Smartphone addiction and well-being in adolescents: testing the mediating role of self-regulation and attention
| dc.contributor.author | Roehrich, Alyssa | |
| dc.contributor.supervisor | Liu, Sam | |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2022-04-29T20:26:02Z | |
| dc.date.available | 2022-04-29T20:26:02Z | |
| dc.date.copyright | 2022 | en_US |
| dc.date.issued | 2022-04-29 | |
| dc.degree.department | School of Exercise Science, Physical and Health Education | en_US |
| dc.degree.level | Master of Science M.Sc. | en_US |
| dc.description.abstract | Background: Smartphone addiction can have negative consequences such as anxiety, depression, insomnia, and a loss of social connectivity. Understanding smartphone addiction is still in its early stages, but self-regulation and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptoms are two established risk factors. Exploring these risk factors and their impact on individuals’ well-being may help prevent smartphone addiction. Objective: This study aims to (1) explore the relationship between smartphone addiction and psychological and social well-being (e.g., friendship validation and caring, and friendship and intimate exchange) among adolescents. (2) Examine whether self-regulation mediates the relationship between smartphone addiction and psychological well-being and social well-being. (3) Examine whether attention mediates the relationship between smartphone addiction and psychological well-being and social well-being. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study conducted in middle school in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada. Students (Grade 6-8) completed an online survey that measured smartphone addiction, attention, self-regulation, and psychological and social well-being. A bivariate correlational analysis was used to examine the relationship between smartphone addiction, self-regulation, attention psychological well-being, and social well-being. Multiple mediation analyses were used to perform the mediation between smartphone addiction, attention, self-regulation, and psychological and social well-being. Results: The bivariate correlation showed significant negative associations between smartphone addiction and attention, self-regulation, psychological well-being, and friendship validation and caring. Smartphone addiction did not have a significant relationship with friendship intimate exchange. The mediation analysis showed that attention was a significant mediator between smartphone addiction and psychological well-being (indirect effect= -.102; 95% CI -.142, -.066) and between smartphone addiction and friendship validation and caring (indirect effect= -.056; 95% CI -.093, -.024; direct effect= -.071; 95% CI -.155, .013). Attention did not significantly mediate the relationship between smartphone addiction and the friendship intimate exchange aspect of social well-being (indirect effect= -.005; 95% CI -.026, .016). Self-regulation showed a significant partial mediation between smartphone addiction and psychological well-being (indirect effect= -.016; 95% CI -.034, -.002). Self-regulation did not significantly mediate the relationship between smartphone addiction and friendship validation and caring (indirect effect=-.014; 95% CI -.034, .001) and friendship intimate exchange (indirect effect=-.001; 95% CI -.007, .007). Conclusion: The results indicated that the negative relationship between smartphone addiction and psychological well-being can be partially explained by adolescents’ attention and self-regulation abilities. The negative relationship between smartphone addiction and social well-being (validation and caring) can be partially explained by adolescents’ attention. However, both aspects of social well-being (validation and caring and intimate exchange) were not impacted by self-regulation. This study identified potential mediators that may be used for future interventions to prevent smartphone addiction and promote wellbeing. | en_US |
| dc.description.scholarlevel | Graduate | en_US |
| dc.identifier.uri | http://hdl.handle.net/1828/13913 | |
| dc.language | English | eng |
| dc.language.iso | en | en_US |
| dc.rights | Available to the World Wide Web | en_US |
| dc.subject | Smartphone Addiction | en_US |
| dc.subject | Self-regulation | en_US |
| dc.subject | Attention | en_US |
| dc.subject | Well-being | en_US |
| dc.subject | Mediation analysis | en_US |
| dc.title | Smartphone addiction and well-being in adolescents: testing the mediating role of self-regulation and attention | en_US |
| dc.type | Thesis | en_US |