Digital technologies seem to have made the world people more connected than ever before. Social media platforms, mobile devices and smartphones played the main role in this communication. Increasing numbers of social media courses like Instagram, TikTok and Twitter (called X nowadays) changed the way we communicate, interact receive information and apprehend the world around us. There is no doubt that along with these types of advantages smartphones and social media channels also transferred our lives quite in a negative way. Long hours of screen time and intensive use of smart social media courses have dramatically transformed the way even family members engage with one another (Tang, Werner-Seidler, Torok, Mackinnon, & Christensen, 2021). Some users now prefer being a member of an online community, create social connectedness there and find satisfaction in not talking to people in person which they claim to be regarding their psychological adjustment as well (Sweet, LeBlanc, Stough, & Sweany, 2020). This alteration in the end caused academic studies to define social connectedness in different ways including recent online impacts and made them re-examine the relationship between social connectedness and psychological adjustment focusing the online interactions in both positive and negative angels.
While online interactions have made communication more effortless, they also caused concerns about the quality of social connectedness provided through social media and smartphones. Debates regarding facts or feelings related to social connectedness such as meaningful relationships, sense of belonging, social rituals and their relationship with psychological well-being are now at the centre of smartphone usage and psychological adjustment studies (Yang & Wang, 2021). New media technologies, smartphones in particular, widened the boundaries of social connectedness enabling users to easily communicate with people from diverse backgrounds, structure romantic intimacies and establish jobs with other users from different parts of the world. The new types of contacts also consolidated social connectedness and eased psychological adjustment which caused users to stay online for longer hours (Pang & Qiao, 2023).
An early study conducted by Ellison and his friends in 2007 which examined the relationship between Facebook and social capital suggested that while social media users keep their existing social environment and affairs, they also create new forms of connectedness across diverse contexts through other smartphone applications (Ellison, Steinfield, & Lampe, 2007). A similar study found that social media platforms and smartphones help users connect with new individuals and reunite with their old friends. That connection fosters a sense of belonging and helps them close the gaps of social isolation if they have any (Zhao, Grasmuck, & Martin, 2008). Choi and Dinitto also stated that online communication could provide emotional support for the users, and ease their psychological adjustment which in the end will positively impact individuals' psychological well-being (Choi & DiNitto, 2013) Smartphones and new media technologies provide users the courses on which they get together with like-minded people which may help them increase self-esteem and a sense of personal endorsement (Valkenburg & Peter, 2011). Furthermore, this kind of online connectedness creates another easier way for those who have social phobia to get connected with others without fear of embarrassment and discrimination (Bessière, Kiesler, Kraut, & Boneva, 2008).
However, not every social connectedness or smartphone application promotes psychological adjustment. On the contrary some delay or harm it. Uncontrolled smartphone usage in the long run can cause isolation which individuals may not be aware of at the very beginning. The time spent on screens can end up with a decrease in face-to-face interactions weakening real-world relationships and loneliness (Virginia, Carr, Azmitia, & Whittaker, 2021). The findings from the Pearson correlation analysis in that study (see Table 1) showed that smartphone use was negatively correlated with social connectedness although positively correlated with psychological adjustment problems.
Furthermore, excessive social media and smartphone usage may create a world of illusory ideals. When an individual idealises some social media influencers, they may also increase smartphone-related screen time. This behaviour will endanger psychological adjustment as this type of para-social interactivity will end up with personal comparison and the paradox of choice and negative psychological feelings like inadequacy, depression and imposter syndrome follow (Bravata et al., 2020). Therefore, social comparison caused by smartphone usage leads to lowered self-esteem and increased psychological distress and adjustment problems, including anxiety and social withdrawal (Pera, 2020). Our study quite similarly suggests that although smartphone usage positively correlated with psychological adjustment problems, social connectedness structured through smartphone usage was negatively correlated with psychological adjustment problems
In this regard, although early studies found a strong positive relationship between social connectedness and smartphones our study suggests that social connectedness partially mediated the relationship between smartphone use and psychological adjustment problems. However, smartphone use had a significant predictive effect on social connectedness and psychological adjustment problems and that social connectedness had also a significant predictive impact on psychological adjustment problems. Yet, there was a notable indirect impact of smartphone use—through social connectedness—on psychological adjustment issues. These findings provide proof that smartphone use, through social connectedness, predicts psychological adjustment issues. This shows that the association between smartphone use and psychological adjustment issues may be partially mediated by social connectedness.
Without any doubt, smartphone usage has clear impacts on social connectedness and psychological adjustment or vice versa. This relationship includes both opportunities and threats. While uncontrolled and long hours smart smartphone interaction may create challenges for psychological and physical adjustment, controlled usage may enrich individuals' lives by nurturing social connections and empowering the support they already have. However, as the aforementioned studies and this article suggest a balance between online engagement and fostering offline relationships is important for personal well-being and in developing positive psychological adjustment and creating social connectedness within the digital era.
