Mobile Instant Messaging Uses and Technostress: A Qualitative Approach

Abstract

A growing number of people use mobile instant messaging (MIM) apps for a variety of purposes—most commonly related to social interaction, but also to coordinate work-related activities, fulfill informational needs, and discuss politics and public affairs. Despite its convenience for daily life, MIM may also act as an environmental antecedent of technostress due to users’ inability to cope with the demands of the app in a healthy manner. We conducted two qualitative studies (N₁ = 26; N₂ = 147) to examine why people use MIM apps in their daily life and if diverse uses relate to MIM stress differently. This research (1) develops a general catalogue of MIM uses; (2) suggests a four-dimensional construct of MIM technostress consisting of overload, ambiguity, invasion, and urgency; (3) outlines several differences across age groups and between genders; and (4) describes possible relationships between MIM uses and stress.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

The work was supported by the Universidad de La Laguna (ULL) under grant code 2020/1833. The first author is funded by the ‘Viera y Clavijo’ Program from the Agencia Canaria de Investigación, Innovación y Sociedad de la Información and the ULL.

Notes on contributors

Alberto Ardèvol-Abreu

Alberto Ardèvol-Abreu is assistant professor (contratado Viera y Clavijo) at the Department of Cognitive, Social, and Organizational Psychology at the University of La Laguna (ULL, Spain). He is also the principal investigator of the research group ‘Laboratorio de Investigación sobre Medios y sus Efectos’ (LIME).

Patricia Delponti

Patricia Delponti is assistant professor at the Department of Communication Sciences and Social Work (ULL). She is also a member of the LIME research group. For more than twenty years she worked as a journalist as well as a PR professional at public and private institutions.

Helena Bonache

Helena Bonache is assistant professor at the Department of Cognitive, Social, and Organizational Psychology (ULL). Her research interests include attitudes and social decision making from a feminist perspective. Helena’s most recent studies focus on gender discrimination and attitudes towards different groups of women.

Carmen Rodríguez-Wangüemert

Carmen Rodríguez-Wangüemert is professor at the Department of Communication Sciences and Social Work (ULL). She is also a member of the research group ‘Género y Salud’ and the director of ‘Calima, Red Investigadora en Comunicación y Cultura Canarias-África,’ focused on research cooperation with African scholars and universities.