Effects of Internet and Smartphone Addictions on Depression and Anxiety Based on Propensity Score Matching Analysis

Exploring the impact of smartphone addiction on mental health among college students during the COVID-19 pandemic: The role of resilience and parental attachment

Smartphone addiction is an increasingly severe issue in modern society, particularly impacting the mental health of college students during the COVID-19 pandemic. This study aims to explore the relationship between smartphone addiction and mental health issues among college students, and the mediating and moderating roles of psychological resilience and parental attachment. We employed a cross-sectional study design with 100,097 college Chinese students to examine the relationships between smartphone addiction, mental health (anxiety and depression), and the mediating role of psychological resilience. Parental attachment was assessed as a moderator within these relationships. Data were analyzed using multiple regression and mediation/moderation models, controlling for relevant covariates. Our findings revealed a significant positive correlation between smartphone addiction and both anxiety and depression. Psychological resilience mediated these relationships, suggesting that higher resilience levels can mitigate the negative psychological impacts of smartphone addiction. Additionally, parental attachment moderated the effects of smartphone addiction on psychological outcomes; stronger attachment was associated with less pronounced effects of addiction on anxiety and depression. Specifically, for students with low parental attachment, the predictive effect of smartphone addiction on anxiety and depression was more pronounced, whereas higher attachment levels were protective.

Examining Self-Regulation and Problematic Smartphone Use in Canadian Adolescents: A Parallel Latent Growth Modeling Approach

Despite extensive research on the prevalence and mental health implications of problematic smartphone use in adolescents, the cognitive mechanisms underpinning its development, such as self-regulation, remain underexplored. This study aims to fill this research gap by investigating the developmental trajectories of self-regulation and problematic smartphone use among Canadian adolescents. Participants (N = 1303; 614 girls; Mage = 14.60 years, SD = 1.16 years) attended one of five public high schools in Southern British Columbia. Adolescents self-reported their self-regulation skills, as well as problematic smartphone use annually for three years. In line with developmental expectations, results indicated that both self-regulation and problematic smartphone use increased across the three years. Parallel latent growth models revealed significant intercept and positive slope differences for self-regulation and problematic smartphone use, showing that higher initial self-regulation predicted lower initial problematic smartphone use, and vice versa. Girls exhibited higher initial levels of problematic smartphone use, but gender differences in developmental trajectories were not observed. These findings emphasize the importance of early self-regulation skills in preventing the escalation of problematic smartphone use in adolescents, providing evidence-based insights for developing targeted interventions.

Enhancing response inhibition behavior through tDCS intervention in college students with smartphone addiction

Smartphone addiction, emerging from excessive use of smartphones, poses a challenge to inhibitory control functions within society. This research employed transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) as an intervention alongside the stop signal task (SST) to explore behavioral distinctions between individuals with smartphone addiction and a non-addicted control group, focusing on the efficacy of tDCS intervention. The participant cohort comprised 80 individuals, divided into an addiction group (39 participants, with 19 receiving active tDCS and 20 receiving sham tDCS) and a control group (41 participants, with 20 receiving active tDCS and 21 receiving sham tDCS), with anodal stimulation applied over the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC) and cathodal placement over the left arm. The findings indicate that university students struggling with smartphone addiction exhibit reduced inhibitory control compared to their non-addicted peers, while maintaining similar levels of general cognitive control. Remarkably, tDCS interventions were observed to enhance inhibitory control in both groups. Although the improvement in the addiction group appeared more pronounced numerically than in the control group, no significant interaction with group was noted. However, a higher percentage of participants in the smartphone addiction (SA) group exhibited enhanced response inhibition under active tDCS. This study demonstrates the inhibitory control deficits in individuals addicted to smartphones and underscores the potential of tDCS in enhancing response inhibition. It provides a valuable reference for future tDCS research targeting smartphone addiction and highlights the importance of developing healthier smartphone usage habits.

Examining the influence of problematic internet use on sleep quality in Chinese adolescents: a study using the extended Stressor-Strain-Outcome (SSO) model

Objective

This study aims to explore how problematic internet use may affect the sleep quality of Chinese adolescents using the extended Stressor-Strain-Outcome (SSO) model. The model posits that stressors indirectly influence behavioral outcomes through the mediation of emotional and physiological strain responses.

Method

A sample of 4,365 adolescents in China participated in this study, which utilized questionnaires and other methods to develop a novel SSO model. In this model, problematic internet use was considered as the stressor, anxiety as an indicator of tension, and sleep quality as the ultimate outcome. Family health was introduced as a moderating variable.

