Problematic mobile phone use (PMPU) is a growing concern linked to adverse mental health outcomes, such as anxiety and depression. While solitude is a known risk factor, the specific roles of its distinct dimensions, which include social avoidance, loneliness, unsociable, and positive solitude, are not well understood within this framework. This study aimed to meta-analytically examine a model clarifying the mediating role of PMPU in the relationships between these facets of solitude and common mental health challenges. This meta-analysis synthesized findings from 37 independent studies (N = 27,713), identified through a systematic search of nine databases (e.g., Web of Science, PsycINFO, CNKI). A meta-analytic structural equation modeling (MASEM) approach was used to test the hypothesized relationships among the four types of solitude, PMPU, anxiety, and depression. The MASEM results revealed that three maladaptive forms of solitude, namely social avoidance, loneliness, and unsociable, were significant positive predictors of both PMPU and adverse mental health outcomes (i.e., anxiety and depression). In contrast, positive solitude was not significantly associated with either PMPU or these outcomes. Importantly, PMPU was identified as a significant mediator that explains the pathway from these maladaptive forms of solitude to anxiety. This meta-analysis provides evidence that maladaptive forms of solitude are associated with both PMPU and psychological distress. The findings substantiate a theoretical model in which PMPU acts as a key mechanism linking these types of solitude to anxiety. Regarding practical implications, these results suggest that interventions designed to alleviate anxiety in individuals experiencing loneliness or social avoidance should also address and aim to reduce problematic mobile phone use. Exploring the Link Between solitude, Problematic Mobile Phone Use, and Anxiety and Depression: A Meta-Analytic Structural Equation Modeling Investigation ID: CRD420251021680.
Liu et al. (Wed,) studied this question.