"I am not a gadget": A grounded theory on unplugging

Technology has become a pervasive and indispensable part of our lives over the past few decades. Researchers have begun examining the impacts that technology has on individuals as well as on relationships. The purpose of the present study was to explore the impacts that “unplugging,” or disconnecting from certain types of technology or digital media, would have on individuals and their individual and interpersonal well-being. Using 31 publicly shared stories on blogs, websites, and news articles, the author presents a theoretical model derived through grounded theory methodology. The thematic codes, as well as domains comprising those codes, are presented in a visual format. Future research and clinical implications are discussed.