Results

The study found that problematic internet use can significantly and positively predict adolescents' anxiety (β = 0.132, p < 0.001) and sleep quality (β = 0.362, p < 0.001). Furthermore, anxiety was identified as a significant mediating factor between problematic internet use and sleep quality [Effect = 0.066, p < 0.05, 95% CI (0.014, -0.0018)]. Family health was observed to have a moderating effect on the relationship between problematic internet use and anxiety (β = -0.075, p < 0.001).

Conclusion

The research indicates that problematic internet use not only directly increases individual anxiety as a stressor but also indirectly impacts sleep quality by exacerbating anxiety. However, a positive family health status can effectively moderate the adverse impact of problematic internet use on anxiety.

Exploring the impact of smartphone addiction on decision-making behavior in college students: an fNIRS study based on the Iowa Gambling Task

The pervasive use of smartphones, while enhancing accessibility to information and communication, has raised concerns about its potential negative effects on physical and mental health, including the impairment of decision-making abilities. This study investigates the influence of smartphone addiction on decision-making in college students. A sample of 80 individuals aged 17 to 26 was selected and divided into two groups based on their Smartphone Addiction Scale-Short Version (SAS-SV) scores. Participants underwent the Iowa Gambling Task (IGT) to evaluate their decision-making in risky and uncertain conditions, while fNIRS recorded their prefrontal cortex activity. The study found that individuals prone to smartphone addiction tend to make riskier choices in risky situations. However, when faced with decisions based on ambiguity, the smartphone addiction group showed increased brain activity in the dlPFC (specifically in channels 4, 9, and 11) compared to when making risky decisions. Despite this increased brain activation, there was no observable difference in behavior between the addiction-prone and control groups in ambiguous scenarios. Notably, the left dlPFC (e.g., channel 4) exhibited significantly higher activation in the addiction group compared to the control group. Findings suggest that smartphone addiction can detrimentally influence decision-making, behaviorally and neurologically, particularly in uncertain contexts. This study supports the classification of smartphone addiction as a genuine addiction and underscores its significance in psychiatric research. In essence, our research underscores the adverse effects of excessive smartphone use on decision-making processes, reinforcing the necessity to treat smartphone addiction as a pressing public health issue.

The relationship of smartphone addiction with depression, anxiety, and stress among medical students

Introduction

An increasing amount of research has shown a link between psychopathological behaviors such as smartphone addiction, depression, anxiety, and stress. The aim of this study was to assess the association of smartphone addiction with depression, anxiety, and stress.

Methods

A cross-sectional study was conducted between 26th January and 3rd March 2021. The sample was chosen using a convenient sampling technique and Raosoft tool. The survey assessed smartphone addiction using abbreviated versions of the Addiction Scale Short Version, a self-administered questionnaire that has been validated in the English and Arabic languages. Also, Depression and Anxiety Stress Scale was used to measure the level of depression, anxiety, and stress among the university students.

Results

A total of 367 university students from the Medical and Health Sciences College participated. Our findings showed that smartphone addiction exhibited positive correlations with depression (r = 0.375, p < 0.01), anxiety (r = 0.253, p < 0.01), and stress (r = 0.328, p < 0.05). In addition, there was a strong positive correlation between depression and both anxiety and stress (r = 0.731, p < 0.01) (r = 0.778, p < 0.01), respectively. Finally, stress and anxiety showed a positive correlation (r = 0.708, p < 0.01).

Conclusion

When combined, our data offer strong support for a bidirectional hybrid theory that takes into account the link between smartphone addiction and depression, anxiety, and stress. The current study's findings might assist national health authorities in strengthening their efforts to prevent depression, anxiety, and stress associated with the use of modern technology.

The Relationships between Effortful Control, Mind Wandering, and Mobile Phone Addiction Based on Network Analysis

BACKGROUND

The prevailing mobile phone use brought the problem of addiction, which might cause negative consequences. Effortful control and mind wandering were associated with addictive behavior. The present study aimed to investigate the dimension-level relationships between effortful control, mind wandering, and mobile phone addiction.

METHODS

A total of 1684 participants participated this study. The mobile phone addiction, effortful control, and mind wandering were measured through self-report scales, respectively. Dimension-level network of these psychological variables was estimated and bridge expected influence (BEI) values for each node was calculated.

