Insecure Attachment Styles and Unbalanced Family Functioning as Risk Factors of Problematic Smartphone Use in Spanish Young Adults: A Relative Weight Analysis

Abstract

Young adulthood is the life stage during which people are more prone to develop problematic smartphone use (PSU). Only one study investigated the relationship among attachment styles, family functioning, and PSU, but thus far, no research has shown the relative importance that such dimensions may have on PSU. The main aim of this study was to analyze to what extent insecure attachment styles and unbalanced family functioning are related to PSU, investigating the specific weight of each dimension in a sample of young adults (N = 301; 82.7% females; Mage = 22.89; SD = 3.02). Participants completed a self-report questionnaire, including the Relationship Questionnaire, the Family Adaptability and Cohesion Evaluation Scale IV, and the Smartphone Addiction Scale. The regression and relative weight analyses results showed that preoccupied attachment style and disengaged, chaotic, and enmeshed family functioning were positively related to PSU. Implications for future research and interventions were discussed.

A pilot study on childhood trauma and love addiction: Exploring the mediation of unbalanced family functioning.

“…This model has demonstrated its utility in research in the field of addictions. For example, significant associations have been reported between the dimensions of the model and problematic online gambling (Topino et al, 2021), compulsive online shopping (Topino et al, 2022), problematic smartphone use (Mangialavori et al, 2021), and substance use (Wagner et al, 2010). However, to the best of the present authors’ knowledge, Olson’s (2000) circumflex model has not yet been applied to the study of love addiction in association with childhood trauma.…”

Family Rituals and Problematic Smartphone Use in Adolescents

“…Regarding environmental factors, Kim et al (2018) found that the low quality of friendships and family dysfunction increases the risk of problematic smartphone use in adolescents. Another study by Mangialavori et al (2021) showed that disorganized and disengaged families are the main factors for problematic smartphone use in children. In the context of PSU, Sh et al (2017) found that family functioning was a major factor in adolescents' PSU.…”

Problematic Smartphone Use in Adolescents: Parental Structure and Parental Psychological Control as Predictors

“…Some studies found that the impact of parental behavior is still significant for adolescents, even though they have expanded their relationships with friends (Patton et al, 2016;Viner et al, 2012). Parental behavior in decreasing the occurrence of PSU in adolescents could be explained by enhancing adolescents' self-control and self-regulation regarding PSU, emphasized by Mangialavori et al (2021), who found that chaotic family functions such as the absence of discipline and clear rules at home predict the PSU.…”