Mindfulness and problematic smartphone use: indirect and conditional associations via self-regulated learning and digital detox.
Aamer Aldbyani, Zhang Chuanxia, Afnan Alhimaidi, Yanwen Li
BMC Psychology October 10, 2025 DOI: 10.1186/s40359-025-03485-3 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Cross-sectional study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 1,241 |
| Population | Chinese college students from Shandong Xiehe University |
| Measures | Mindful Attention Awareness Scale (MAAS), Problematic Smartphone Use Scale (PSU), Self-Regulation of Learning Self-Report Scale (SRL-SRS), Digital Detoxification Scale (DDS) |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Keywords | Humans Cross-sectional studies Behavior, addictive Students Adolescent China Female Young adult Self-control Internet addiction disorder Self-regulated learning Digital detox Problematic smartphone use |
| Key findings | Mindfulness was negatively associated with problematic smartphone use, and self-regulated learning partially mediated this association. Digital detox moderated the link between self-regulated learning and problematic smartphone use, with the negative association stronger at higher digital detox levels. The authors state the cross-sectional design means these are associations, not causal effects. |
Abstract
Previous research indicates that mindfulness is associated with lower levels of addictive behaviors, including problematic smartphone use. However, the mechanisms underlying this relationship remain insufficiently explored. Self-regulated learning has been identified as a process that may partially account for this association, while digital detox practices may be associated with stronger self-regulation. Yet, these factors have rarely been examined together within a single model of problematic smartphone use. This study aimed to investigate the mediating role of self-regulated learning and the moderating role of digital detox in the relationship between mindfulness and problematic smartphone use among 1,241 Chinese college students from Shandong Xiehe University. Participants completed the Mindful Attention Awareness Scale (MAAS), the Problematic Smartphone Use Scale (PSU), the Self-Regulation of Learning Self-Report Scale (SRL-SRS), and the Digital Detoxification Scale (DDS). The results showed that mindfulness was negatively associated with problematic smartphone use, and self-regulated learning partially mediated this association. Further analysis indicated a significant interaction between digital detox and self-regulated learning in relation to problematic smartphone use. These results are consistent with a complex pattern in which mindfulness is linked to lower problematic smartphone use partly via self-regulated learning, with digital detox associated with a stronger negative association between self-regulated learning and problematic smartphone use. Given the cross-sectional design, these findings should be interpreted as associations rather than causal effects. This study contributes to clarifying the mechanisms underlying the association between mindfulness and problematic smartphone use, highlighting the relevance of promoting self-regulated learning and digital detox strategies.
Comparable studies
Other cross-sectional and survey studies on meditation, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Construct Validity of the Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire in Meditating and Nonmeditating Samples Experienced meditators and nonmeditating comparison groups | 2008 | Cross-sectional study | |
| Neural Correlates of Dispositional Mindfulness During Affect Labeling Adult participants | 2007 | Observational cross-sectional | n = 27 |
| Assessing mindfulness in children and adolescents: Development and validation of the Child and Adolescent Mindfulness Measure (CAMM). School-aged children and adolescents | 2011 | Cross-sectional validation study | n = 1,413 |
| Mindfulness and self-compassion as predictors of psychological wellbeing in long-term meditators and matched nonmeditators Experienced meditators and demographically matched nonmeditators | 2012 | Cross-sectional study | n = 152 |
| Mechanisms of Action in the Inverse Relationship Between Mindfulness and Psychological Distress Undergraduates | 2008 | Cross-sectional, correlational |
Citations in the library
Cited by 2
Cites 6
- The benefits of being present: Mindfulness and its role in psychological well-being. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology 2003
- Mindfulness improves psychological health and supports health behaviour cognitions: Evidence from a pragmatic RCT of a digital mindfulness-based intervention. British Journal of Health Psychology November 1, 2024
- Effectiveness of brief online mindfulness-based intervention on different types of mobile phone addiction: mechanisms of influence of trait mindfulness Frontiers in Psychology February 17, 2025
- Harmonizing Body and Mind Advances in Educational Technologies and Instructional Design October 31, 2024
- Mindfulness-based programs and school adjustment: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of school psychology April 1, 2023
and 1 more in the library