RESULTS

Dimensions of mobile phone addiction, effortful control, and mind wandering exhibited distinct and complex links to each other. The node "activation control" exhibited the highest negative BEI value (BEI = -0.32), whereas "spontaneous thinking" showed the highest positive BEI value (BEI = 0.20).

CONCLUSIONS

Different dimensions of effortful control and mind wandering had varied yet significant connections with distinct dimensions of mobile phone addiction, facilitating understanding of the specific pathways underlying the three constructs. The identified dominant bridge nodes can provide potential targets for the intervention of mobile phone addiction.

Association between smartphone usage and health outcomes of adolescents: A propensity analysis using the Korea youth risk behavior survey

OBJECTIVES

We aimed to investigate the association between smartphone use and adverse behavioral health outcomes using nationwide Korea Youth Risk Behavior Web-based Survey data for 2017 and 2020.

METHODS

The 2020 data (N = 54,809) were used to analyze the relationships between daily smartphone usage time (non-user, 0-2 h [hour], 2-4 h, 4-6 h, 6-8 h, and > 8 h), and adverse health outcomes (stress, sleep, depression, suicide, substance use, and smartphone overdependence). A 1:1 propensity score matching (PSM) was used to control for confounding variables.

RESULTS

A total of 40,998 adolescents with < 4 h/day and > 4 h/day of usage were included. Adolescents' mean smartphone usage time in 2020 increased compared to that in 2017 (weighted % of > 2 h/day; 64.3% vs. 85.7%). The curvilinear relationships between smartphone usage time and adverse health outcomes were prominent after > 4 h/day. Adolescents using smartphones 2-4 h/day showed no increased adverse health outcomes compared to non-users, except for smartphone overdependence. Using a smartphone > 4 h/day was significantly associated with stress perception (1.16; 1.11-1.22), suicidal ideation (1.22; 1.13-1.31), and substance use (alcohol, 1.66; 1.57-1.75) after PSM.

CONCLUSIONS

Our study demonstrated the curvilinear relationship between smartphone usage time and adverse health outcomes in adolescents. Our findings can help establish smartphone usage guidelines for adolescents.

The unique role of smartphone addiction and related factors among university students: a model based on cross-sectional and cross-lagged network analyses

Smartphone addiction is a global problem affecting university students. Previous studies have explored smartphone addiction and related factors using latent variables. In contrast, this study examines the role of smartphone addiction and related factors among university students using a cross-sectional and cross-lagged panel network analysis model at the level of manifest variables. A questionnaire method was used to investigate smartphone addiction and related factors twice with nearly six-month intervals among 1564 first-year university students (M = 19.14, SD = 0.66). The study found that procrastination behavior, academic burnout, self-control, fear of missing out, social anxiety, and self-esteem directly influenced smartphone addiction. Additionally, smartphone addiction predicted the level of self-control, academic burnout, social anxiety, and perceived social support among university students. Self-control exhibited the strongest predictive relationship with smartphone addiction. Overall, self-control, self-esteem, perceived social support, and academic burnout were identified as key factors influencing smartphone addiction among university students. Developing prevention and intervention programs that target these core influencing factors would be more cost-effective.

Exploring the Impact of Smartphone Addiction on Risk Decision-Making Behavior among College Students Based on fNIRS Technology

Smartphone Addiction is a social issue caused by excessive smartphone use, affecting decision-making processes. Current research on the risky decision-making abilities of smartphone addicts is limited. This study used the functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy (fNIRS) brain imaging technique and a Sequential Risk-Taking Task experimental paradigm to investigate the decision-making behavior and brain activity of smartphone addicts under varying risk levels. Using a mixed experimental design, the research assessed decision-making ability and brain activation levels as dependent variables across two groups (addiction and control), two risk amounts (high and low), and two outcomes (gain and loss). The study included 42 participants, with 25 in the addiction group and 17 in the control group. Results indicated that risk level significantly impacted the decision-making ability of smartphone addicts, with high-risk levels leading to weaker decision-making ability and increased risk-taking. However, at low-risk levels, decision-making abilities between addicts and healthy individuals showed no significant difference. Furthermore, brain imaging results using fNIRS revealed stronger brain activation in the dorsolateral Prefrontal Cortex (dlPFC) region for smartphone addicts under loss outcome conditions, with no significant differences between the two groups in terms of brain activation at varying risk volumes. These findings are critical in promoting healthy smartphone use, guiding clinical treatment, and advancing brain mechanism research.

