The Impact of Text Syndrome on Daily Interpersonal

Communication and Psychology

Nieyu Xia

Cardiff and Vale College Changzhou, 213100, Changzhou, China

Keywords: Text Syndrome, Interpersonal Communication.

Abstract: The purpose of this article is to delve into the phenomenon of Text Syndrome, and how it affects interpersonal

communication and psychological states in our daily lives via elucidating the definition of Text Syndrome,

explaining its meaning, and detailing its various manifestations. Subsequently, it analyzes the demerits of

Text Syndrome on communication efficiency, exploring the hindrance in emotional expressions and obstacles

in establishing and maintaining interpersonal relationships. Additionally, the article discusses psychological

issues Text Syndrome may trigger, including anxiety, depression, and cognitive biases, revealing their

psychological mechanisms and influence pathways. Finally, the article explores strategies and

recommendations for addressing the challenges posed by Text Syndrome in the context of the information

age, which aim to help people mitigate the ad-verse effects of Text Syndrome, promote personal mental health,

and enhance interpersonal communication. The ultimate goal of the article is to assist everyone in maintaining

positive mental health and relationships.

1 INTRODUCTION

In today’s highly developed digital age, text has

become one of the primary carriers of in-formation

exchange, with its usage frequency and importance

reaching unprecedented heights. People

communicate, express emotions, and convey

information through text-based platforms such as text

messages, social media, and email (Smith & L. A.,

2021). However, with the excessive reliance on these

text-based communication methods, a series of

problems have emerged. Among these, the

phenomenon of “text syndrome” has gradually come

to light, becoming a significant factor affecting

people’s daily interpersonal interactions and mental

health.

The so-called text syndrome refers to a series of

abnormal behaviors and psychological reactions that

individuals experience due to the excessive use of text

in communication over a long period (Kaur & P. R.,

2022). These reactions not only severely disrupt their

normal interpersonal communication but also

negatively impact their psychological state.

Therefore, in-depth research into the impact of text

syndrome is of great practical significance for

improving people’s quality of life, promoting mental

health, and optimizing interpersonal communication.

2 MANIFESTATIONS OF TEXT

SYNDROME

2.1 Anxiety in Verbal Expression

In today’s society, an increasing number of people are

suffering from a psychological phenomenon known

as Text Syndrome, which causes them extreme

anxiety and discom-fort when faced with situations

where they need to express their thoughts and

emotions through text. For example, when writing an

important work email, replying to a complex

message, or leaving comments on social media

platforms, these individuals with Text Syn-drome

will carefully choose every word and punctuation

mark (Shimizu & H. E., 2020). Their deep-seated

concern is that their written expression may not be

precise enough or fail to meet the perfect standard

they strive for, potentially leading to

misunderstandings or negative evaluations from

others.

This anxiety about verbal expression often leads

them to invest a significant amount of time in editing

and revising their texts. In some cases, this anxiety

can be so intense that it makes them abandon

expressing their thoughts and feelings. They may

constantly check and modify their words until every

Xia, N.

The Impact of Text Syndrome on Daily Interpersonal Communication and Psychology.

DOI: 10.5220/0014279500004942

Paper published under CC license (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0)

In Proceedings of the 2nd International Conference on Applied Psychology and Marketing Management (APMM 2025), pages 725-731

ISBN: 978-989-758-791-7

725

detail meets the high standards, they have set for

them-selves. This excessive worry and relentless

pursuit of perfection not only severely affect their

communication efficiency but can also adversely

impact their mental health, potentially leading to

other related psychological issues.

2.2 Difficulties in Text Comprehension

Patients with this syndrome often encounter

difficulties in interpreting others’ text messages. They

may overinterpret the literal meaning of the text or

struggle to grasp the emotions and intentions hidden

behind it. For example, when they receive a simple

greeting message, they may repeatedly ponder

whether the message contains a deeper meaning, and

this excessive thinking often leads them into

unnecessary confusion and distress.

In addition, these patients have significantly lower

comprehension abilities when com-pared to the

general population when facing more complex textual

content in professional literature and literary works,

such as metaphors and symbolic techniques (Tang &

Y. W., 2019). This understanding barrier to some

extent affects their efficiency in acquiring knowledge

and information. They may encounter numerous

obstacles when reading these complex texts,

struggling to grasp the authors’ true intentions, and

may even fail to under-stand the humor or satire in

certain segments, leading to communication and

comprehension barriers. This phenomenon can

impact academic exchanges, work reports, and daily

interactions, placing them at a disadvantage in social

interactions.

