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Zaheer Hussain

Senior Lecturer

School of Social Sciences

Staff Group(s)
Psychology

Role

Dr Zaheer Hussain is a researcher and senior lecturer in psychology. He teaches on the undergraduate single and combined honours psychology degrees and the MSc in Cyberpsychology. His teaching and research interests cover cyberpsychology, social psychology, statistics, and research methods. He supervises undergraduate and postgraduate research projects. He is a member of the Online Behaviours Lab and an active researcher in the areas of addictive behaviours and technology use. He also works as a consultant and has worked with technology, media, and advertising companies including Facebook, Activation Media, and MTM. Dr. Hussain also acts as an expert advisor on health and technology for the UK Parliament.

Career overview

Dr Zaheer Hussain completed a MSc in Research Methods and a PhD in Psychology at the Nottingham Trent University. From 2010 to 2019 he was a Senior Lecturer in Psychology at the University of Derby, having previously held a teaching post at the Nottingham Trent International College and a Research Assistant post at the University of Paris Descartes.

Research areas

Dr Zaheer Hussain has a record of research on addictive behaviours with particular interests in Internet use, smartphone use, social networking site use, compulsive shopping, and binge TV series watching. He also has interests in statistics, data science, and psychopathology. He uses quantitative and qualitative methods and has extensive experience in research design, data analysis, statistical computing, and systematic reviews.

His work has been published in high impact journals such as Journal of Behavioral Addictions, Frontiers in Psychiatry, Behavioral Sciences, Addiction, Computers in Human Behavior, and BMC Psychology. He has also published book chapters, news, and blog articles. He regularly presents his research at national and international conferences. In 2015 he co-authored the first UK based study on smartphone addiction, in 2018 he was the lead author of the first review study examining problematic social networking site use and psychopathology. He is willing to supervise and collaborate on new research and consultancy projects.

Recent Publications

Ünübol, H., Sayar, G. H., Hussain, Z., Savci, M., Kircaburun, K., & Griffiths, M. D. (2024). Problematic social networking site use in Turkey: A large-scale national survey study. Journal of Concurrent Disorders. https://doi.org/10.54127/GMQZ8433

Mazaherizadeh, A., Taherifar, Z., Farahani, H., & Hussain, Z. (2024). Screened realities: a Grounded Theory exploration of gaming disorder dynamics among Iranian male adolescents. Frontiers in Psychiatry, 15, 1357211. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2024.1357211

Zhou, W., Yan, Z., Yang, Z., & Hussain, Z. (2023). Problematic social media use and mental health risks among first-year Chinese undergraduates: A three-wave longitudinal study. Frontiers in Psychiatry, 14. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2023.1237924

Hussain, Z., Ferreira, R., & Kuss, D. J. (2023). The feasibility of smartphone interventions to decrease problematic use of social networking sites: A randomised controlled trial. Psychiatry Research Communications, 3, 3, 100132. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psycom.2023.100132

Hussain, Z., Savci, M., Kircaburun, K., & Griffiths, M.D. (2023). Personality and Instagram use motives with problematic Instagram use among adolescents: A cross-sectional study. International Duzce Journal of Educational Sciences, 1, (1), 1-12. https://dergipark.org.tr/tr/pub/ijdes/issue/78139/1224608

Hussain, Z., Kircaburun, K., Savci, M., & Griffiths, M. D. (2023). The role of aggression in the association of cyberbullying victimization with cyberbullying perpetration and problematic social media use among adolescents. Journal of Concurrent Disorders. https://doi.org/10.54127/AOJW5819

Hamid, M.S., Abo Hamza, E., Hussain, Z., & AlAhmadi, A. (2022). The Association Between Internet Gaming Disorder and Sensation Seeking Among Arab Adolescents. Frontiers in Psychiatry, 1452. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2022.905553

Yang, Z., Yan, Z., & Hussain, Z. (2022). The relationships between smartphone distraction, problematic smartphone use and mental health issues amongst a Chinese sample. The Social Science Journal. https://doi.org/10.1080/03623319.2022.2066880

Hussain, Z., Wegmann, E. & Griffiths, M.D. (2021). The association between problematic social networking site use, dark triad traits, and emotion dysregulation. BMC Psychology 9, 160. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40359-021-00668-6

Hussain, Z., & Wegmann, E. (2021). Problematic social networking site use and associations with anxiety, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, and resilience. Computers in Human Behavior Reports, 100125. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chbr.2021.100125

Hussain, Z., & Starcevic, V. (2020). Problematic Social Networking Site Use: A Brief Review of Recent Research Methods and the Way Forward. Current Opinion in Psychology, 36, 89-95. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.copsyc.2020.05.007

External activity

Dr Zaheer Hussain regularly contributes to leading journals in his field as Associate Editor and Reviewer. He has engaged in reviewer work for the Journal of Behavioral Addictions, Addictive Behaviors, PlosOne, Preventive Medicine Reports, Psychiatry Research and the International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction. He has also acted as a reviewer for The Wellcome Trust, The Medical Research Council (MRC), and The Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC).

