Subscribe
The latest psychology and neuroscience discoveries.
My Account
  • Mental Health
  • Social Psychology
  • Cognitive Science
  • Psychopharmacology
No Result
View All Result
PsyPost
PsyPost
No Result
View All Result
Home Exclusive Mental Health

Study links excessive smartphone use to inability to endure emotional distress

by Eric W. Dolan
April 8, 2018
in Mental Health
(Photo credit: Wordley Calvo Stock)

(Photo credit: Wordley Calvo Stock)

[Subscribe to PsyPost on YouTube to stay up-to-date on the latest developments in psychology and neuroscience]

Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

New research published in Computers in Human Behavior suggests that those with poor emotion regulation skills are at higher risk of problematic smartphone use.

“The research literature demonstrates associations between both anxiety and depression symptom severity with problematic smartphone use,” explained Jon D. Elhai of the University of Toledo.

“However, many important, contemporary constructs in clinical psychology and psychiatry have not been examined for relationships with problematic smartphone use — such as distress tolerance and mindful awareness. So, we believed that it would be interesting and novel to test these constructs in relation to problematic smartphone use.”

The study of 261 college students found that levels of distress tolerance and mindfulness both predicted problematic smartphone use one month later.

Students who were better at coping with negative emotions and who were more attentive to the present moment were less likely to report problems associated with their smartphones, such as missing planned work or failing to get enough sleep because of excessive smartphone use.

“People with less ability to endure emotional distress, and people who use less mindful awareness to regulate emotion, had greater severity of problematic smartphone use. The ability to regulate emotion may be an important variable to help offset problematic use of technology,” Elhai told PsyPost.

The researchers also found that distress tolerance mediated the relationship between problematic smartphone use and anxiety sensitivity, while mindfulness mediated the relationship between problematic smartphone use and both depression and anxiety sensitivity.

However, the study has some limitations.

“Our study sample was limited to college students,” Elhai said. “And we used self-report measures, rather than interview-based diagnostic measures. Further exploration in clinical samples would be beneficial.”

The study, “Distress tolerance and mindfulness mediate relations between depression and anxiety sensitivity with problematic smartphone use“, was authored by Jon D. Elhai, Jason C. Levine, Kelsey D. O’Brien, and Cherie Armour.

ShareTweetSendScanShareSharePinSend
Previous Post

LSD causes congenitally blind man to experience synesthesia-like hallucinations

Next Post

Religious people are trusted because of assumptions about their life strategies, study finds

STAY CONNECTED

Find these awesome psychology shirts and more at the PsyPost Store!

TRENDING

New psychology research reveals the “bullshit blind spot”

Diversity of the gut microbiota is associated with the severity of depression

New study identifies perceived mattering as a core psychological component of happy marriages

Study highlights the importance of napping for memory consolidation in early childhood

Nostalgia increases in the wake of psychological distress and serves to relieve it, study suggests

Massive study finds bedtime screen use behaviors are linked to sleep disturbances in early adolescents

RECENT

New study highlights several key predictors of gratitude to God

Women show higher levels of intrasexual competition than men

Breathing exercises show potential in modulating Alzheimer’s biomarkers, study finds

New psychology research reveals the “bullshit blind spot”

The psychology of clown doctors: New study examines humor styles and playfulness

Massive study finds bedtime screen use behaviors are linked to sleep disturbances in early adolescents

Nostalgia increases in the wake of psychological distress and serves to relieve it, study suggests

Heightened food insecurity predicts a range of disordered eating behaviors

Currently Playing

Higher prenatal testosterone exposure is linked to Machiavellianism and psychopathy, study suggests

Higher prenatal testosterone exposure is linked to Machiavellianism and psychopathy, study suggests

Higher prenatal testosterone exposure is linked to Machiavellianism and psychopathy, study suggests

Dark Triad
New study identifies perceived mattering as a core psychological component of happy marriages

New study identifies perceived mattering as a core psychological component of happy marriages

Relationships and Sexual Health
Childhood adversity associated with increased emotional response to others’ suffering in adulthood

Childhood adversity associated with increased emotional response to others’ suffering in adulthood

Mental Health
New study sheds light on cognitive mechanisms linked to hypnosis

Chronic intake of refined carbohydrates between meals is associated with decreased cognitive performance, study finds

Cognitive Science
Mindfulness might hinder prosocial behavior among individuals with high intelligence

Mindfulness might hinder prosocial behavior among individuals with high intelligence

Social Psychology
Women who have larger breasts tend to have lower levels of satisfaction with their breasts, study finds

Women who have larger breasts tend to have lower levels of satisfaction with their breasts, study finds

Social Psychology
  • Cognitive Science
  • COVID-19
  • Mental Health
  • Social Psychology
  • Drug Research
  • Conspiracy Theories
  • Meditation
  • Psychology of Religion
  • Aviation Psychology and Human Factors
  • Relationships and Sexual Health
  • Evolutionary Psychology
  • Neuroimaging
  • Psychedelic Drugs
  • Dark Triad
  • Political Psychology

About

PsyPost is a psychology and neuroscience news website dedicated to reporting the latest research on human behavior, cognition, and society. (READ MORE...)

  • Contact us
  • Privacy policy

Subscribe
  • My Account
  • Cognitive Science Research
  • Mental Health Research
  • Social Psychology Research
  • Drug Research
  • Relationship Research
  • About PsyPost
  • Contact
  • Privacy Policy

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In

Add New Playlist

This website uses cookies. By continuing to use this website you are giving consent to cookies being used.