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Excessive reassurance seeking mediates relations between rumination and problematic smartphone use
Jon D Elhai1,2, Dmitri Rozgonjuk3, Ahmad M Alghraibeh4
1Visiting professor, Academy of Psychology and Behavior, Tianjin Normal University, Tianjin, Republic of China.
Bulletin of the Menninger Clinic
|March 21, 2020
Summary
Excessive reassurance seeking behavior (ERSB) and rumination are linked to problematic smartphone use (PSU) in college students. These factors help explain how depression and anxiety relate to increased PSU.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Clinical Psychology
- Behavioral Science
Background:
- Problematic smartphone use (PSU) is increasingly prevalent, yet its links to various psychopathology symptoms beyond depression and anxiety are not fully understood.
- Rumination and excessive reassurance seeking behavior (ERSB) are potential psychological factors influencing mental health and behavior, but their specific roles in PSU require investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between problematic smartphone use (PSU) and specific psychopathology-related variables, namely rumination and excessive reassurance seeking behavior (ERSB).
- To examine the mediating roles of rumination and ERSB in the association between depression/anxiety severity and PSU among college students.
Main Methods:
- A web-based survey was administered to 295 college students.
- Data collected included measures of smartphone use frequency, PSU, depression, anxiety, ruminative thinking, and ERSB.
- Linear regression and mediation models were employed to analyze the relationships, controlling for age, sex, and smartphone use frequency.
Main Results:
- Excessive reassurance seeking behavior (ERSB) showed a significant positive association with problematic smartphone use (PSU) severity.
- ERSB mediated the relationship between rumination and PSU.
- The combined effect of rumination and ERSB significantly mediated the associations between depression and anxiety severity with PSU.
Conclusions:
- Excessive reassurance seeking behavior (ERSB) is a key variable in understanding the complex interplay between psychopathology symptoms and problematic smartphone use (PSU).
- Interventions targeting rumination and ERSB may be beneficial in addressing problematic smartphone use in vulnerable populations, particularly college students experiencing depression and anxiety.
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