Turning tension into action Coping with ambivalence in mHealth
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2025-06-24
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en
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The increasing use of mHealth (mobile health) applications uncovers new challenges for understanding how user respond to emotional experiences in technology use. This study investigated how ambivalence influences coping strategies in the context of mHealth, focusing on the tendency to cope in a confrontative way. Additionally, the moderating role of the personality trait extraversion is examined. Constructs were measured through an experimental design in which participants were exposed to one of three conditions (ambivalent, negative or neutral) and reported on their coping responses and level of extraversion. While extraversion showed a significant positive effect on confrontative, no significant differences were found between the experimental conditions. This indicates that ambivalence does not trigger a stronger confrontative coping response in comparison to the other emotional states when using mHealth. However, significantly less avoidance coping was reported in the ambivalent condition than compared to other conditions. Furthermore, extraversion did not moderate the relationship between the conditions and coping. These findings contribute to theory by highlighting the behavioral impact of ambivalence in mHealth use and role of extraversion in coping response. Practical implications suggest that segmentation and personalization may improve user engagement in mHealth, while ambivalence on itself may not trigger user action. Limitations and directions for future research are discussed.
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Faculteit der Managementwetenschappen