Objective:

To investigate the associations between psychological distress, autism-related traits, and problematic internet and mobile phone use.

Approach:

• Study Design: Cross-sectional study surveying adults aged 18 to 65 years in Italy from June 2024 to March 2025.
• Participants: Participants were recruited through convenience and snowball sampling, including social media, word of mouth, mailing lists, and flyers.
• Assessment Tools: Autism-related traits were assessed using the Autism Spectrum Quotient; psychological distress was measured with the Kessler Psychological Distress Scale; problematic internet use was assessed with the Uso e Abuso di Internet-2 questionnaire; and problematic m…

Key Findings:

• Higher autism-related trait scores and higher psychological distress scores were associated with greater problematic internet use. Psychological distress showed stronger associations with problematic internet and mobile phone use than autism-related traits. Psychological distress was associated with higher alcohol and tobacco use, while autism-related traits were inversely associated with tobacco use.

Interpretation:

The study indicates that psychological distress is a significant factor in problematic digital use, with autism-related traits having a lesser impact.

Limitations:

• The cross-sectional design does not establish causality. All measures were self-reported and lacked clinical diagnostic assessments. The sample was nonrepresentative, predominantly female, and drawn from Italian islands, which may limit generalizability.

Conclusion:

Future studies should utilize longitudinal designs to clarify the relationships among the variables and consider interventions focused on psychological distress.

Sources:

• PLOS Mental Health