Crafting Needs for Balanced Screens: A Moderated Mediation Analysis of Need Crafting, Need Satisfaction, Self-Control, and Problematic Smartphone Use in Young Adults

Abstract

Empirical evidence shows a global rise in problematic smartphone use (PSU) among young adults, making it a significant public health concern. While the potential adverse effects of PSU are well documented, less is known about the underlying reasons why smartphone use becomes problematic and what can be done to prevent or reduce it. Based on the SelfDetermination Theory, the current study provides a first exploration of need crafting, the proactive shaping of one's activities to better satisfy basic psychological needs, as a potential strategy to reduce the risk of PSU. A cross-sectional online survey was conducted among 110 young adults aged 18-29 (M age = 24.29, SD = 2.39) that measured need crafting, need satisfaction, self-control, and PSU. The main hypothesis was that the negative relationship between need crafting and PSU would be mediated by need satisfaction, and that this indirect path would be moderated by self-control. A moderated mediation analysis was used to test this hypothesis. The results did not support the hypothesized model. However, the analysis did find a strong positive relationship between need crafting and need satisfaction and identified self-control as a significant direct negative predictor of PSU. An exploratory serial mediation analysis was done and revealed a significant indirect pathway where need crafting was linked to lower PSU through a sequence of higher need satisfaction and higher self-control. Even though the primary model was not supported, this study is the first to connect need crafting with PSU. Findings showed a potential promising new mechanism for future research, suggesting that need crafting may not only contributes to well-being but could also indirectly strengthen the capacity for self-control.