The relationship between smartphone addiction, self-confidence, emotional intelligence and behavior in conflicts: Evidence from Belarusian students

Introduction. Smartphone addiction is associated with psychological distress: depression, anxiety, stress, dissatisfaction with life, low self-control. This explains the relevance of the reported study in smartphone addiction. The purpose of this study is to discover the links between smartphone addiction, self-confidence, emotional intelligence and behavior in conflict. Materials and Methods. The sociological survey included interviews with 1634 young people from Belarus at different levels of education (736 boys, 871 girls, 47 respondents abstained from answering, the weighted average age indicator was 18.1 years). We also tested 265 university students (148 girls and 117 boys). Results. The study identified preferences of young people as regards online communication, work, games and shopping. It has been found that a significant number of young Belarusians opt for virtual reality for communication, entertainment, work and economic activities. The study also found statistically significant associations of smartphone dependence common for boys and girls. Negative smartphone addiction correlates with self-confidence, an integrative indicator of emotional intelligence, social courage, managing one’s own emotions, self-management, recognizing the emotions of other people. Positively, smartphone addiction is associated with the psychological state of their user, communication, obtaining information, loss of self-control, a fear of losing the smartphone and euphoria from its use. In young men, a positive association of smartphone addiction with a strategy of avoiding conflict was also revealed. Conclusions. In Belarusian youth, smartphone addiction is negatively associated with a number of positive qualities. The study found previously unreported sex differences in smartphone addiction patterns. The results of the study can be used by psychologists and educators to show students the dangers of an excessive use of smartphones.