How do the dynamics of shame influence smartphone addiction of Korean Christian adolescents? A study based on external and internal shame

ABSTRACT

Individuals with negative feeling such as shame might be vulnerable to smartphone addiction. The present study aimed to explore the relationship of smartphone addiction with external shame and internal shame in a sample of Christian adolescents in Korea. The correlational and causal relationships between Korean Christian adolescents’ smartphone addiction and external shame-including others and God-and internal shame were examined. Through a correlational analysis, the study found that external shame-others, external shame-God, internal shame, and smartphone addiction were all highly correlated with each other. During causal and mediation analyses, it was found that internal shame mediated external shame-others and smartphone addiction and also mediated external shame-God and smartphone addiction. In addition, the study offers a discussion of its finding and suggestions for clinical interventions.

KEYWORDS:

• Smartphone addiction
• external shame-others
• external shame-God
• internal shame
• Christian adolescents

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.