Schuster Amy M, Cotten Shelia R, Meshi Dar
Department of Sociology, Anthropology, and Criminal Justice, Clemson University, Clemson, SC USA.
Department of Communication, Clemson University, Clemson, SC USA.
J Adult Dev. 2023;30(1):78-89. doi: 10.1007/s10804-022-09426-3. Epub 2022 Sep 8.
Smartphone ownership and use continues to proliferate, allowing people to easily access online communication, entertainment, and information. Importantly, individuals can perceive that they overuse their smartphone and/or the social media applications (apps) they access on their devices. Much of the research on smartphone overuse has focused on youth and emerging adults, with little research focusing on individuals in the established adulthood stage of life. This study examines smartphone use among established adults who perceive that they overuse their smartphone and/or social media. As part of a larger study, we conducted in-depth interviews with 21 individuals (30-45 years old) who self-identified as smartphone and/or social media overusers. Data were collected through a pre-survey, 1-hour interview, and smartphone use screenshots. Audio-recorded interviews were transcribed and then coded using NVivo software. Participants' average age was 35.9 years (SD = 4.1). The majority of the sample were female (67%), White (76%), and had a master's degree or higher (76%). Participants spent an average of 215 min on their smartphone daily, primarily using social media, video conferencing, and texting apps. Issues with smartphone use occurred when there was an unclear separation between work and personal use. Participants felt pressure to always respond quickly to work emails. An effort was made to limit smartphone use for work and during family time to be present for their family. Established adults strive to balance smartphone use for personal and work purposes. Creating boundaries for how and when established adults use their smartphone may help them find this balance.
智能手机的拥有和使用持续激增，使人们能够轻松访问在线通信、娱乐和信息。重要的是，个人可能会意识到自己过度使用智能手机和/或在设备上使用的社交媒体应用程序（应用）。关于智能手机过度使用的研究大多集中在青少年和新兴成年人身上，很少有研究关注处于成年期的个体。本研究调查了那些认为自己过度使用智能手机和/或社交媒体的成年人的智能手机使用情况。作为一项更大规模研究的一部分，我们对21名年龄在30至45岁之间、自认为是智能手机和/或社交媒体过度使用者的个体进行了深入访谈。通过预调查、1小时的访谈以及智能手机使用截图收集数据。对录音访谈进行转录，然后使用NVivo软件进行编码。参与者的平均年龄为35.9岁（标准差=4.1）。样本中的大多数是女性（67%）、白人（76%），拥有硕士学位或更高学历（76%）。参与者每天平均花215分钟在智能手机上，主要使用社交媒体、视频会议和短信应用程序。当工作和个人使用之间的界限不清晰时，就会出现智能手机使用问题。参与者感到有压力要始终迅速回复工作邮件。他们努力限制在工作和家庭时间使用智能手机，以便陪伴家人。成年人为平衡智能手机在个人和工作目的上的使用而努力。为成年如何以及何时使用智能手机设定界限可能有助于他们找到这种平衡。
