Mindfulness as a Predictor of Technostress in Young Adults

People are becoming more dependent on technology, which introduces a particular type of stress called technostress (Qin, Qiang, & Kanliang, 2011). We examined technostress, different types of technology use, and mindfulness. Adults (n = 82) responded to the Technostress Scale (Qin, Qiang, & Kanliang, 2011), the Frieburg Mindfulness Inventory (FMI; Walach et al., 2006), the Mindfulness and Attention Awareness Scale (MAAS; Brown & Ryan, 2003), and questions about technology use. Results revealed that the greater the technostress, the lower the participants’ mindfulness. Technostress did not relate to the FMI. The higher the technostress, the more participants agreed that technology is a stressor for them. Technostress was not predicted by age, GPA, race, or self-esteem. Compared to men, women had higher technostress and higher levels of general stress. Women also reported higher MAAS scores, equating to lower levels of mindfulness. The manner in which participants used technology did not predict technostress. In sum, we found that people who were mindful experienced less technostress. Perhaps mindful individuals are aware of their emotions and can control them, thus minimizing stress when dealing with technology. In addition, mindful individuals may be focused on the task at hand, rather than distracted by how the current task is going to affect the future. Although the MAAS predicted less technostress, FMI did not. The fact that FMI measured mindfulness as a broader construct that included factors such as non-judgmental attitudes and a lack of specific goals renders it a less useful measure. Our participants had accurate awareness of their technostress levels, and these levels were consistent across numerous demographic characteristics