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Exploring personal digital media environments: a configural approach to digital stress
Ceciley Xinyi Zhang1, Ronald E Rice2, Chengyu Fang2
1Department of Communication Studies, California State University, Fullerton, Fullerton, CA, United States.
Frontiers in Psychology
|July 24, 2026
Summary
Digital stress is linked to how individuals configure their media use. Larger and more centralized media configurations increase digital stress, impacting communication and self-regulation.
Area of Science:
- Social Sciences
- Psychology
- Communication Studies
Background:
- Digital stress is influenced by media environments, but these are under-researched beyond general media use.
- Personal digital media environments are conceptualized as configurations of media use relative to social ties, drawing on network theory.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine how network properties of personal digital media configurations are associated with various forms of digital stress.
Main Methods:
- A network-based approach was used with two samples (pilot N=793, test N=1,139 U.S. adults).
- Three media configuration properties (size, density, centralization) were computed from reported social ties.
- Five subdimensions of digital stress were identified and analyzed using structural equation modeling.
Main Results:
- Media configuration properties explained variance in digital stress beyond general media use.
- Larger configurations correlated with increased communication overload, deficient self-regulation, and higher self-presentation pressure.
- Greater centralization was associated with reduced overconnectivity.
Conclusions:
- Findings enhance understanding of personal digital media configurations and their relationship to digital stress.
- Results can inform interventions for improving digital wellbeing.
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