From Emotional (Dys)Regulation to Internet Addiction: A Mediation Model of Problematic Social Media Use among Italian Young Adults

Abstract

Internet addiction (IA) has mostly been investigated with the fear of missing out and difficulties in emotional regulation. The present study examined the link between IA and variables related to problematic social media use (i.e., fear of missing out, social media addiction), together with emotional (dys)regulation and personality traits, providing new insights and an integrated assessment of IA. In total, 397 participants, aged 18–35 years (M = 22.00; SD = 3.83), were administered a set of questionnaires pertaining to IA, problematic social media use, emotional (dys)regulation, and personality traits. Pearson’s correlations showed significant associations between IA and the investigated variables, and the tested mediation model highlighted the crucial role played by emotional (dys)regulation in the fear of missing out and problematic use of social networks. Overall, the findings provide support for a new integrated model for understanding the features, predictors, and risk factors of IA.

Exploring the links between alexithymia and cognitive emotion regulation strategies in internet addiction: A network analysis model

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The relationship between social media addiction and emotional appetite: a cross-sectional study among young adults in Turkey

“…Solely, one study reported the association between addictive phone use and dysregulated eating and food addiction (17) . Positive relations between SM addiction and emotional dysregulation were observed previously (18,19) . Given the common phenomenon of altered eating behaviours serving as coping mechanisms among young adults, it is plausible that both SM addiction and heightened emotional appetite could be precipitated by emotional dysregulation and evolving coping strategies within this demographic.…”

Association between the Perceived Household Financial Decline Due to COVID-19 and Smartphone Dependency among Korean Adolescents

“…Continuous communication using digital technology without time and space limitations creates a high risk of causing psychological problems. In a previous study, internet addiction in Italy was strongly associated with emotional regulation and dysregulation [ 24 ]. Problematic smartphone use can lead to fear of missing out (FoMO) and increase dependence and addiction.…”