ArticleBMC psychology2025
Digital emotional regulation paradox: a cross-sectional study on mindful technology use moderates the relationship between social media emotional content exposure and psychological resilience.
Article in BMC psychology, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.
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1 citing paper in PubMed.
- Reality erosion in digital environments: the concept of digital blur and scale development.Frontiers in psychology · 2026Article
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Abstract
backgroundSocial media's emotional content has sparked concerns about its psychological impact. While many strategies focus on reducing screen time, this study explores how mindful and intentional technology use can shape users' emotional responses. We propose the "Digital Emotional Regulation Paradox," which refers to the idea that greater emotional exposure does not necessarily harm mental health when users engage with social media mindfully.
methodsThis cross-sectional study was conducted in Indonesia namely Jakarta, Yogyakarta, and Bali among 450 adults aged 18 to 65. Participants completed validated and custom-developed scales assessing emotional content exposure, psychological resilience, mindful technology use, and emotional contagion susceptibility. Data were analyzed using structural equation modeling (SEM) to test moderation hypotheses.
resultsMindful technology use significantly moderated the impact of negative emotional content on resilience (β = 0.32, p < 0.001). Participants with higher mindful use showed stronger resilience even when exposed to negative content. This supports the paradoxical idea that mindful engagement can buffer digital emotional stress. Susceptibility to emotional contagion further shaped this relationship.
conclusionsThe findings challenge the assumption that reducing digital exposure is the best path to mental health. Instead, the way individuals use technology mindfully and reflectively may matter more than how much they use it. However, the cross-sectional design limits causal interpretation, highlighting the need for longitudinal or experimental research to confirm these pathways. These insights offer practical implications for digital mental health programs, user education, and platform policies.
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