Affiliations

  • International Affiliate of the American Psychiatric Association
  • Member of the Cyberpsychology Research Group (Nottingham Trent University, UK)
  • Member of the International Gaming Research Unit (Nottingham Trent University, UK)
  • Member of the Online Behaviours Lab (Nottingham Trent University, UK)
  • Fellow of the Higher Education Academy
  • Member of The Centre for Psychological Research (The University of Derby, UK)

Sponsors and collaborators

Sponsors

  • Facebook
  • Activation Media Inc
  • UK Interactive Entertainment
  • Kick Starter Research Grant, Nottingham Trent University, UK
  • Humanities and Social Science Project Fund of the Ministry of Education, China
  • Teaching Informed by Research Grant, University of Derby, UK

Collaborators

  • Professor Jon Elhai (University of Toledo, USA)
  • Professor Christian Montag (Ulm University, Germany)
  • Professor Mark Griffiths (Nottingham Trent University, UK)
  • Dr Elisa Wegmann (University of Duisburg-Essen, Germany)
  • Dr Dmitri Rozgonjuk (Ulm University, Germany)
  • Dr Daria Kuss (Nottingham Trent University, UK)
  • Dr Haibo Yang (Tianjin Normal University, China)
  • Dr Dar Meshi (Michigan State University, USA)
  • Dr Zeyang Yang (Soochow University, China)
  • Professor David Sheffield (The University of Derby, UK)
  • Professor Miles Richardson (The University of Derby, UK)
  • Dr Shumaila Yousafzai (Cardiff University, UK)
  • Dr Simon Bignell (The University of Derby, UK)

Publications

Ünübol, H., Sayar, G. H., Hussain, Z., Savci, M., Kircaburun, K., & Griffiths, M. D. (2024). Problematic social networking site use in Turkey: A large-scale national survey study. Journal of Concurrent Disorders. https://doi.org/10.54127/GMQZ8433

Mazaherizadeh, A., Taherifar, Z., Farahani, H., & Hussain, Z. (2024). Screened realities: a Grounded Theory exploration of gaming disorder dynamics among Iranian male adolescents. Frontiers in Psychiatry, 15, 1357211. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2024.1357211

Zhou, W., Yan, Z., Yang, Z., & Hussain, Z. (2023). Problematic social media use and mental health risks among first-year Chinese undergraduates: A three-wave longitudinal study. Frontiers in Psychiatry, 14. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2023.1237924

Hussain, Z., Ferreira, R., & Kuss, D. J. (2023). The feasibility of smartphone interventions to decrease problematic use of social networking sites: A randomised controlled trial. Psychiatry Research Communications, 3, 3, 100132. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psycom.2023.100132

Hussain, Z., Savci, M., Kircaburun, K., & Griffiths, M.D. (2023). Personality and Instagram use motives with problematic Instagram use among adolescents: A cross-sectional study. International Duzce Journal of Educational Sciences, 1, (1), 1-12. https://dergipark.org.tr/tr/pub/ijdes/issue/78139/1224608

Hussain, Z., Kircaburun, K., Savci, M., & Griffiths, M. D. (2023). The role of aggression in the association of cyberbullying victimization with cyberbullying perpetration and problematic social media use among adolescents. Journal of Concurrent Disorders. https://doi.org/10.54127/AOJW5819

Hamid, M.S., Abo Hamza, E., Hussain, Z., & AlAhmadi, A. (2022). The Association Between Internet Gaming Disorder and Sensation Seeking Among Arab Adolescents. Frontiers in Psychiatry, 1452. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2022.905553

Yang, Z., Yan, Z., & Hussain, Z. (2022). The relationships between smartphone distraction, problematic smartphone use and mental health issues amongst a Chinese sample. The Social Science Journal. https://doi.org/10.1080/03623319.2022.2066880

Hussain, Z., Wegmann, E. & Griffiths, M.D. (2021). The association between problematic social networking site use, dark triad traits, and emotion dysregulation. BMC Psychology 9, 160. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40359-021-00668-6

Hussain, Z., & Wegmann, E. (2021). Problematic social networking site use and associations with anxiety, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, and resilience. Computers in Human Behavior Reports, 100125. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chbr.2021.100125

Hussain, Z., & Starcevic, V. (2020). Problematic Social Networking Site Use: A Brief Review of Recent Research Methods and the Way Forward. Current Opinion in Psychology, 36, 89-95. doi:10.1016/j.copsyc.2020.05.007

Hussain, Z., Wegmann, E., Yang, H., & Montag, C. (2020). Social Networks Use Disorder and Associations with Depression and Anxiety Symptoms: A Systematic Review of Recent Research in China. Frontiers in Psychology, 11, 211. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2020.00211

