Beyond Screen Time: Metacognition, Psychological Compensation, and Developmental Dynamics of Smartphone Addiction in Adolescence

This research paper present a multidimensional analysis on smartphone addiction among Italian adolescents (N=843) through three critical lenses: metacognitive awareness, psychosocial compensation mechanisms, and developmental trajectories. Findings reveal a metacognitive gap between self-perception and external observations that widens with increased usage; substantial evidence supporting the digital compensation hypothesis, with anxiety strongly predicting specific digital coping strategies; and a distinct developmental trajectory with peak vulnerability at age 16. This neuro-developmentally framework challenges reductionist addiction models, demonstrating that smartphone usage patterns reflect complex interactions between psychological factors and prefrontal cortex maturation. Implications suggest shifting from generic screen-time reduction toward interventions addressing underlying psychological needs within specific developmental windows.