Problematic smartphone use, depression symptoms, and fear of missing out: Can reasons for smartphone use mediate the relationship? A longitudinal approach

Jan Stirnberg; Jürgen Margraf; Lena-Marie Precht; Julia Brailovskaia

doi:10.29329/jsomer.3

Authors

Jan Stirnberg Mental Health Research and Treatment Center, Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, Ruhr-Universität Bochum, Bochum, Germany https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2361-3323
Jürgen Margraf Mental Health Research and Treatment Center, Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, Ruhr-Universität Bochum, Bochum, Germany; DZPG (German Center for Mental Health), partner site Bochum/Marburg, Germany https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5207-7016
Lena-Marie Precht Mental Health Research and Treatment Center, Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, Ruhr-Universität Bochum, Bochum, Germany; DZPG (German Center for Mental Health), partner site Bochum/Marburg, Germany https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6751-9144
Julia Brailovskaia Mental Health Research and Treatment Center, Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, Ruhr-Universität Bochum, Bochum, Germany; DZPG (German Center for Mental Health), partner site Bochum/Marburg, Germany

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.29329/jsomer.3

Keywords:

Reasons for smartphone use, Problematic smartphone use, Fear of missing out, Depression symptoms

Abstract

In the present longitudinal study, we investigated whether reasons for smartphone use, such as “search for positive emotions” and “escape from negative emotions,” can mediate the relationship between depression symptoms, fear of missing out (FOMO), and problematic smartphone use (PSU). In total, 309 smartphone users from Germany (M_age = 28.88, SD_age = 12.53) completed the longitudinal study's online survey at two measurement time points (baseline, T1; 10-month follow-up, T2). “Escape from negative emotions” at T1 partly mediated the positive association between depression symptoms at T1 and PSU at T2. “Search for positive emotions” at T1 partly mediated the relationship between FOMO at T1 and PSU at T2. The present results showed that the relationship between psychopathological phenomena (depression symptoms, FOMO) and PSU could depend on reasons for smartphone use (“search for positive emotions,” “escape from negative emotions”). This stresses the importance of motives underlying smartphone use. The knowledge gained supports the understanding of mechanisms that could contribute to the development of PSU.

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