The Role of Desire Thinking and Craving in Problematic Smartphone Use

The Elaborated Intrusion Theory of desire and the metacognitive model of desire thinking posit that the intensification of craving centres on the initiation of a voluntary cognitive process named desire thinking (DT). The role of DT in eliciting craving has been studied extensively in substance use disorders and, more recently, in some behavioral addictions. The main aim of the current study was to test the mediating role of DT and craving in the association between psychological distress, boredom proneness, and problematic Smartphone use (PSU). Six hundred and forty-six participants (mean age = 27.57 ± 9.64; females = 74.8