Association between mental flexibility and somatic symptom disorder mediated by smartphone addiction among university students

Background: Smartphone addiction is categorized as a behavioral addiction that in adolescents and youths can affect many aspects of life, including education and physical health, and is accompanied by such problems as reduced interpersonal problems, anger, aggression, and emotion. This study designed to assess the association between mental flexibility and somatoform mediated by smartphone addiction among university students in ۲۰۲۰.Methods: The study was a descriptive correlation performed employing path analysis. The study population included all students of the Islamic Azad University of Ahvaz in the academic year ۲۰۲۰-۲۰۲۱, ۲۵۱ students were selected using simple random sampling. In the present research, we utilized the Somatic Symptoms Experiences Questionnaire (SSEQ), Smartphone Addiction Scale (SAS), and Cognitive Flexibility Inventory (CFI). The proposed model was assessed using path analysis with AMOS version ۲۳.۰ software.Results: There was a negative and significant association between mental flexibility and smartphone addiction (β=-۰.۴۷, P=۰.۰۰۱). Moreover, there was a positive association between smartphone addiction and somatoform (β=۰.۴۱, P=۰.۰۰۱). There was no significant association between mental flexibility and somatoform (β=-۰.۱۰, P=۰.۰۷). The path analysis results showed the mediating role of smartphone addiction in the association between mental flexibility and somatoform in university students (β=-۰.۲۷, P=۰.۰۰۱).Conclusion: Our model had a good fit, and, as a result, it could be helpful as an important step in identifying the aspects affecting the somatic symptom disorder of university students with smartphone addiction.

Keywords:

Internet Addiction Disorder , Psychophysiologic Disorders , Somatoform Disorders , Students