Negative Affect and Problematic Binge-Watching: The Mediating Role of Unconstructive Ruminative Thinking Style
Negative Affect and Problematic Binge-Watching: The Mediating Role of Unconstructive Ruminative Thinking Style
Blog Article
The practice of binge-watching (i.e., watching multiple episodes of TV series in one session) has become increasingly prevalent, but comprehending its nature and potential underlying factors has been challenging.In particular, problematic binge-watching remains ill-defined and conceptualized, being regarded either as an addictive behaviour or a maladaptive emotion regulation strategy.
Following a process-based approach, in the current study we explored the latter conceptualization, by investigating the potential mediating role of an unconstructive ruminative thinking style between negative affect Jandy FloPro Parts and problematic binge-watching.To this end, TV series viewers completed an online survey assessing socio-demographic variables, TV series viewing habits, binge-watching motives and engagement, ruminative thinking styles and affect.Based on their answers, participants were allocated to one of the following three groups: non-binge-watchers (n = 59), trouble-free binge-watchers (n = 85), or problematic Hybrid Gel binge-watchers (n = 162).Group comparisons and mediation analyses were conducted to explore the underlying role of unconstructive rumination in problematic binge-watching.
Results showed that, apart from the pattern of TV series watching, trouble-free binge-watchers shared little to no similarity with problematic binge-watchers, therefore supporting the need to differentiate these two behaviours.Moreover, mediation analyses revealed that an unconstructive ruminative thinking style partially mediated the relationship between negative affect and coping/escapism and that it fully accounted for the relationship between negative affect and binge-watching derived positive emotions in problematic binge-watchers.These findings thus add to the notion that problematic binge-watching might serve as a way to bolster a maladaptive emotion regulation strategy, implying that unconstructive rumination acts as a mediating process in this context.