Problematic Smartphone Use And Its Psychosocial Correlates: A G-Deeg–Based Paradigm Proposal

Abstract

Background: The deep embedding of smartphones into everyday life has intensified debates about their links with psychological well-being and social functioning. Much of the literature reports small, context-sensitive associations between technology use and mental health indices; the magnitude and direction vary by use characteristics (e.g., passive social comparison, notification intensity), timing (especially late-night use), and individual susceptibilities (e.g., FoMO, impulsivity) [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8].

Objective: We conceptualize Problematic Smartphone Use (PSU) not as a standalone diagnosis but as a risk syndrome at the intersection of loss of control, tolerance/withdrawal-like patterns, and salient functional impairment. We integrate evidence within a multilayered framework (developmental, digital-design, emotional/psychological, social/environmental, biological) [9, 10, 11].

Methods: We narratively synthesize longitudinal/panel/EMA studies, systematic reviews and meta-analyses, and selected neuroimaging evidence published between 2013 and 2024 [12, 1, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17].

Findings (synthesis): (i) Average associations are small; however, context-sensitive large effects can emerge via sleep disruption, high-intensity notification architectures, and FoMO/emotion-regulation difficulties [12, 18, 19]. (ii) Neuroimaging studies note striatal–prefrontal differences in at-risk subgroups, with limited causal inference [20, 14]. (iii) Digital therapeutics yield small-to-moderate benefits for depression/anxiety; human support and measurement transparency appear to enhance effects [17, 21, 22].

Conclusions: Moving beyond “addicted everywhere for everyone,” PSU should be approached through functional impairment and context-based clinical decisions. At school/work, phone-free windows and notification diets are advisable; in clinics, stepped-care and preferably human-supported digital interventions are recommended. Future work should prioritize causal mapping through self-report–log–EMA triads, preregistered RCTs, and longitudinal neuroimaging [1, 13, 4].