The Dual-Edged Sword: The Integrated Influence of Mindfulness and Digital Detention on Mental Health and Procrastination in Generation Z
Jagdish Appasaheb Sardesai, Amol Appaso Kamble
Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research) September 30, 2026 preprint DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.22911543 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Cross-sectional quantitative survey |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 120 |
| Population | Generation Z students (60 male, 60 female) |
| Measures | Smartphone Addiction Scale – Short Version (SAS-SV), Mindful Attention Awareness Scale (MAAS), Mental Health Quotient Scale, Tuckman Procrastination Scale (TPS) |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Key findings | Smartphone addiction predicted higher academic procrastination and greater stress and anxiety with lower psychological wellbeing. Dispositional mindfulness weakened the link between smartphone addiction and procrastination and was associated with lower stress, lower anxiety, and higher wellbeing. |
Abstract
Abstract Generation Z is navigating profound challenges defined by an unprecedented mental health crisis, reporting the highest rates of stress, anxiety, and depression among age groups. As the first true digital natives, they grapple with the dual-edged sword of technology, where constant connection and social media exposure contribute to feelings of inadequacy and isolation. By investigating this integrated influence, this research aims to disentangle how engaging in mindfulness practices might mitigate the negative mental health and behavioral outcomes associated with pervasive digital engagement. The research study comprises 120 participants (60 male & 60 female). Data was collected through Smartphone Addiction Scale – Short Version (SAS-SV) devised by Kwon et al., Mindful Attention Awareness Scale (MAAS) prepared by Brown & Ryan, Mental Health Quotient Scale prepared by Jennifer Jane Newson, and Tara C. Thiagarajan, and Tuckman Procrastination Scale (TPS) devised by Tuckman. Cross-Sectional Quantitative Survey was adopted. Obtained data was analysed using Mean, SD and Correlation. Results revealed that Smartphone addiction significantly predicts higher levels of academic procrastination in Generation Z students. Dispositional mindfulness significantly weakens the positive association between smartphone addiction and academic procrastination. Smartphone addiction robustly predicts increased stress, anxiety, and reduced psychological wellbeing. Dispositional mindfulness is significantly linked to lower stress, lower anxiety, and higher psychological wellbeing.
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 |