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Does TikTok Addiction exist? A qualitative study
Pasquale Caponnetto1 ,
Ines Lanzafame1 ,
Graziella Chiara Prezzavento1 ,
Abdulnaser Fakhrou2 ,
Vittorio Lenzo1 ,
Alberto Sardella1 ,
Mahmoud Ali Moussa3 ,
Maria C. Quattropani1
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1
Department of Educational Sciences,
University of Catania
2
Department of Psychological Sciences,
Qatar University
3
Department of Educational Psychology,
Suez Canal University
HPR 2025 , 13(1), 1;
https://doi.org/10.52965/001c.127796
Submitted: 9 December 2024 | Accepted: 15 December 2024 |
© 2025 by the Author(s). Licensee Health Psychology Research, USA. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution -Noncommercial 4.0 International License (CC BY-NC 4.0) ( https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ )
Abstract
Background
Problematic TikTok Use (PTU) is a psychological condition marked by compulsive and excessive engagement with the app, often characterized by prolonged scrolling, content interaction, and seeking user feedback.
Methods
This qualitative study, conducted from February to March 2024, explored factors driving TikTok addiction, its consequences, and strategies for mitigation. Data were collected through in-depth interviews and surveys with 56 participants (23 men, 33 women).
Results
Thematic analysis identified key addiction-related factors, including excessive time spent on the app, emotional attachment, and cognitive rumination over viewed content. Women demonstrated a higher likelihood of developing PTU, particularly when using TikTok for over six hours daily and displaying significant emotional and cognitive ties to its content. Despite its addictive potential, participants acknowledged positive aspects of TikTok, such as its capacity to disseminate cultural, educational, and artistic content. However, negative effects, including procrastination, attention deficits, and exposure to harmful content, were also noted.
Conclusion
This study highlights the dual nature of TikTok’s impact, emphasizing the need for balanced use and targeted interventions to reduce addiction while leveraging its positive features.
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Conflict of interest
The authors declare no conflicts of interest.