Neither 1, nor 3, are 7! Analysis of technostress profiles in university students through a mixed method

Jonathan Peñalver; Mercedes Ventura; Alba Juan-Alemany; Mabel San Román-Niaves

doi:10.24310/ijtei.112.2025.21414

Authors

Jonathan Peñalver Equipo de investigación WANT, Universitat Jaume I, Spain https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1339-7484
Mercedes Ventura Universitat Jaume I, Spain https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5949-7144
Alba Juan-Alemany Universitat Jaume I, Spain
Mabel San Román-Niaves Alma Mater Studiorum-Università di Bologna, Italy https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3550-9088

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.24310/ijtei.112.2025.21414

Keywords:

Technostress, university students, profiles, mixed methods research, student burnout

Abstract

While technostress can affect anyone who uses ICTs (including employees and students) individuals experience it differently through anxiety, fatigue, addiction. This study aims to advance technostress research among students by identifying distinct profiles and examining differences between them through a mixed-method approach. The sample consisted of 224 university students (68.5% female) from different Spanish universities. Our findings revealed seven technostress profiles: Profile 1, Techno-anxious, Profile 2, Techno-fatigued, Profile 3, Techno-addicted, Profile 4, Techno-anxious-fatigued, Profile 5, Techno-anxious-addicted, Profile 6, Techno-fatigued-addicted, Profile 7, Techno-anxious-fatigued-addicted. Although student burnout did not significantly differentiate between profiles, qualitative analysis showed that insufficient digital competencies and information overload contributed to increased anxiety and technology resistance. Furthermore, prolonged screen exposure without adequate management led to mental and visual fatigue. These results highlight the need for targeted interventions to enhance digital literacy and promote healthier technology use habits. Our findings have important theoretical implications for understanding technostress complexity and practical applications for developing more precise diagnostic tools and personalized support strategies.

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