Introduction
Problematic Use of the Mobile Phone (PUMP) is a topical issue particularly related with the development of the new technologies and the globalization of their use. Consequently, it is necessary to understand better what underlies this problematic use. One of the factors favoring addictions is the cognition bounded with the object or with the addictive behavior. King and collaborators have called nomophobia, the link between PUMP and social phobia or agoraphobia. In their recent research, in 2018, Richardson, Hussain and Griffiths also confirmed the correlation between the problematic use of the smartphone and anxiety. Leaning on the data of the literature, Billieux and his collaborators established three pathways which can lead to a problematic use of the mobile phone: the excessive reinsurance, the antisocial impulsiveness, the extroversion (Billieux, Maurage, Lopez-Fernandez, Kuss and Griffiths, 2015). Nomophobia “no mobile phone phobia” indicates the faintness or anxiety caused by the non-availability of a mobile phone for individuals suffering from agoraphobia or social phobia who overuse it (King and al., on 2013). The specific objective of this study was to explore the thoughts connected with the use of the mobile phone to have a better comprehension of the addiction of the mobile phone and nomophobia.
Methodology and material
Both qualitative and quantitative methods were used in this investigation. This research takes the form of a survey, with data being gathered via a social network. 93 female students aged from 18 to 26, answered to quantitative questionnaires in order to assess their mobile phone use. First, the Cellular Phone use questionnaire of Merlo, Stone and Bibbey, second, the Shorts Version of Smartphone Addiction Scale of Lopez fernandez and third the Mobil Phone Use Questionnaire of King and collaborators. To explore the cognition connected with this use we created nine clinical situations putting the subject in a situation where the general use of the mobile phone was compromised : “You are on the road to go to your school/university/work and you realize that you forgot your mobile phone at your home.”, “You received a message, but you cannot reach your phone” , “You are in the evening with friends in a place where the network does not pass”, “Your mobile phone has no more battery and you cannot reload it”, “You are in a place where the use of the mobile phone is forbidden (cinema, library)”, “Imagine spending a whole day without your phone”, “Your phone stops working and you can not repair it, borrow it or buy another one”. Those clinical situations were followed by four questions: “Describe your first thought”, “what do you feel?”, “what do you think is going to happen if you do not have your phone?”, “what do you do?”.
Results
Content analysis revealed the presence of addictive and anxiety thoughts. They reflected a variety of symptoms in the field of addiction such as a sense of lack, craving, anger and frustration. Behavior appears in order to sort the situation out such as going back where the phone is to get it back or using coping strategies (looking for a solution, avoidance) to overcome the lack and inability to use it. Other concerns are correlated with the lack of communication if it should happen something serious or important and the fear of missing out.
Discussion
The qualitative results of this research are similar to those of other studies (Bianchi and Phillips, 2005; Billieux, Gay, Rochat & Van der Linden, 2010; Kim, Lee, Lee, Nam and Chung, 2014; ) underlining the fact that certain people asserted being upset when they could not use their phone. In the pathway of the extroversion of Billieux, Maurage and collaborators (2015), the “fear of missing out” is a new construction of the personality involving the reluctance to be missed important information, including social information. This fear observes in the sample with the thoughts bound to the doom-watch and more particularly to the fear of missing an important call/message. Another more recent study (Elhai, Levine, Dvorak and Hall, 2016) showed the link between the fear of missing out and the PUMP. However, this study presents some limits. The reader should bear in mind that the study is based on a fictive situation. The study should be repeated using an experimental method putting people in real situations without their phone and exploring their cognition.
References
Bianchi, A., & Phillips, J. G. (2005). Psychological Predictors of Problem Mobile Phone Use. CyberPsychology & Behavior, 8(1), 39-51.
Billieux, J., Gay, P., Rochat, L., & Van der Linden, M. (2010). The role of urgency and its underlying psychological mechanisms in problematic behaviours. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 48(11), 1085‑1096.
Billieux, J., Maurage, P., Lopez-Fernandez, O., Kuss, D. J., & Griffiths, M. D. (2015). Can Disordered Mobile Phone Use Be Considered a Behavioral Addiction? An Update on Current Evidence and a Comprehensive Model for Future Research. Current Addiction Reports, 2(2), 156-162.
Elhai, J. D., Levine, J. C., Dvorak, R. D., & Hall, B. J. (2016). Fear of missing out, need for touch, anxiety and depression are related to problematic smartphone use. Computers in Human Behavior, 63, 509‑516.
Kim, D., Lee, Y., Lee, J., Nam, J. K., & Chung, Y. (2014). Development of Korean Smartphone Addiction Proneness Scale for Youth. PLoS ONE, 9(5).
King, A. L. S., Valença, A. M., Silva, A. C. O., Baczynski, T., Carvalho, M. R., & Nardi, A. E. (2013). Nomophobia: Dependency on virtual environments or social phobia? Computers in Human Behavior, 29(1), 140-144.
King, A. L. S., Valença, A. M., Silva, A. C., Sancassiani, F., Machado, S., & Nardi, A. E. (2014). « Nomophobia »: Impact of Cell Phone Use Interfering with Symptoms and Emotions of Individuals with Panic Disorder Compared with a Control Group. Clinical Practice and Epidemiology in Mental Health: CP & EMH, 10, 28-35.
Lopez-Fernandez, O. (2015). Short version of the Smartphone Addiction Scale adapted to Spanish and French: Towards a crosscultural research in problematic mobile phone use. Addictive Behaviors, 64.
Merlo, L.J., Stone, A.M., & Bibbey, A. (2013). Development of the Problematic Use of Mobile Phones Scale. Journal of Addiction, 2013, Article ID 912807.
Richardson, M., Hussain, Z., & Griffiths, M. D. (2018). Problematic smartphone use, nature connectedness, and anxiety. Journal of Behavioral Addictions, 7(1), 109‑116.
Words I have learned:
Bound to: lier à
The doom-watch: le catastrophisme
Leaning on: s’appuyant sur
Reluctance: réticence
Bear in mind : garder à l’esprit