The relationship between self-cohesion and smartphone addiction: the mediating role of rejection sensitivity

BACKGROUND: The increasing use of smartphones with attractive applications has yielded concerns over problematic overuse, also called smartphone addiction, thus creating a need to investigate the antecedents and pathways of this addiction. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to investigate the relationships between the self-cohesion dimensions of presence and consistency and smartphone addiction, and the potentially mediating role of rejection sensitivity. METHODS: A total sample of 910 respondents (58% females, mean age = 34.9, SD = 13.6) participated in the study. They completed a questionnaire including demographic characteristics and queries about frequency and duration of smartphone use, as well as the Self-Cohesion Scale, the Short Version of Smartphone Addiction Scale, and the Rejection Sensitivity RS-Adult Questionnaire. Structural equation modeling was used to examine the relationships in question. RESULTS: The findings indicated that smartphone addiction was positively correlated with rejection sensitivity and negatively correlated with the self-cohesion dimensions of presence and consistency. Further, both presence and consistency were negatively associated with smartphone addiction and rejection sensitivity negatively mediated these relationships. CONCLUSION: Self-cohesion and rejection sensitivity appear to be important predictors of smartphone addiction. Efforts to counteract smartphone addiction should, therefore, endeavor to increase smartphone users’ self-cohesion and reduce their rejection sensitivity.