Digital game addiction, mindfulness, and phubbing among adolescents: a cross-sectional design

This study was conducted to identify factors associated with phubbing and to investigate the mediating role of mindfulness in the relationship between digital game addiction and phubbing. A cross-sectional design with mediation analysis was adopted. The study was completed with 2013 voluntary adolescents. The data were collected via paper questionnaires that included validated Turkish versions of the Digital Game Addiction Scale, General Phubbing Scale in Adolescents, and Mindful Attention Awareness Scale Adolescent Form. Associations were analyzed using multiple linear regression. Process Macro Model 4 was conducted to verify the mediating role. The study found an indirect mediating role of mindfulness in the relationship between digital game addiction and phubbing. Sex, academic achievement, daily smartphone use, following social media, surfing on the internet, watching videos, taking photographs, doing homework, participation in social activities, digital game addiction, and mindfulness score were significantly related to phubbing. The study found that higher levels of digital game addiction were associated with a higher level of phubbing among adolescents. In contrast, higher levels of mindfulness were associated with a lower level of phubbing. Mindfulness had a partial mediating role in the relationship between digital game addiction and phubbing. This study highlights the importance of addressing factors associated with youth services to reduce phubbing and digital game addiction. Health professionals could consider mindfulness-focused interventions for at-risk adolescents for addressing these behaviors. What is known: • Digital game addiction can increase the likelihood of individuals exhibiting phubbing behavior during face-to-face interactions. • The interactive mechanisms between digital game addiction, phubbing, and mindfulness are not yet fully understood in adolescents. What is new: • Mindfulness partially inhibited the interaction between digital game addiction and phubbing. • Excessive smartphone use and the purposes of smartphone use were predictors of phubbing.