Revealing the Intellectual Structure and Evolution of Digital Addiction Research: An Integrated Bibliometric and...

Area of Science:

• Bibliometrics and Science Mapping
• Digital Addiction Research
• Psychology and Behavioral Science

Background:

• Digital addiction is an umbrella term encompassing various technology-related dependencies.
• Understanding the evolution of digital addiction research is crucial for targeted interventions.
• Previous research has explored risk factors and outcomes across different demographics.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the scientific landscape and thematic evolution of digital addiction research.
• To provide insights into the development and trends within this knowledge base.
• To identify key themes and shifts in research focus over time.

Main Methods:

• Bibliometric and science mapping analysis of 429 articles from the Scopus database.
• Utilized SciMAT software for thematic evolution analysis across three distinct time periods (1997-2012, 2013-2017, 2018-2022).
• Quantitative analysis of research output and citation data to identify influential themes and research fronts.

Main Results:

• Addictive behavior emerged as the most significant and consistent theme across all periods.
• Early research (1997-2012) focused on risk factors and outcomes in adults.
• Research focus shifted to adolescents and students (2013-2017), then to smartphone and social media addiction (2018-2022).
• Resilience gained prominence as a preventive factor in recent research, indicating a potential shift in perspective.

Conclusions:

• The field of digital addiction research has evolved significantly, with changing demographics and specific technologies of concern.
• The increasing focus on smartphone and social media addiction highlights current societal challenges.
• The emerging interest in resilience suggests a move towards understanding protective factors and positive psychology interventions.