Is mindful screen time a resilience factor for screen-related experiences of psychological needs and well-being?

We examined the measurement of mindful screen time and whether it moderated links between screen-related psychological needs (satisfaction and frustration) and well-being. University students (N = 770, Mage = 19.96) completed a questionnaire online. A unidimensional structure of mindful screen time had an adequate fit (CFI = 0.97, RMSEA = 0.08) and composite reliability (0.79). Correlations between mindful screen time and well-being (rs = |0.08-0.26|) showed evidence of validity based on relations to other variables. Path analysis indicated two of the eight moderated associations were statistically significant but counter to hypotheses: higher mindful screen time increased the negative influence of need frustration on negative affect and diminished the positive influence of need satisfaction on flourishing. Screen-related psychological need satisfaction and frustration were key factors influencing well-being. Effect sizes were small-to-moderate (R2 = 0.21-0.48). Overall, we found that that mindful screen time is not a robust moderator. More research is needed to better understand the role of mindful screen time on well-being.