The Influence of Depressive Symptoms and Fear of Missing out on Severity of Problematic Smartphone Use and Internet Gaming Disor
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Addictive Behaviors 112 (2021) 106648 Contents lists available at ScienceDirect Addictive Behaviors journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/addictbeh The influence of depressive symptoms and fear of missing out on severity of T problematic smartphone use and Internet gaming disorder among Chinese young adults: A three-wave mediation model ⁎ Guangzhe Yuana, Jon D. Elhaib,c, Brian J. Halld, a Department of Psychology, University of Macau, Macao (SAR), People’s Republic of China b Department of Psychology, University of Toledo, 2801 W. Bancroft Street, Toledo, OH 43606, USA c Department of Psychiatry, University of Toledo, 3000 Arlington Ave., Toledo, OH 43614, USA d Global and Community Mental Health Research Group, New York University Shanghai, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China HIGHLIGHTS • Depression symptoms related to severity of Internet gaming disorder (IGD) and problematic smartphone use (PSU). • Fear of missing our (FoMO) partially mediated the relationship between depression symptoms and PSU severity. • IGD severity partially mediated the association between depression symptoms and PSU severity. ARTICLE INFO ABSTRACT Keywords: Internet gaming disorder (IGD) and problematic smartphone use (PSU) symptoms are associated with increased Internet gaming disorder depression symptom severity across studies. The current study aimed to examine the fear of missing out (FoMO) Problematic smartphone use as a possible mediator in this relationship. We employed a three-wave longitudinal design among 341 Chinese Depression university students. Results indicated that depression severity was significantly related to increased symptoms of Fear of missing out PSU and IGD symptoms. FoMO significantly mediated the linkage between depression and PSU severity. IGD symptoms also partially mediated the relation between FoMO and PSU severity. This longitudinal study de- monstrates the key role of FoMO in the linkage between psychopathology symptoms and Internet-related overuse. 1. Introduction IGD symptoms are related to psychological health, social functioning, and behavioral problems, such as symptoms of depression (Choi et al., Video games are popular among youth worldwide (Gnambs, 2017; Wang, Cho, & Kim, 2018; Yen, Lin, Chou, Liu, & Ko, 2019), an- Stasielowicz, Wolter, & Appel, 2020), and when used in moderation, xiety (Bonnaire & Baptista, 2019; Stavropoulos & Adams, 2017; Wang they are useful for stress relief, having fun, and to socialize with others. et al., 2017), low self-esteem (Beard & Wickham, 2016; Beard, Haas, Internet gaming when used excessively becomes pathological, and In- Wickham, & Stavropoulos, 2017; Lemmens & Valkenburg, 2015), ag- ternet gaming disorder (IGD) may result (King & Delfabbro, 2019). gressive behaviors (Evren, Evren, Dalbudak, Topcu, & Kutlu, 2019; According to the fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Liang, Yu, Chen, Xie, Wu, Xing, & Dou, 2019; Zhai et al., 2020), and Mental Disorders (DSM-5; American Psychiatric Association, 2013), poor sleep quality (Hawi, Samaha, & Griffiths, 2018; Lam, 2014; IGD is characterized as “persistent and recurrent use of the Internet to Satghare et al., 2016). However, most of this research is based on cross- engage in games, often with other players, leading to clinically sig- sectional studies, with only a few longitudinal studies examining risk or nificant impairment or distress” (American Psychiatric Association, protective factors predicting IGD symptoms over time. Given the ne- 2013; p. 795). Estimates suggest that around 2.0% of young adults may gative consequences of IGD, it is crucial to explore the possible psy- experience IGD (e.g., Chiu, Pan, & Lin, 2018; Wartberg et al., 2017; Wu, chological mechanisms of IGD symptoms utilizing longitudinal designs. Chen, Tong, Yu, & Lau, 2018). Emerging evidence demonstrates that Associations between mental health problems and IGD symptoms ⁎ Corresponding author at: New York University Shanghai, 1555 Century Avenue, Pudong, Shanghai 200122, People’s Republic of China. E-mail address: [email protected] (B.J. Hall). