptom network and longitudinal panel network analysis

The impact of long-term online learning on social anxiety and problematic smartphone use symptoms among secondary school students with different levels of fear of missing out: Evidence from a symptom network and longitudinal panel network analysis

The cycle of solitude and avoidance: a daily life evaluation of the relationship between internet addiction and symptoms of social anxiety

Can an Online Course, Life101: Mental and Physical Self-Care, Improve the Well-Being of College Students?

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