Defining digital addiction: Key features from the literature

<p dir="ltr">Within recent years there has been increasing societal concern around the compulsive and excessive use of digital and Internet-enabled devices, such as the use of social media or online video gaming, and associated psychological and physical harms. However, problematic u...

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Main Author: Almourad Basel (18974020) (author)
Other Authors: John McAlaney (230606) (author), Tiffany Skinner (17191246) (author), Megan Pleva (18974023) (author), Raian Ali (12066006) (author)
Published: 2020
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author Almourad Basel (18974020)
author2 John McAlaney (230606)
Tiffany Skinner (17191246)
Megan Pleva (18974023)
Raian Ali (12066006)
author2_role author
author
author
author
author_facet Almourad Basel (18974020)
John McAlaney (230606)
Tiffany Skinner (17191246)
Megan Pleva (18974023)
Raian Ali (12066006)
author_role author
dc.creator.none.fl_str_mv Almourad Basel (18974020)
John McAlaney (230606)
Tiffany Skinner (17191246)
Megan Pleva (18974023)
Raian Ali (12066006)
dc.date.none.fl_str_mv 2020-04-18T15:00:00Z
dc.identifier.none.fl_str_mv 10.2298/psi191029017a
dc.relation.none.fl_str_mv https://figshare.com/articles/journal_contribution/Defining_digital_addiction_Key_features_from_the_literature/26176852
dc.rights.none.fl_str_mv CC BY-SA 4.0
info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess
dc.subject.none.fl_str_mv Information and computing sciences
Human-centred computing
Psychology
Cognitive and computational psychology
Social and personality psychology
Problematic Internet use
Behavioural addictions
Internet addiction
smartphone use
Gaming disorder
dc.title.none.fl_str_mv Defining digital addiction: Key features from the literature
dc.type.none.fl_str_mv Text
Journal contribution
info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion
text
contribution to journal
description <p dir="ltr">Within recent years there has been increasing societal concern around the compulsive and excessive use of digital and Internet-enabled devices, such as the use of social media or online video gaming, and associated psychological and physical harms. However, problematic use or addictive behaviours are not yet included as diagnosable mental health issues in any major diagnostic system in Western countries and the conceptualisations of the phenomena are still inconsistent. To address this issue, the present study reviewed the current conceptualisations of digital addiction used within the research literature and identified common features of the definition of digital addiction. Definitions of the phenomenon were extracted from 47 studies, and they were analysed using a content analysis approach. The initial process assessed definitions for features of digital addiction within Internet, gaming and smartphone addiction. Two higher-order themes were identified, which focused on the harm caused by the phenomenon and on the user’s behaviours associated with the phenomenon. It was also found that key constructs are not specific to the usage domain, i.e. whether it is related to gaming, Internet or smartphone use. Several core features were found across different conceptualisations of digital addiction within the literature; however, it was also noted that some features are subjective and inconsistently applied. If a decision is to be reached on whether the phenomenon is a mental health disorder, then clearer definitions must be created.</p><h2>Other Information</h2><p dir="ltr">Published in: Psihologija<br>License: <a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/" target="_blank">http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/</a><br>See article on publisher's website: <a href="https://dx.doi.org/10.2298/psi191029017a" target="_blank">https://dx.doi.org/10.2298/psi191029017a</a></p>
eu_rights_str_mv openAccess
id Manara2_d0898970732300448633320eac449595
identifier_str_mv 10.2298/psi191029017a
network_acronym_str Manara2
network_name_str Manara2
oai_identifier_str oai:figshare.com:article/26176852
publishDate 2020
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repository.name.fl_str_mv
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rights_invalid_str_mv CC BY-SA 4.0
spelling Defining digital addiction: Key features from the literatureAlmourad Basel (18974020)John McAlaney (230606)Tiffany Skinner (17191246)Megan Pleva (18974023)Raian Ali (12066006)Information and computing sciencesHuman-centred computingPsychologyCognitive and computational psychologySocial and personality psychologyProblematic Internet useBehavioural addictionsInternet addictionsmartphone useGaming disorder<p dir="ltr">Within recent years there has been increasing societal concern around the compulsive and excessive use of digital and Internet-enabled devices, such as the use of social media or online video gaming, and associated psychological and physical harms. However, problematic use or addictive behaviours are not yet included as diagnosable mental health issues in any major diagnostic system in Western countries and the conceptualisations of the phenomena are still inconsistent. To address this issue, the present study reviewed the current conceptualisations of digital addiction used within the research literature and identified common features of the definition of digital addiction. Definitions of the phenomenon were extracted from 47 studies, and they were analysed using a content analysis approach. The initial process assessed definitions for features of digital addiction within Internet, gaming and smartphone addiction. Two higher-order themes were identified, which focused on the harm caused by the phenomenon and on the user’s behaviours associated with the phenomenon. It was also found that key constructs are not specific to the usage domain, i.e. whether it is related to gaming, Internet or smartphone use. Several core features were found across different conceptualisations of digital addiction within the literature; however, it was also noted that some features are subjective and inconsistently applied. If a decision is to be reached on whether the phenomenon is a mental health disorder, then clearer definitions must be created.</p><h2>Other Information</h2><p dir="ltr">Published in: Psihologija<br>License: <a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/" target="_blank">http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/</a><br>See article on publisher's website: <a href="https://dx.doi.org/10.2298/psi191029017a" target="_blank">https://dx.doi.org/10.2298/psi191029017a</a></p>2020-04-18T15:00:00ZTextJournal contributioninfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersiontextcontribution to journal10.2298/psi191029017ahttps://figshare.com/articles/journal_contribution/Defining_digital_addiction_Key_features_from_the_literature/26176852CC BY-SA 4.0info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccessoai:figshare.com:article/261768522020-04-18T15:00:00Z
spellingShingle Defining digital addiction: Key features from the literature
Almourad Basel (18974020)
Information and computing sciences
Human-centred computing
Psychology
Cognitive and computational psychology
Social and personality psychology
Problematic Internet use
Behavioural addictions
Internet addiction
smartphone use
Gaming disorder
status_str publishedVersion
title Defining digital addiction: Key features from the literature
title_full Defining digital addiction: Key features from the literature
title_fullStr Defining digital addiction: Key features from the literature
title_full_unstemmed Defining digital addiction: Key features from the literature
title_short Defining digital addiction: Key features from the literature
title_sort Defining digital addiction: Key features from the literature
topic Information and computing sciences
Human-centred computing
Psychology
Cognitive and computational psychology
Social and personality psychology
Problematic Internet use
Behavioural addictions
Internet addiction
smartphone use
Gaming disorder