2.3 Text-Dependent Addiction

Over-reliance on textual communication is a

prominent manifestation of text syndrome. In our

daily lives, individuals suffering from this syndrome

tend to use textual forms for al-most all of their

communication. Even in face-to-face situations they

frequently use mobile phones and other electronic

devices for textual communication (Foster & T. J.,

2021). They believe that using text allows them to

better organize their thoughts and avoid the

awkwardness and nervousness that may arise during

face-to-face interactions.

However, this excessive reliance on written

communication leads to a gradual loss of some oral

expression and non-verbal communication skills,

which further exacerbates barriers in interpersonal

communication. Patients with Syntactic Syndrome

often appear more restrained and uncomfortable in

social situations. They may excel in written

communication but struggle to express emotions and

intentions through body language, facial expressions,

and changes in tone in real-life situations. This

singular mode of communication not only limits their

social circles but may also hinder their career

development, as many workplaces require good oral

communication and teamwork skills.

3 THE IMPACT OF TEXT

SYNDROME IN

INTERPERSONAL

COMMUNICATION

3.1 Reduce Communication Efficiency

In face-to-face communication, individuals have the

opportunity to harness the full spectrum of linguistic

richness, subtle shifts in tone, expressive facial

gestures, and a variety of body movements to convey

information swiftly and express emotions effectively,

thereby achieving a level of communication

efficiency that is often unmatched by other forms of

interaction. However, for those individuals who are

afflicted with what can be termed 'text syndrome',

there is a tendency to overly depend on written text as

their primary means of communication (Kumar & N.

A., 2020). This overreliance on text-based interaction

often results in them dedicating a considerable

amount of time and energy to the meticulous editing

and sending of messages, which can be both time-

consuming and labor intensive.

Moreover, the recipient of a text message may

experience delays and misinterpretations when

attempting to decipher these textual communications.

For instance, when addressing urgent matters during

emergencies, depending solely on text messages for

communication can lead to a lack of timely

information transfer, thus hindering the swift and

effective resolution of problems (Zhang & X. L.,

2023). This scenario will undoubtedly have a

significant negative impact on the efficiency and

effectiveness of the communication process.

Additionally, the nuances of human emotion and

the subtleties of context can be lost in text-based

communication, which may lead to

misunderstandings and a lack of connection that

would otherwise be easily conveyed through face-to-

face interaction. The absence of immediate feedback

and the inability to read body language can also

contribute to a communication gap, making it

challenging to build rapport and trust (Wilhelm & J.

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A., 2019). Consequently, while text communication

offers convenience and the ability to reach a wide

audience, it is essential to recognize its limitations

and strive for a balanced approach that incorporates

the benefits of both face-to-face and text-based

communication.

3.2 Emotional Expression Is Blocked

In the process of interpersonal communication,

emotional expression plays a crucial role. It not only

helps us better understand each other but also deepens

our connections. How-ever, as a tool for conveying

emotions, the text has its inherent limitations (Li & A.

P., 2021). Those so-called "text syndrome" sufferers,

often encounter insurmountable obstacles when

attempting to express their emotions through this

medium.

These obstacles make their expressions appear

stiff and lack warmth, unable to convey emotional

states vividly and intuitively as they would in face-to-

face communication. For example, when they attempt

to express complex and subtle emotions such as love,

apology, or gratitude, words alone often fail to

adequately convey the depth and sincerity of their

inner feelings (Alvarado & E. G., 2022). This

deficiency in expression can easily lead to

misunderstandings by the recipient, who might

perceive that the writer’s attitude is not sincere

enough, thereby affecting the intimacy of the

relationship (Justin, 2016).

Moreover, the absence of non-verbal cues such as

tone of voice, facial expressions, and body language,

which are essential in conveying emotions, makes it

even more challenging for text-based communication

to accurately reflect the emotional intent. This can

result in a significant gap between the message sent

and the message received, potentially causing

confusion and misinterpretation of the emotional

content (Nicos, 2017).

Additionally, the lack of immediate feedback in

text communication can exacerbate the issue. In a

face-to-face conversation, immediate reactions and

clarifications can be made to ensure that the

emotional message is correctly understood. However,

in text-based communication, the absence of such

immediate feedback can lead to prolonged

misunderstandings and emotional disconnects, as the

sender may not be aware of the misinterpretation until

much later, if at all (Gao & Lee, 2018).