Hussain, Z. & Griffiths, M.D. (2019). The Associations between Problematic Social Networking Site Use, and Sleep Quality, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, Depression, Anxiety, and Stress. International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction. doi: 10.1007/s11469-019-00175-1

Malik, A., Hiekkanen, K., Hussain, Z., Hamari, J., & Johri, A. (2019). How players across gender and age experience Pokémon Go? Universal Access in the Information Society, 1-14. doi: 10.1007/s10209-019-00694-7

McGivern, P., Hussain, Z., Lipka, S., & Stupple, E. (2019). The impact of pop-up warning messages of losses on expenditure in a simulated game of online roulette: a pilot study. BMC Public Health, 19:822. doi: 10.1186/s12889-019-7191-5

Hussain, Z. & Pontes, H.M. (2019). Personality, Internet Addiction, and Other Technological Addictions: An Update of the Research Literature. In B. Bozoglan (Ed.), Multifaceted Approach to Digital Addiction and Its Treatment (pp. 46-72). Hershey, PA: IGI Global. doi: 10.4018/978-1-5225-8449-0.ch003

Hussain, Z., Simonovic, B., Stupple, E.J.N., & Austin, M. (2019). Using Eye Tracking to Explore Facebook Use and Associations with Facebook Addiction, Mental Well-being, and Personality. Behavioural Sciences, 9(2), 19. doi: 10.3390/bs9020019

Hussain, Z., & Griffiths, M. D. (2018). Problematic Social Networking Site Use and Comorbid Psychiatric Disorders: A Systematic Review of Recent Large-Scale Studies. Frontiers in Psychiatry, 9, 686. doi: 10.3389/fpsyt.2018.00686

Giagkou, S., Hussain, Z., & Pontes, H. M. (2018). Exploring the interplay between passive following on Facebook, fear of missing out, self-esteem, social comparison, age, and life satisfaction in a community-based sample. International Journal of Psychology & Behavior Analysis, 4:149. doi: 10.15344/2455-3867/2018/149

Mitchell, L. & Hussain, Z. (2018). Predictors of Problematic Smartphone Use: An Examination of the Integrative Pathways Model and the Role of Age, Gender, Impulsiveness, Excessive Reassurance Seeking, Extraversion, and Depression. Behavioral Sciences, 8(8), 74, 1-13. doi:10.3390/bs8080074

King, D. L. & Gaming Industry Response Consortium. (2018). Comment on the global gaming industry’s statement on ICD-11 gaming disorder: A corporate strategy to disregard harm and deflect social responsibility? Addiction. Doi: 10.1111/add.14388

Richardson, M., Hussain, Z., & Griffiths, M. D. (2018). Problematic smartphone use, nature connectedness, and anxiety. Journal of Behavioral Addictions, 7(1), 109-116. doi: 10.1556/2006.7.2018.10

Hussain, Z. & Pontes, H. (2017). Personality, Internet Addiction, and other Technological Addictions. In: Bozoglan, B., (2017). Psychological, Social, and Cultural Aspects of Internet Addiction. Pennsylvania: IGI Global

Hussain, Z., Griffiths, M.D., & Sheffield, D. (2017). An investigation into Problematic Smartphone Use: The role of narcissism, anxiety, and personality factors. Journal of Behavioral Addictions, 6 (3), 378-386. doi: 10.1556/2006.6.2017.052

O’Sullivan, A. & Hussain, Z. (2017). An Exploratory Study of Facebook Intensity and its links to Narcissism, Stress, and Self-Esteem. Journal of Addictive Behaviors, Therapy & Rehabilitation, 6:1. doi: 10.4172/2324-9005.1000161

Aarseth, E., Bean, A. M., Boonen, H., Colder Carras, M., Coulson, M., Das, D., ... & Haagsma, M. C. (2016). Scholars’ open debate paper on the World Health Organization ICD-11 Gaming Disorder proposal. Journal of Behavioral Addictions, (0), 1-4

Pearson, C., & Hussain, Z. (2016). Smartphone use, addiction, narcissism, and personality: A mixed methods investigation. Gaming and Technology Addiction: Breakthroughs in Research and Practice: Breakthroughs in Research and Practice, 2, 212-227

Pearson, C. & Hussain, Z. (2016). Smartphone Addiction and Associated Psychological Factors. Addicta: The Turkish Journal on Addictions, 3(2), 1-15

Hussain, Z. & Griffiths, M.D. (2015). A qualitative analysis of online gaming: Social interaction, community and game design. In: Gamification: Concepts, Methodologies, Tools, and Applications (pp.296-313). Pennsylvania: IGI Global

Hussain, Z., Williams, G.A. & Griffiths, M.D. (2015).An Exploratory Study of the Association between Online Gaming Addiction and Enjoyment Motivations for Playing Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Games. Computers in Human Behavior, 50, 221-230

See all of Zaheer Hussain's publications...

Press expertise

  • Social networking site use
  • Smartphone use
  • Addictive behaviours/behavioural addictions
  • Online behaviour
  • Psychopathology