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.addbeh.2020.106648 Received 15 June 2020; Received in revised form 5 August 2020; Accepted 3 September 2020 Available online 06 September 2020 0306-4603/ © 2020 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. G. Yuan, et al. Addictive Behaviors 112 (2021) 106648 have been evaluated in non-clinical and clinical samples (i.e., IGD mediating mechanism underlying the relationship between depressive treatment-seekers). For instance, in a sample of 263 patients with IGD symptoms and Internet overuse such as IGD symptoms. First, recent and 153 without IGD, Hyun et al. (2015) tested a hierarchical regres- studies have found that severity of depression is positively related to sion model and found that psychopathological symptom severity (de- FoMO (Elhai, Gallinari, Rozgonjuk, & Yang, 2020; Elhai, Yang, Fang, pression, anxiety, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, and im- Bai, & Hall, 2020; Sela, Zach, Amichay-Hamburger, Mishali, & Omer, pulsivity) were significantly linked to IGD symptoms. Beck (1976) 2020; Wolniewicz, Rozgonjuk, & Elhai, 2020). Second, several re- claimed that depressive individuals have thoughts about the self as searchers have pointed out a positive association between FoMO and essentially unlovable or worthless, but online games provide a way of internet overuse such as IGD (Duman & Ozkara, 2019; Elhai, Yang, & compensating for these deficiencies, which enable them to develop a Montag, 2020; King & Delfabbro, 2019). Third, depressive symptoms sense of acceptance and belonging (King & Delfabbro, 2019). Therefore, are positively associated with IGD symptoms (Burleigh, Stavropoulos, depression is considered one of the most influential risk factors for IGD Liew, Adams, & Griffiths, 2018; Griffiths, Kuss, Billieux, & Pontes, 2016; (Carli et al., 2013). Li, Liau, & Khoo, 2011; Ryu et al., 2018). Therefore, FoMO might play More importantly, the predominant conceptualization is that mental an essential role in the relationship of depression and IGD symptoms. In health symptoms can drive excessive internet use, rather than the re- this study, we explored the possible mediating role of FoMO on the verse (Brand, Young, Laier, Wölfling, & Potenza, 2016; Kardefelt- association between depression and IGD severity, utilizing a long- Winther, 2014), which was supported by previous empirical research itudinal study design. findings (Gámez-Guadix, 2014; Liu, Liu, & Yuan, 2020; Strittmatter In order to understand IGD, knowledge of the potential factors and et al., 2016; Wartberg, Zieglmeier, & Kammerl, 2020). The fear of mechanism for such internet technology overuse is necessary. Previous missing out (FoMO) is a mental health-related construct which may research indicated that problematic smartphone use (PSU) severity drive excessive internet technology use. shares similar characteristics with other types of internet overuse (e.g., In the literature, the term “FoMO” has been defined as the fear in- IGD), and the high accessibility and various smartphone applications volving worry and concern that other people are having more re- would contribute to such overuse (Lin, Lin, & Yang, 2017). Recently, warding experiences, or acquiring more useful information, than the research on PSU has notably increased (Panova & Carbonell, 2018) and individual (Przybylski, Murayama, DeHaan, & Gladwell, 2013). Pre- found that PSU severity is associated with a wide variety of indicators vious research suggested that FoMO might be a product of depression of psychosocial functioning including psychopathology symptoms symptoms. The social selection hypothesis posits that psychological (Boumosleh & Jaalouk, 2017; Contractor, Weiss, & Elhai, 2019; Elhai, distress adversely affects people’s social position or factors related to Dvorak, Levine, & Hall, 2017), social relationship functioning (Elhai, one’s social position, such as stressful life events (Hurst, 2007). A Levine et al., 2018; Hawi & Samaha, 2017; Kim & Koh, 2018), and longitudinal study found that people with elevated depressive symp- academic performance (Samaha & Hawi, 2016; Xu et al., 2019; Yang, toms were likely to report experiencing high levels of stressful life Asbury, & Griffiths, 2019). Similar to IGD, both depression severity and events (Kim, Conger, Elder, & Lorenz, 2003). People with depressive FoMO are found related to PSU severity (Demirci, Akgönül, & Akpinar, symptoms and stressful experiences tend to report that they are unable 2015; Elhai, Levine, Alghraibeh, Alafnan, Aldraiweesh, & Hall, 2018; to join social activities due to depressed mood, lack of energy and lack Elhai, Levine, O’Brien, & Armour, 2018; Elhai, Tiamiyu, & Weeks, 2018; of interest (de Wit et al., 2010; Holtfreter, Reisig, & Turanovic, 2017). Elhai, Yang, & Montag, 2019; Wolniewicz et al., 2020). Although a They may miss important or enjoyable activities due to depressive recent study found no longitudinal cross-lagged associations between symptom severity (Steger & Kashdan, 2009), and feel apprehensive FoMO and PSU among Italian adolescents (Lo Coco et al., 2020), many about worsening symptoms rendering them unable to join in pleasur- studies have found that FoMO related to PSU severity in various sam- able activities with others (Qian, Cao, & Huang, 2019), which might ples of Chinese young adults (Elhai, Yang, Fang, Bai, & Hall, 2020; make them afraid to miss some valuable events/activities and what Elhai, Yang, Rozgonjuk, & Montag, 2020; Han, Liu, & Xiao,