3.3 The Influence on the Establishment

and Maintenance of Interpersonal

Relationships

In the initial stage of interpersonal interaction, a

positive and good first impression plays a crucial role

as it usually lays a positive foundation for the

interaction between both parties. For those who suffer

from dysarthria, their inefficiency in verbal

expression or overly cautious attitude may

inadvertently convey signals of indifference,

inarticulateness, or unapproachability, which

undoubtedly poses certain obstacles to their process

of establishing relationships with others (Yi & Gyun,

2019).

When individuals with dyslexia attempt to

establish connections with others due to the

limitations of written communication, they may

struggle to accurately convey their emotions and

intentions which to some extent affects the quality of

their communication with others. The limitation of

written communication lies in its inability to convey

nuances of speech and non-verbal information such

as facial expressions that can be transmitted through

face-to-face interaction which may lead to

misunderstandings and conflicts be-tween the parties

involved.

In the long-term maintenance of interpersonal

relationships, the limitations of textual

communication cannot be ignored (Smith & Johnson,

2016). Due to the lack of non-verbal information such

as voice and facial expressions in text,

misunderstandings and conflicts may gradually arise

between both parties. For example, inappropriate

choice of tone in text may lead to unnecessary

arguments, while untimely responses may make the

other party feel ignored or undervalued. These

situations can damage the originally stable intimate

relationship and may even lead to relationship

breakdowns (Brown & White, 2017). Therefore, for

individuals suffering from text syndrome, learning

how to communicate effectively through text and

supplementing other communication methods when

necessary is an important task to improve

interpersonal relationships and avoid the

accumulation of misunderstandings and conflicts

(Thompson & Lee, 2018).

The Impact of Text Syndrome on Daily Interpersonal Communication and Psychology

727

4 THE INFLUENCE OF TEXT

SYNDROME ON

PSYCHOLOGY

4.1 Causes Anxiety and Depression the

Influence on the Establishment and

Maintenance of Interpersonal

Relationships

As one of the core manifestations of text

syndrome, text expression anxiety continuously

increases the psychological pressure on patients. This

phenomenon is not limited to specific situations or

contexts but permeates their daily lives. Patients find

themselves unable to escape this anxiety in various

text communication settings, whether written or

electronic. This makes them prone to developing

anxiety disorders and depression, becoming a heavy

burden on their mental health. They experience

severe self-doubt about their text expression abilities,

which seeps into every aspect of their lives, affecting

their confidence in their capabilities. The fear of

being criticized or ridiculed for text errors makes

them feel tense and uneasy during any form of text

communication. This negative psychological

expectation traps them in persistent anxiety and

depression, making it difficult for them to extricate

themselves. Prolonged exposure to this state not only

impacts daily life but also severely hinders the normal

development of their mental health.

4.2 Causing Inferiority Complex

Due to the frequent challenges and obstacles that are

commonly encountered in text-based interactions,

such as difficulties in clearly expressing oneself,

comprehension issues, and communication barriers,

individuals who are affected by what is commonly

referred to as text syndrome often experience feelings

of inferiority concerning their communication

abilities. They might mistakenly attribute their

struggles and failures in text-based communication to

intellectual or capability shortcomings, which in turn

can cause them to be-come increasingly introverted

and lack confidence in social settings. This persistent

sense of inferiority does not only influence their

effectiveness and performance in text-based

communication scenarios but also gradually seeps

into other areas of their lives, significantly affecting

their overall self-image and self-esteem. The

challenges of text-based communication can be

daunting, and when individuals face repeated

difficulties in conveying their thoughts and

understanding others, it can lead to a deep-seated

belief that they are not as capable as their peers. This

belief can manifest in various ways, such as avoiding

text-based interactions altogether or engaging in them

with a heightened sense of anxiety. Over time, this

can lead to a vicious cycle where the more they avoid

or struggle with text-based communication, the more

their self-confidence erodes, not just in their ability to

communicate effectively in writing, but in their

overall capacity to engage with the world. This can

have far-reaching consequences, affecting their

professional life, per-sonal relationships, and even

their mental health, as the fear of not being able to

communicate effectively can become a significant

source of stress and anxiety.

