Investigating the relationship between saving cognitions and digital hoarding in students: the mediating role of emotion regulation difficulties

Authors
Raziyeh Khorramabadi 1
Maryam Afraze 1
Mahdi Karvandi Renani 2
Reza Niknam 3
1 Persian Gulf University
2 Tehran University
3 Allameh Tabatabaei University
Abstract
In the information age, the excessive accumulation of digital data has become a significant challenge. This research aimed to investigate the psychological factors influencing digital hoarding, particularly among university students. Using structural equation modeling on data from 413 students at Persian Gulf and Allameh Tabatabaei Universities, the relationship between saving cognitions, emotion regulation difficulties, and digital hoarding was examined. A convenience sampling method was employed, and data was collected using the Digital Hoarding Scale (Neave et al., 2019), Saving Cognitions Scale (Steketee et al., 2003), and the Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale (Gratz & Roemer, 2004). The results revealed that hoarding cognitions play a pivotal role in predicting digital hoarding (Β=0.623, P<0.001). Students who held inaccurate beliefs about the value of digital information and experienced difficulty discarding it were more likely to excessively accumulate data. Moreover, a complex interaction between saving cognitions and emotion regulation difficulties was observed. Although emotion regulation difficulties did not have a direct impact on digital hoarding (Β=-0.011, P<0.848), it served as a moderating role when interacting with saving cognitions (Β=-0.147, P=0.022); This means that as the difficulty in emotion regulation increased, the impact of hoarding cognitions on digital hoarding intensified, such that individuals who had both strong hoarding cognitions and difficulties in emotion regulation were more prone to digital hoarding. This research indicates that to address the growing problem of digital hoarding, it is necessary to simultaneously focus on changing maladaptive beliefs and improving emotion regulation skills. The findings of this study contribute to a deeper understanding of the underlying psychological mechanisms of digital hoarding and can be useful in designing effective therapeutic interventions for this disorder.


Keywords
Hoarding Disorder
Digital Hoarding
Emotion Regulation Difficulties
Saving Cognitions
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