In a new study published in the International Journal of Yoga, researchers in India have found significant relationships between mindfulness, the tendency to avoid unpleasant experiences, and problematic smartphone use. The study reveals that while a natural ability to be mindful can reduce the risk of excessive smartphone use, the habit of avoiding distressing situations can increase it by about 25%. These findings underscore the complex interplay between our psychological traits and our interactions with technology.
Problematic smartphone use refers to a pattern of smartphone use that is excessive and compulsive, to the extent that it interferes with daily life. This behavior typically includes spending an inordinate amount of time on the phone, experiencing anxiety when the phone is not accessible, neglecting social and professional responsibilities, and continuing to use the smartphone despite negative consequences.
Previous research has extensively explored how various psychological factors, such as anxiety and avoidance, contribute to both substance and behavioral addictions. Mindfulness, which refers to the practice of maintaining a moment-by-moment awareness of our thoughts, feelings, bodily sensations, and surrounding environment, has been shown to influence our control over such addictive behaviors.
Another psychological concept central to this study is experiential avoidance , which involves dodging unpleasant internal experiences—thoughts, feelings, or sensations—even when such avoidance results in negative long-term consequences. Experiential avoidance has been linked to a variety of psychological issues and is known to promote addictive behaviors as individuals might engage excessively in certain activities, like smartphone use, to temporarily escape distress.
“While smartphones have become a necessity, more and more people are spending their time on screens at the expense of meaningful relationships, building life skills, and aiming at general fulfillment. This made us wonder about the relationship of smartphone overuse with two related concepts: mindfulness and experiential avoidance,” said study author Manoj Kumar Sharma, a professor of clinical psychology affiliated with the SHUT Clinic at the National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences.
“Both variables speak of opposite functions, the former involves staying with the moment, pleasant or unpleasant; and the latter involves avoidance of any unpleasant emotion, experience, memory, sensations, or thoughts even if doing so creates harm in the long term.”
“We were curious to explore the relationship between these variables with problematic smartphone use and to reflect upon possible underlying mechanisms. Also, both variables are actively studied in mental health and have various treatment protocols associated with them, therefore, our main aim was also to propose working with these variables to reduce smartphone overuse.”
The researchers gathered data from 434 Indian participants aged 18 to 30 through an online survey distributed over social media platforms like Facebook and WhatsApp. The participants filled out standardized questionnaires measuring smartphone addiction, experiential avoidance, and dispositional mindfulness.
The researchers found that higher levels of experiential avoidance were associated with increased problematic smartphone use. This suggests that individuals who habitually avoid uncomfortable thoughts and feelings are more likely to engage excessively with their smartphones, potentially as a coping mechanism to evade distressing psychological experiences.
On the other hand, higher levels of dispositional mindfulness, which refers to the natural ability to maintain attention and awareness on the present moment, were linked to lower instances of problematic smartphone use. This indicates that individuals who are more mindful tend to use their smartphones in a more controlled and less addictive manner. The ability to stay present may help them resist the pull of habitual, compulsive smartphone use, which often serves as a distraction from real-life issues.
Even among individuals who naturally exhibited higher levels of mindfulness, the presence of experiential avoidance increased their vulnerability to smartphone addiction. In particular, the analysis showed that experiential avoidance could undermine the protective effects of mindfulness on smartphone use to a significant extent.
“The most relevant finding is that despite a person having an in-built ability to enter a mindful state, if they engage in experiential avoidance, they are about 25% more vulnerable to problematic smartphone use,” Sharma told PsyPost.
The study also revealed some interesting nuances regarding family living arrangements. Contrary to our expectation, problematic smartphone use was found to be higher in those individuals living in a nuclear family setup than those living with friends,” Sharma explained.
“Similarly, experiential avoidance of those living in nuclear and joint families was significantly higher than in those living alone or with friends. Our study has attempted to explain these findings based on cultural factors of the family’s level of involvement in unpleasant experiences and emotions.”
Family dynamics in more traditional setups (nuclear and joint families) might contribute to behaviors where individuals avoid unpleasant emotions or situations. The cultural context, especially in Indian society, might influence these patterns, where family expectations and traditional roles can add pressures that lead to more avoidance behaviors.
The study, while insightful, has limitations. The sample was skewed towards English-speaking, educated individuals from specific regions of India, which may not represent the broader population. In addition, the cross-sectional nature of the study limits the ability to draw conclusions about cause and effect. Future research could employ longitudinal designs to observe these dynamics over time and explore these relationships in different demographic groups.
Sharma plans to continue “to explore other factors that explain problematic smartphone use and to develop assessments and modules for treatment.”
The study, “Experiential Avoidance as a Mediator of the Relationship between Dispositional Mindfulness and Problematic Smartphone Use,” was authored by George Felix, Manoj Kumar Sharma, Nitin Anand, Binukumar Bhaskarapillai, and Ajay Kumar.