Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Mediate the Association Between Peer Attachment and Problematic Use of Smartphone

Key Points

• Problematic smartphone use is partially explained by difficulties in emotion regulation, indicating a significant mediating factor.
• The analysis shows that the strength of this relationship varies significantly by gender and school context, highlighting important demographic trends.
• Observational analysis across different age groups indicates that peer attachment significantly influences emotion regulation difficulties.
• Identifying emotion regulation as a key target for intervention may help mitigate smartphone-related issues, particularly in adolescents.