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<p>This study investigates the paradoxical coexistence of mindfulness and problematic smartphone use (PSU) among young consumers, employing a multi-method approach that combines partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) with fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA). Drawing on Self-Determination Theory and Compensatory Internet Use Theory, we examine whether mindfulness functions as an activated consumer coping strategy rather than a protective buffer, whilst mapping the emotional and behavioural pathways linking Fear of Missing Out (FoMO) to problematic consumption. Data were collected from 232 Generation Z respondents in Vietnam, an exemplary mobile-first emerging market. PLS-SEM results reveal that FoMO demonstrates no direct association with PSU; instead, it operates through complete mediation via negative affectivity and habitual smartphone use frequency. Critically, smartphone habit emerges as the dominant predictor of problematic consumption, substantially exceeding the predictive strength of mindfulness-based coping. Contrary to conventional conceptualisations of protective buffers, FoMO shows a strong positive association with mindfulness, supporting the activated coping hypothesis. Yet, the mindfulness-to-PSU pathway remains non-significant, suggesting what we theoretically characterise as an “illusion of control.” Complementary fsQCA identifies three equifinal configurations leading to high PSU, with the most theoretically significant configuration demonstrating that high mindfulness combined with high FoMO and entrenched habits still produces problematic consumption, providing convergent evidence for the insufficiency of awareness-based coping against automated behavioural patterns. These convergent findings advance responsible consumption scholarship by establishing the limits of consumer agency in hyperconnected environments and highlighting the need to complement individual self-regulation with platform design reforms and marketing ethics.</p>

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Mindful yet addicted? A multi-method investigation of digital coping failure and habitual smartphone consumption among generation Z consumers

  • 期刊论文

  • 发表日期：

    2026年7月7日

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  • Ngo Quoc Dung,
  • Pham Linh Chi,
  • Nguyen Thi Dung,
  • Ta Thi Quynh Anh,
  • Tran Phuong Anh

摘要

This study investigates the paradoxical coexistence of mindfulness and problematic smartphone use (PSU) among young consumers, employing a multi-method approach that combines partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) with fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA). Drawing on Self-Determination Theory and Compensatory Internet Use Theory, we examine whether mindfulness functions as an activated consumer coping strategy rather than a protective buffer, whilst mapping the emotional and behavioural pathways linking Fear of Missing Out (FoMO) to problematic consumption. Data were collected from 232 Generation Z respondents in Vietnam, an exemplary mobile-first emerging market. PLS-SEM results reveal that FoMO demonstrates no direct association with PSU; instead, it operates through complete mediation via negative affectivity and habitual smartphone use frequency. Critically, smartphone habit emerges as the dominant predictor of problematic consumption, substantially exceeding the predictive strength of mindfulness-based coping. Contrary to conventional conceptualisations of protective buffers, FoMO shows a strong positive association with mindfulness, supporting the activated coping hypothesis. Yet, the mindfulness-to-PSU pathway remains non-significant, suggesting what we theoretically characterise as an “illusion of control.” Complementary fsQCA identifies three equifinal configurations leading to high PSU, with the most theoretically significant configuration demonstrating that high mindfulness combined with high FoMO and entrenched habits still produces problematic consumption, providing convergent evidence for the insufficiency of awareness-based coping against automated behavioural patterns. These convergent findings advance responsible consumption scholarship by establishing the limits of consumer agency in hyperconnected environments and highlighting the need to complement individual self-regulation with platform design reforms and marketing ethics.