A Compulsive Search for Love Online: A Path Analysis Model of Adult Anxious Attachment, Rejection Sensitivity, and Problematic Dating App Use.
Dating apps have become increasingly popular for seeking romantic partners. However, for a minority of individuals, their use can become problematic, making the study of risk factors increasingly relevant. Moreover, attachment-related vulnerabilities and sensitivity to rejection have been consistent...
| Published in: | International Journal of Mental Health & Addiction Vol. 24; no. 2; pp. 1796 - 1814 |
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| Main Authors: | , , |
| Format: | Article |
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Springer Nature
Apr2026
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| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | View this record in EBSCOhost |
| fields | @attributes: recordID: 1 pdfLink: plink: https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=ssf&AN=193493035&site=ehost-live header: @attributes: shortDbName: ssf uiTerm: 193493035 longDbName: Social Sciences Full Text (H.W. Wilson) uiTag: AN controlInfo: bkinfo: jinfo: jid: 15571874 46AW jtl: International Journal of Mental Health & Addiction issn: 15571874 maglogo: N pubinfo: dt: Apr2026 vid: 24 iid: 2 pid: 237 pub: Springer Nature artinfo: ui: 193493035 10.1007/s11469-025-01487-1 ppf: 1796 ppct: 18 formats: fmt: – @attributes: type: T – @attributes: type: P size: 991KB tig: atl: A Compulsive Search for Love Online: A Path Analysis Model of Adult Anxious Attachment, Rejection Sensitivity, and Problematic Dating App Use. aug: au: Topino, Eleonora Griffiths, Mark D. Gori, Alessio affil: https://ror.org/02be6w209 Department of Human Sciences, LUMSA University of Rome, Via Della Traspontina 21, 00193, Rome, Italy https://ror.org/03znjxt55 Department of Human and Social Sciences, Mercatorum University, Piazza Mattei, 10, 00186, Rome, Italy https://ror.org/04xyxjd90 International Gaming Research Unit, Psychology Department, Nottingham Trent University, 50 Shakespeare Street, NG1 4 FQ, Nottingham, UK https://ror.org/04jr1s763 Department of Health Sciences, University of Florence, Via Di San Salvi 12, Pad. 26, 50135, Florence, Italy Integrated Psychodynamic Psychotherapy Institute (IPPI), Via Ricasoli 32, 50122, Florence, Italy su: Attachment behavior Rejection (Psychology) Significant others Online dating mobile apps Path analysis (Statistics) Emotion regulation Online dating sug: subj: Attachment behavior Rejection (Psychology) Significant others Software Publishers Online dating mobile apps Path analysis (Statistics) Emotion regulation Online dating keyword: Attachment Behavioral addiction Internet addiction Medical and Health Sciences Public Health and Health Services Psychology and Cognitive Sciences Psychology Problematic dating app use Problematic internet use Rejection sensitivity Technological addiction Attachment Behavioral addiction Internet addiction Medical and Health Sciences Public Health and Health Services Psychology and Cognitive Sciences Psychology Problematic dating app use Problematic internet use Rejection sensitivity Technological addiction ab: Dating apps have become increasingly popular for seeking romantic partners. However, for a minority of individuals, their use can become problematic, making the study of risk factors increasingly relevant. Moreover, attachment-related vulnerabilities and sensitivity to rejection have been consistently associated with maladaptive relational behaviors and emotional dysregulation, which may increase susceptibility to problematic app use as a compensatory strategy. The present study explored the risk factors for problematic online dating app use among adults who use dating apps to find romantic partners, by specifically focusing on the role of adult anxious attachment and adult rejection sensitivity. A cross-sectional anonymous online survey was used to collect the data. The sample comprised 450 participants (54.9% female; M = 27.57 years; SD = 6.044) who had used dating apps daily to find a romantic partner. The data were analysed using path analysis to test the hypothesized model. Significant total effects were found in the relationships between the anxious adult attachment patterns and problematic online dating apps use (preoccupied attachment: β =.11, p <.01; fearful attachment: β =.18, p <.001). This association was mediated by adult rejection sensitivity (rejection expectancy and rejection anxiety). Problematic online dating apps use was also significantly and positively related to daily time spent on dating apps (β =.41, p <.05). These findings demonstrate the critical role of attachment-related vulnerabilities and rejection sensitivity in favouring problematic dating app use. Such data may provide useful insight to inform targeted clinical interventions. pubtype: Academic Journal doctype: Article src: R language: English refInfo: copyright: @attributes: flag: N holdings: @attributes: islocal: N |
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