Implications for practice
There are numerous studies on the use of smartphones as they are popular and highly engaged tools for communication and information gathering. However, because this study has examined four categories in total—nomophobia, ringxiety, textiety, and phubbing— in relation to social connectedness and psychological adjustment problems, it is unique in its field. Furthermore, the research can shed light on future systematic and academic works that may suggest better ways to interact with digital/smart technologies and social networks and how this interaction may impact our everyday communications and psychological experiences.
There is no doubt that in today's world, people will somehow use social media courses and therefore will engage with new media technologies such as smartphones, computers and wearable technologies. However, to get rid of potential physical and psychological harms they should use these new technologies and social media platforms carefully and responsibly. Otherwise as suggested by the aforementioned studies, users will have difficulty with psychological adjustment and social connectedness although the reverse is meant while engaging with smartphone usage and related applications. Therefore, the results of this article are useful in many ways. They first provide data that may be used to adapt prevention and intervention suggestions and plans to lessen the negative effects of smartphone use on psychological health.
To be able to carefully use smartphones and other social media courses, users should be able to have opportunities to get basic of new media and digital literacy which includes the capacity to access and evaluate media messages, to produce and create content responsibly not to cause mis/dis/misinformation and not to develop psychological distress and smartphone/internet addictions. This careful usage could also develop a supportive online community and offline connections that can function as a counterbalance to the possible isolation engendered by excessive online activity and smartphone usage.
While social media presents never-before-seen possibilities for connection, it's critical to find a balance between online activities and social life. Therefore, users should learn ways to have a conscious consumption which will require a mindful engagement with social media and reduce the emotional impact caused by excessive usage. This balance also suggests to prioritize a face-to-face relationship to be able to nurture daily offline relationships as these types of connections can create meaningful conversations and shared experiences.
On the other hand, better to keep in mind that social media algorithms in the long run may force users to go into echo-chambers which at first sight may seem a perfect social connectedness and psychological adjustment. Thus, account holders must avoid illusions created by long online presences and scramble to diversify their networks to connect with people from diverse backgrounds and sometimes with even opposing viewpoints. This will in the end help them broaden their perspectives and grow a more nuanced understanding of the outside world.
Social media has a complex effect on social connectivity. It does carry the risk of isolation and polarization even if it can also reinforce global connections. A balanced approach to social media use is essential to enjoying its advantages while preserving real social connections. Therefore, because this article investigated the mediating role of social connectedness in the relationship between excessive smartphone use and psychological adjustment problems, we believe that it will eventually help users have a better model for smartphone usage and give them, at least to some extent, a sense of digital or new media literacy and skills which will guarantee a healthier and sensible smartphone usage.
Strengths and limitations
There is no doubt that overuse of smartphones is also linked to past psychopathologies such as impulsivity, anxiety, and depression, which weaken interpersonal interactions, academic performance, and ability to concentrate in work and school settings. Therefore, this article studies the mediating role of social connectedness in the relationship between improper smartphone use and psychological adjustment problems.
The current research has a few main strengths. First, we could not locate any research analysing the mediating role of social connectedness in the relationship between smartphone use and psychological adjustment problems in Turkish youth, even though studies are looking at the psychological and physical effects of smartphone usage. This feature proves the originality of the research and the impact the study will have on studies which will be conducted hereafter. Therefore, in addition to supporting earlier research on the problematic use of smartphones, the current study has the potential to spark fresh psychological and epistemological discussions on the subject.
However, of course, there are also several limitations of this study which we need to mention here. Although the present research is the first to employ a measure of the Multidimensional Smartphone Use Scale (MSUS) to explore the mediating role of social connectedness in the relationship between improper smartphone use and psychological adjustment problems, the results might be impacted by certain limitations. First, again because of the increasing usage of smart technologies and internet platforms and somehow ongoing COVID-19 pandemic variations and their effects, we used an online form to collect data. Hence, some people who had limited or no access to the internet may not be adequately represented.
On the other hand, the study was entirely dependent on self-reporting because we gathered the data using online forms. Even though the responses were anonymous, the setting in which they were filled out might have affected how sincere the respondents were. Thus, rather than using online data collection methods, future research should employ other techniques that will lessen the impact of different environments. This would enable a more accurate picture of inappropriate smartphone use and the mediating role of social connectedness in the relationship between excessive smartphone use and psychological adjustment problems to be drawn.
Furthermore, while the current study has successfully established a valid measure of multidimensional smartphone use and its relationship with social connectedness and psychological adjustment, it is evident that substantiating its utility in investigating smartphone behavioural disorders will necessitate additional research conducted in diverse contexts and situations. Future research, which stands to gain more from the literature on media psychology and cyberpsychology, should look into other facets of smartphone usage to gain a deeper understanding of the relationship between new media devices and technological determinism.