4.3 Cognitive Bias

Patients with long-term immersion in text syndrome

may gradually form a series of cognitive biases,

which are mainly reflected in their preferences for

communication methods. They tend to

overemphasize text-based communication methods,

believing that this is the only accurate way to express

their thoughts and emotions. At the same time, they

may overlook or underestimate the importance of

verbal communication and non-verbal

communication. In face-to-face interactions, people

can convey and understand emotions through non-

verbal cues such as body language, facial expressions,

and tone of voice, but patients with long-term text

syndrome may ignore these rich emotional cues and

information transmission methods. This cognitive

bias not only limits their social interaction scope but

may also hinder their development of social skills,

leading to more difficulties in interpersonal

interactions. More seriously, this reliance on text-

based communication methods can create a vicious

cycle. The more patients rely on text, the harder it is

for them to escape the negative impacts of text

syndrome, thereby making their psychological

problems increasingly severe.

5 ANALYSIS OF THE CAUSES

OF TEXT SYNDROME

5.1 The Influence of the Information

Age

With the rapid development of information

technology, people’s lifestyles are undergoing

unprecedented changes. Nowadays, people born in

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the 21st century are increasingly reliant on various

electronic devices and the transmission of textual

information, which have almost become

indispensable parts of our daily lives. The widespread

popularity of social media and instant messaging

tools has led to people being exposed to massive

amounts of textual information every day. In virtual

social environments, people have gradually be-come

accustomed to expressing their emotions, thoughts,

and needs through text. This lifestyle of being

immersed in text-based communication environments

not only significantly enhances people’s sensitivity

and comprehension of textual information but may al-

so bring about some potential risks. One issue that

cannot be overlooked is the emergence of Text

Syndrome. Text Syndrome refers to the condition

where individuals, due to pro-longed over-reliance on

text-based communication, neglect the importance of

face-to-face interaction, leading to a series of

problems in social skills, emotional expression, and

mental health.

5.2 Increased Social Pressure

In a rapidly developing society, the interpersonal

relationships between people have be-come

increasingly intricate, facing pressures from different

domains such as work, family, and social circles,

individuals often find it difficult to cope. In this

context, people begin to pay more attention to their

behavior and external image in social situations,

fearing that their careless words or actions might

offend others or lead to negative evaluations and

misunderstandings. Text-based communication

methods, such as emails, instant messages, and social

media, provide a relatively safe communication

environment because they al-low people more time to

think and deliberate on their words, thus avoiding the

potential awkwardness and misunderstandings that

may arise during face-to-face interactions. How-ever,

if people overly rely on this seemingly risk-free

communication method, they may gradually lose the

ability and courage for face-to-face communication,

leading to what is known as "text syndrome." This

syndrome manifests as an excessive dependence on

text-based communication, fear of direct dialogue,

and even extreme anxiety and unease when face-to-

face interactions are necessary. Over time, this not

only exacerbates personal social anxiety and

psychological burdens but can also impact the

establishment and maintenance of interpersonal

relationships, ultimately forming a vicious cycle.

5.3 Personal Character Factors

The author finds that individuals who are introverted

emotionally sensitive and perfectionistic are often

more susceptible to the effects of text syndrome.

Introverted individuals tend to be more passive in

face-to-face interpersonal communication preferring

to express their thoughts and feelings through writing

which is an indirect means of communication. Due to

their inability to engage in direct verbal exchanges

writing becomes their primary tool for

communication. On the other hand, emotionally

sensitive individuals are exceptionally sensitive to

others’ evaluations and feedback often overly

concerned about how others perceive their written

expressions which makes them feel more nervous and

anxious when writing. Moreover, those who strive for

perfection often have extremely high standards for

their writing allowing no room for errors or flaws.

This relentless pursuit of perfection not only imposes

significant psychological pressure on them in written

communication but also significantly increases their

risk of developing text syndrome. Text syndrome is a

psychological state associated with excessive use of

written communication which can lead to symptoms

such as excessive anxiety compulsive checking and

revising of text and persistent worry about written

expression in individuals during written

communication.

6 ANALYSIS OF THE CAUSES

OF TEXT SYNDROME

6.1 Balance Text with Other

Communication Methods

To promote social skills in daily life, the author

encourages everyone to actively seek opportunities to

increase face-to-face communication and verbal

expression. This not only helps reduce over-reliance

on written communication but also significantly

enhances per-sonal social interaction abilities. For

example, people can join various social activities,

participate in team projects, or join interest groups to

engage in direct interaction and communication with

others. Such practices help improve verbal expression

skills while also enhancing non-verbal

communication abilities, such as the use of body

language and facial expressions. Additionally, when

using written communication in daily life, everyone

should be aware of its limitations, such as the inability

to convey subtle nuances like tone and emotion.

