Mobile Instant Messaging Uses and Technostress: A Qualitative Approach

Abstract

A growing number of people use mobile instant messaging (MIM) apps for a variety of purposes—most commonly related to social interaction, but also to coordinate work-related activities, fulfill informational needs, and discuss politics and public affairs. Despite its convenience for daily life, MIM may also act as an environmental antecedent of technostress due to users’ inability to cope with the demands of the app in a healthy manner. We conducted two qualitative studies (N1 = 26; N2 = 147) to examine why people use MIM apps in their daily life and if diverse uses relate to MIM stress differently. This research 1) develops a general catalogue of MIM uses; 2) suggests a four-dimensional construct of MIM technostress consisting of overload, ambiguity, invasion, and urgency; 3) outlines several differences across age groups and between genders; and 4) describes possible relationships between MIM uses and stress.