The relationship between technology addictions and schizotypal traits: mediating roles of depression, anxiety, and stress

BMC Psychiatry

Research

Haitham Jahrami¹  Mary V. Seeman²  Rami Away³  Majda Cheour⁴  Feten Fekih-Romdhane⁴  Khaled Trabelsi⁵  Souheil Hallit⁶  Seithikurippu R. Pandi-Perumal⁷ 

[1] College of Medicine and Medical Sciences, Arabian Gulf University, Manama, Kingdom of Bahrain;Ministry of Health, Manama, Kingdom of Bahrain;Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada;Faculty of Medicine of Tunis, Tunis Al Manar University, Tunis, Tunisia;Faculty of Medicine of Tunis, Tunis Al Manar University, Tunis, Tunisia;The Tunisian Center of Early Intervention in Psychosis, Department of Psychiatry Ibn Omrane, Razi Hospital, Tunis, Tunisia;High Institute of Sport and Physical Education of Sfax, University of Sfax, 3000, Sfax, Tunisia;School of Medicine and Medical Sciences, Holy Spirit University of Kaslik, P.O. Box 446, Jounieh, Lebanon;Applied Science Research Center, Applied Science Private University, Amman, Jordan;Research Department, Psychiatric Hospital of the Cross, Jal Eddib, Lebanon;Somnogen Canada Inc, College Street, Toronto, Canada;Saveetha Medical College and Hospitals, Saveetha Institute of Medical and Technical Sciences, Saveetha University, Chennai, India;

关键词: Schizotypy;    Psychosis;    Smartphone addiction;    Internet addiction;    Facebook addiction;    Psychological distress;   

DOI  :  10.1186/s12888-023-04563-9

 received in 2022-07-26, accepted in 2023-01-23,  发布年份 2023

来源: Springer

【 摘 要 】

BackgroundThe way how technology addiction relates to psychosis remains inconclusive and uncertain. The present study aimed to test the hypothesis of a mediating role of depression, anxiety and stress in the association between three technology (behavioral) addictions (i.e., Addiction to the Internet, smartphones and Facebook) and psychosis proneness as estimated through schizotypal traits in emerging adults.MethodsA cross-sectional study was performed among non-clinical Tunisian university students (67.6% females, mean age of 21.5 ± 2.5 years) using a paper-and-pencil self-administered questionnaire.ResultsResults for the Pearson correlation revealed that higher smartphone, Internet, and Facebook addictions’ scores were significantly and positively correlated with each of the depression, anxiety and stress subscores; whereas depression (r = 0.474), anxiety (r = 0.499) and stress (r = 0.461) scores were positively correlated with higher schizotypal traits. The results of the mediation analysis found a significant mediating effect for depressive, anxiety and stress symptoms on the cross-sectional relationship between each facet of the TA and schizotypal traits.ConclusionOur findings preliminarily suggest that an addictive use of smartphones, Internet and Facebook may act as a stressor that exacerbates psychosis proneness directly or indirectly through distress. Although future longitudinal research is needed to determine causality, we draw attention to the possibility that treating psychological distress may constitute an effective target of interventions to prevent psychosis in adolescents with technology addictions.

【 授权许可】

CC BY   
© The Author(s) 2023

【 图 表 】

Fig. 1