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PubMed · 42552847

Playing with Fire, Losing the Drive: Bidirectional Links Between Problematic Smartphone Use and Grit Dimensions.

Luming Zhao·Jiaxi Peng
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Abstract

This study examined bidirectional longitudinal associations between grit dimensions (consistency of interest [CI] and perseverance of effort [PE]) and problematic smartphone use (PSU) and tested cognitive flexibility as a mediating mechanism. A sample of 1,641 Chinese university students (55.2 percent female; Mage = 20.1 years) completed measures at two time points 6 months apart. A four-variable cross-lagged panel model revealed that CI and PSU negatively predicted each other over time, whereas PSU unidirectionally predicted decreased PE. Cognitive flexibility partially mediated the PSU-to-PE pathway (indirect effect = -0.004, 95 percent bootstrap CI [-0.010, -0.0001]). Competing models analysis confirmed this directionality: the forward mediation (PSU → cognitive flexibility → PE) was significant, whereas the reverse was not. These findings demonstrate that grit dimensions exhibit distinct longitudinal patterns with PSU and identify cognitive flexibility as a cognitive mechanism through which PSU specifically undermines effort persistence. Implications for dimensional approaches to grit and targeted interventions are discussed.

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HumansFemaleCognitive FlexibilitySmartphoneMaleYoung AdultInternet Addiction DisorderLongitudinal StudiesStudentsAdultcognitive flexibilityconsistency of interestgritperseverance of effortproblematic smartphone useJournal Article

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Luming Zhao, Jiaxi Peng. 2026-08-05. Playing with Fire, Losing the Drive: Bidirectional Links Between Problematic Smartphone Use and Grit Dimensions.. https://doi.org/10.1177/21522715261475715

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Journal Article resourceAdult subjectFemale subjectHumans subjectJournal Article subjectLongitudinal Studies subjectMale subject

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