A test of the pathway model of problematic smartphone use
Canale N, Moretta T, Pancani L, Buodo G, Vieno A, Dalmaso M, Billieux J
Journal of behavioral addictions · 23 citations
How it was studied
- Design
- Cross-sectional study (indexed by PubMed)
- Studied in
- People
- Main outcome
- Health markers and function
Who paid for it
- Funding
- Independent funding
- University or hospital
- Università degli Studi di Padova
Based on 1 listed funder(s) and full-text disclosure statement.
Publication
- Published
- 2021-02-09 · J Behav Addict · vol. 10 · issue 1 · pp. 181–193
- Publisher
- Akadémiai Kiadó
- Cited
- 60 citations · more than 99% of similar papers · 14.4× the field average
- Impact
- Top 10% most cited in its field
- References
- 92 works
- Access
- Open access (journal) · CC-BY-NC
- Research areas
- Impact of Technology on Adolescents · Workaholism, burnout, and well-being · Behavioral Health and Interventions
- Keywords
- smartphone addiction, pathway models, negative urgency, behavioral inhibition system, social anxiety, primary psychopathy, undergraduate students
- MeSH
- humans, bayes theorem, cross-sectional studies, personality, psychopathology, models, psychological, adult, female, male, young adult, internet addiction disorder
7 authors
From IT, CH
- Natale Canale · correspondingUniversity of Padua
- Tania MorettaUniversity of Padua
- Luca PancaniUniversity of Milano-Bicocca
- Giulia BuodoUniversity of Padua
- Alessio VienoUniversity of Padua
- Mario DalmasoUniversity of Padua
Abstract
Background and aims
Problematic smartphone use (PSU) has been described as a growing public health issue. In the current study, we aimed to provide a unique and comprehensive test of the pathway model of PSU. This model posits three distinct developmental pathways leading to PSU: (1) the excessive reassurance pathway, (2) the impulsive pathway and (3) the extraversion pathway.
Methods
Undergraduate students (n = 795, 69.8% female, mean age = 23.80 years, sd = 3.02) completed online self-report measures of PSU (addictive use, antisocial use and dangerous use) and the psychological features (personality traits and psychopathological symptoms) underlying the three pathways.
Results
Bayesian analyses revealed that addictive use is mainly driven by the excessive reassurance pathway and the impulsive pathway, for which candidate etiopathological factors include heightened negative urgency, a hyperactive behavioural inhibition system and symptoms of social anxiety. Dangerous and antisocial use are mainly driven by the impulsive pathway and the extraversion pathway, for which candidate etiopathological factors include specific impulsivity components (lack of premeditation and sensation seeking) and primary psychopathy (inclination to lie, lack of remorse, callousness and manipulativeness).
Discussion and conclusions
The present study constitutes the first comprehensive test of the pathway model of PSU. We provide robust and original results regarding the psychological dimensions associated with each of the postulated pathways of PSU, which should be taken into account when considering regulation of smartphone use or tailoring prevention protocols to reduce problematic usage patterns.
Abstract via Europe PMC. Copyright remains with the authors or publisher (CC BY-NC).
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