Mediating Role of Experiential Avoidance in The Relationship Between Attachment Styles and Smartphone Addiction: A Network Analysis

Abstract

This study aimed to examine the mediating role of experiential avoidance in the relationship between attachment styles and smartphone addiction, as well as to explore the interactions among these variables through a Gaussian partial correlation-based network analysis. The study sample consisted of 462 individuals aged between 18 and 64 years (M = 36.01, SD = 12.99), of whom 53.7% were female (n = 248) and 46.3% were male (n = 214). Data were collected using the Smartphone Addiction Scale–Short Form, the Attachment-Based Mental Representations Scale, and the Multidimensional Experiential Avoidance Questionnaire-30. Analyses included independent samples t-tests, network analysis (Gaussian Graphical Model), and mediation analyses using PROCESS Macro (Model 4). Gender comparisons revealed that women scored significantly higher than men in insecure attachment, behavioral avoidance, and distress aversion, while no significant differences were found in secure attachment or smartphone addiction scores. Network analysis results indicated that procrastination and distress aversion were the most central and predictive nodes in the network. Mediation analyses showed that procrastination mediated the relationship between secure attachment and smartphone addiction. Furthermore, both procrastination and distress aversion were found to mediate the relationship between insecure attachment and smartphone addiction. The findings suggest that smartphone addiction is closely related to attachment patterns and avoidance-based coping strategies. In this context, it is recommended that clinical and preventive interventions targeting smartphone addiction also focus on individuals’ attachment patterns as well as their tendencies toward procrastination and distress avoidance.

Keywords

• Attachment styles
• Experiential avoidance
• Smartphone addiction

Bağlanma Stilleri ile Akıllı Telefon Bağımlılığı Arasındaki İlişkide Yaşantısal Kaçınmanın Aracı Rolü: Network Analizi

Abstract

Bu çalışmada, bağlanma stilleri ile akıllı telefon bağımlılığı arasındaki ilişkide yaşantısal kaçınmanın aracı rolünün ve bu değişkenler arasındaki etkileşimlerin Gaussian kısmi korelasyon temelli ağ analizi ile incelenmesi hedeflenmiştir. Araştırmaya, yaşları 18 ile 64 arasında (Ort. = 36.01, SS = 12.99), %53.7’si kadın (n = 248) ve %46.3’ü erkek (n = 214) olmak üzere toplam 462 kişi katılmıştır. Veriler, Akıllı Telefon Bağımlılığı Ölçeği–Kısa Form, Bağlanma Temelli Zihinsel Temsiller Ölçeği ve Çok Boyutlu Yaşantısal Kaçınma Ölçeği-30 ile toplanmıştır. Analizlerde bağımsız örneklemler t-testi, ağ analizi (Gaussian Grafiksel Model) ve PROCESS Macro (Model 4) aracılık analizleri kullanılmıştır. Cinsiyete göre yapılan karşılaştırma analizinde, kadınların güvensiz bağlanma, davranışsal kaçınma ve sıkıntıdan hoşlanmama düzeylerinin erkeklere göre anlamlı düzeyde yüksek olduğu, ancak güvenli bağlanma ve akıllı telefon bağımlılığı puanlarında anlamlı bir fark bulunmadığı belirlenmiştir. Ağ analizi sonucuna göre, erteleme ve sıkıntıdan kaçınma değişkenleri ağda en merkezi ve yordayıcı düğümler olarak öne çıkmıştır. Aracılık analizlerinde, güvenli bağlanma ile akıllı telefon bağımlılığı arasındaki ilişkide ertelemenin aracı rolü tespit edilmiştir. Güvensiz bağlanma ile akıllı telefon bağımlılığı arasındaki ilişkide ise hem erteleme hem de sıkıntıdan hoşlanmama değişkenlerinin aracı role sahip olduğu bulunmuştur. Bulgular, akıllı telefon bağımlılığının bağlanma örüntüleri ve kaçınma temelli başa çıkma stratejileriyle yakından ilişkili olduğunu göstermektedir. Bu doğrultuda, akıllı telefon bağımlılığına yönelik klinik ve önleyici müdahalelerde bireylerin bağlanma örüntülerinin yanı sıra, erteleme ve sıkıntıdan kaçınma davranışlarına odaklanılmasının faydalı olacağı düşünülmektedir.

Keywords

• Bağlanma stilleri
• Yaşantısal kaçınma
• Akıllı telefon bağımlılığı

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