Volume 22, Issue 3 (10-2026)
J Health Syst Res 2026, 22(3): 587-597 |
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Research code: A-10-1011-1
Ethics code: IR.IAU.KHUISF.REC.1403.025
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Fadaei F, Kadkhodaee M. The Role of Primary Maladaptive Schemas and Existential Anxiety in Excessive Phone Use: The Mediating Role of Emotion Regulation in Dental Students: A Cross-Sectional Study. J Health Syst Res 2026; 22 (3) :587-597
URL: http://hsr.mui.ac.ir/article-1-1976-en.html
URL: http://hsr.mui.ac.ir/article-1-1976-en.html
1- MSc Student, Department of Psychology, Mo, C., Islamic Azad University, Isfahan, Iran
2- Assistant Professor, Department of Psychology, Mo, C., Islamic Azad University, Isfahan, Iran
2- Assistant Professor, Department of Psychology, Mo, C., Islamic Azad University, Isfahan, Iran
Abstract: (4 Views)
Background: One of the variables that has significantly impacted people's lives in recent years, especially students, is the mobile phone. Early maladaptive schemas, anxiety, and emotion regulation are among the factors that appear to contribute to excessive mobile phone use. The aim of the present study was to examine the role of early maladaptive schemas and existential anxiety in excessive mobile phone use, with emotion regulation as a mediating factor, among dental students at the University of Isfahan, Iran.
Methods: This study employed a descriptive and correlational design. The statistical population comprised all 692 dental students at the University of Isfahan, from which 248 were randomly selected. Data collection instruments included Young's Early Maladaptive Schemas Questionnaire, Lawrence Goode's Existential Anxiety Scale, Gennaro et al.'s Mobile Phone Use Questionnaire, and Gross and John's Emotion Regulation Strategies Scale. Data analysis was conducted using correlation tests and structural equation modeling with SPSS and SmartPLS software.
Findings: The results indicated that the model examining early maladaptive schemas and existential anxiety in relation to excessive mobile phone use, with emotion regulation as a mediating factor among students, demonstrated a good fit. The positive effect of early maladaptive schemas on excessive phone use (β = 0.58, t = 6.900, P < 0.001), the negative effect of emotion regulation on excessive phone use (β = -0.213, t = 2.361, P = 0.019), the negative effect of existential anxiety on emotion regulation (β = -0.333, t = 2.351, P = 0.035), and the negative effect of early maladaptive schemas on emotion regulation (β = -0.351, t = 2.497, P < 0.001) were all confirmed. However, the effect of existential anxiety on excessive phone use (β = 0.14, t = 1.125, P = 0.241) was not significant.
Conclusion: Based on these findings, it can be concluded that enhancing emotion regulation, managing symptoms of existential anxiety, and addressing early maladaptive schemas may significantly reduce dental students' tendency to overuse smartphones. Reason: The revision improves clarity and readability by restructuring sentences and correcting statistical reporting conventions (e.g., p-values). It replaces ambiguous terms such as "inverse effect" with more precise descriptions of the direction of effects.
Methods: This study employed a descriptive and correlational design. The statistical population comprised all 692 dental students at the University of Isfahan, from which 248 were randomly selected. Data collection instruments included Young's Early Maladaptive Schemas Questionnaire, Lawrence Goode's Existential Anxiety Scale, Gennaro et al.'s Mobile Phone Use Questionnaire, and Gross and John's Emotion Regulation Strategies Scale. Data analysis was conducted using correlation tests and structural equation modeling with SPSS and SmartPLS software.
Findings: The results indicated that the model examining early maladaptive schemas and existential anxiety in relation to excessive mobile phone use, with emotion regulation as a mediating factor among students, demonstrated a good fit. The positive effect of early maladaptive schemas on excessive phone use (β = 0.58, t = 6.900, P < 0.001), the negative effect of emotion regulation on excessive phone use (β = -0.213, t = 2.361, P = 0.019), the negative effect of existential anxiety on emotion regulation (β = -0.333, t = 2.351, P = 0.035), and the negative effect of early maladaptive schemas on emotion regulation (β = -0.351, t = 2.497, P < 0.001) were all confirmed. However, the effect of existential anxiety on excessive phone use (β = 0.14, t = 1.125, P = 0.241) was not significant.
Conclusion: Based on these findings, it can be concluded that enhancing emotion regulation, managing symptoms of existential anxiety, and addressing early maladaptive schemas may significantly reduce dental students' tendency to overuse smartphones. Reason: The revision improves clarity and readability by restructuring sentences and correcting statistical reporting conventions (e.g., p-values). It replaces ambiguous terms such as "inverse effect" with more precise descriptions of the direction of effects.
Keywords: Primary maladaptive schemas, Existential anxiety, Emotion regulation, Excessive use of mobile phones
Type of Study: Research |
Subject:
health Psychology
Received: 2025/01/12 | Accepted: 2025/07/16 | Published: 2026/10/7
Received: 2025/01/12 | Accepted: 2025/07/16 | Published: 2026/10/7
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