The Relationship Between Perceived Stress and Smartphone Addiction: The Mediating Effect of Rumination and The Mediated Moderating Effect of Mindfulness

Psychiatry Investig. 2024 Apr;21(4):340-351. doi: 10.30773/pi.2022.0288. Epub 2024 Apr 23.

Abstract

Objective: This study was to examine the mediated moderation effect of mindfulness through rumination on the relationship between perceived stress and smartphone addiction. In particular, this study examined the moderating effect of mindfulness in detail by dividing it into five sub-factors.

Methods: An online self-report questionnaires were conducted on 697 participants aged 20 to 59. Finally, 681 participants (male=356, female=325) were included final analysis. Moderating effect, mediated moderating effect were verified using PROCESS macro for SPSS v3.5.

Results: First, perceived stress was positively related to smartphone addiction. Second, rumination mediated the relationship between perceived stress and smartphone addiction. Third, acting with awareness and nonjudging of experience, which are a sub-factor of mindfulness, moderated the relationship between perceived stress and smartphone addiction. Fourth, mindfulness facets (acting with awareness and nonjudging of experience) moderated the relationship between rumination and smartphone addiction. Finally, there was a mediated moderating effect of mindfulness facets (acting with awareness and nonjudging of experience) on the relationship between perceived stress and smartphone addiction through rumination.

Conclusion: This research suggests the useful and specific therapeutic interventions that help lower the level of the adults' addiction on smartphones.

Keywords: Adult; Mindfulness; Perceived stress; Rumination; Smartphone addiction.