The Impact of Text Syndrome on Daily Interpersonal Communication and Psychology

729

Therefore, it is recommended to appropriately

combine multimedia communication methods like

voice calls and video chats whenever possible,

making communication more vivid, intuitive, and

multi-dimensional. Through such integrated

communication methods, individuals can effectively

reduce the negative impacts of the so-called "text

syndrome," which can result from excessive reliance

on written communication leading to

misunderstandings and communication barriers.

6.2 Improve the Ability to Express and

Understand Text

By reading various types of books and articles and

engaging in writing exercises you can significantly

improve your text expression and comprehension

skills thereby enhancing your confidence. Choose

some classic literary works for in-depth reading and

learn the expression techniques and rhetorical skills

of famous authors which will have a positive impact

on your writing. At the same time by consistently

keeping a diary writing blogs or participating in

online forum discussions you can hone your text

organization and expression skills. Additionally

attending some language training courses or writing

workshops can provide you with professional

guidance and feedback which not only helps improve

your writing skills but also enhances your ability to

communicate especially for those suffering from text

syndrome such activities can significantly boost

communication skills.

6.3 Adjust Your Mindset and Reduce

Social Pressure

To help individuals who feel uncomfortable or

hindered in social situations it is important to make

them understand that making mistakes and showing

imperfections during social interactions are entirely

normal. They should not impose excessively high

standards and expectations on their written

communication performance. By providing

psychological counseling guiding them through

meditation and relaxation training these methods can

help alleviate their social anxiety and stress. These

approaches contribute to changing their mindset of

over-focusing on others’ evaluations. Furthermore,

encouraging these patients to establish a positive self-

awareness and recognizing that their worth is not

solely deter-mined by their ability to communicate in

writing is crucial. Through this understanding, they

can reduce the psychological burden caused by

writing disorders and face various challenges in

interpersonal communication more confidently and

calmly.

7 CONCLUSION

Nowadays, textual communication has become an

indispensable part of individuals’ daily lives.

However, an abnormal phenomenon known as ——

Text Syndrome has emerged, which has had a

profound negative impact on people’s daily

interpersonal communication and psychological state.

This syndrome not only reduces the efficiency of

communication, making information transmission

less direct and clear but also hinders the free

expression of emotions, making emotional exchanges

between people rigid and mechanical. Moreover,

Text Syndrome adversely affects the establishment

and maintenance of interpersonal relationships,

making it more difficult for people to establish new

social connections and maintain existing ones. It can

also trigger a series of psychological issues such as

anxiety, depression, low self-esteem, and cognitive

biases, all of which pose threats to an individual’s

mental health.

The causes of Text Syndrome are multifaceted,

and closely linked to the characteristics of the

information age, increased social pressures, and

individual personality factors. The characteristics of

the information age, such as the surge in information

volume and the di-versification of communication

methods, make people feel immense pressure when

pro-cessing large amounts of information, which may

lead to a tendency to avoid real-life communication.

The increase in social pressures, such as intense work

competition and accelerated life rhythms, also makes

people more inclined to use text communication to

save time. Still, this approach often overlooks the

decline in communication quality. Individual

personality factors, such as introversion, shyness, or

social anxiety, may also lead individuals to prefer

using text communication, thereby increasing the risk

of Text Syn-drome.

To address the challenges posed by text syndrome,

the public can adopt a series of strategies to mitigate

its adverse effects. Firstly, balancing communication

methods is crucial, which means using text for

communication while also emphasizing direct face-

to-face interaction to maintain the diversity and

effectiveness of communication. Secondly,

enhancing writing skills is also essential, this includes

learning how to use words more accurately and

effectively to express one’s thoughts and emotions.

Additionally, adjusting one’s mindset and learning to

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choose the most appropriate communication method

in different situations is also a key strategy for coping

with text syndrome. Through these methods,

individuals can restore healthy interpersonal

communication patterns and psychological states,

thereby better adapting to the demands of the

information age.

In future research, it is essential to further explore

the pathogenesis and intervention measures of text

syndrome. This will help us gain a deeper

understanding of the essence of text syndrome,

thereby developing more effective preventive and

therapeutic strategies. Through these studies, people

can better meet their mental health needs in the

information age, establish and maintain healthy

interpersonal relationships, and promote harmonious

social development.

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