Relationship between depression, smartphone addiction, and sleep among Chinese engineering students during the COVID-19 pandemic

BACKGROUND

Existing research has demonstrated that depression is positively related to smartphone addiction, but the role of sleep has not been discussed thoroughly, especially among engineering undergraduates affected by the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic.

AIM

To evaluate sleep as a mediator of the association between smartphone addiction and depression among engineering undergraduates.

METHODS

Using a multistage stratified random sampling method, a cross-sectional survey was conducted among 692 engineering undergraduates from a top engineering university in China, and data were collected by self-reported electronic questionnaires. The data included demographic characteristics, such as age, gender, the Smartphone Addiction Scale-Short Version (SAS-SV), the 9-item Patient Health Questionnaire, and the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index. Pearson correlation and multiple linear regression analyses were used to examine the association between smartphone addiction and depression, while structural equation models were established to evaluate the possible mediating role of sleep.

RESULTS

Based on the cutoffs of the SAS-SV, the rate of smartphone addiction was 63.58 percent, with 56.21 percent for women and 65.68 percent for men, among 692 engineering students. The prevalence of depression among students was 14.16 percent, with 17.65 percent for women, and 13.18 percent for men. Smartphone addiction was positively correlated with depression, and sleep played a significant mediating effect between the two, accounting for 42.22 percent of the total effect. In addition, sleep latency, sleep disturbances, and daytime dysfunction significantly mediated the relationship between depression and smartphone addiction. The mediating effect of sleep latency was 0.014 [P < 0.01; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.006-0.027], the mediating effect of sleep disturbances was 0.022 (P < 0.01; 95%CI: 0.011-0.040), and the mediating effect of daytime dysfunction was 0.040 (P < 0.01; 95%CI: 0.024-0.059). The influence of sleep latency, sleep disturbances, and daytime dysfunction accounted for 18.42%, 28.95%, and 52.63% of the total mediating effect, respectively.

CONCLUSION

The results of the study suggest that reducing excessive smartphone use and improving sleep quality can help alleviate depression.

Symptom relationships between internet addiction and anxiety across primary and middle school students during the Omicron lockdown

During the Omicron pandemic, students in Shenzhen took classes at home via the internet, which could lead to internet addiction (IA) symptoms, and anxiety is often considered an important risk factor for IA. There are several different developmental stages within adolescence. However, no studies have explored the interaction between IA and anxiety at the symptom level using a longitudinal design stratified by age. A total of 2744 students completed the questionnaire 50 days after starting the online classes (T1) and 50 days after they returned to school (T2). A cross-lagged panel network model was used to describe the structure of the comorbidity network. With the help of bootstrapping, the Mann-Whitney U test was used to examine the differences between primary school students' and middle school students' networks. The results found that there is a bidirectional interaction between IA and anxiety, and anxiety plays a dominant role. Feeling afraid is the bridge symptom between IA and anxiety. IA did not show developmental stage differences, but anxiety did. These findings extend the model of compensatory internet use and suggest that, when alleviating IA symptoms in adolescents, attention should be given to their possible comorbid anxiety symptoms, especially in middle school students.

Childhood trauma and problematic internet use: A meta-analysis based on students in mainland China

Background

In recent years, the relationship between childhood trauma and problematic Internet use has been widely studied by scholars, but the research conclusions on the relationship between them are not consistent. Some studies report that childhood trauma and problematic Internet use are significantly correlated. However, others believe that there is a weak correlation between them. So the relationship between them needs to be studied further. The aim of this study is to explore the relationship between childhood trauma and problematic Internet use, and the effects of some moderating variables on both for students in Mainland China.

Methods

This study followed the requirements of Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-analyses (PRISMA) statement for literature screening. We searched the related studies on childhood trauma and problematic Internet use in Mainland China from January 2009 to November 2022 from CNKI, Wanfang Data, Chongqing VIP Information Co., Ltd. (VIP), Baidu scholar, ProQuest dissertations, SAGE Online Journals, Elsevier SDOL, Taylor &amp; Francis, Springer, Web of Science, Google Scholar, EBSCO, Medline, Scopus Database, PubMed Central, Embase, The Cochrane Library, PsycINFO, CMA 3.0 was used to analyse the overall effect and test the moderating effect.

Results

Among the papers included in the meta-analysis in this study, 31 papers reflected the relationship between childhood trauma and problematic Internet use, involving 52,503 subjects, and the sample size ranged from 388 to 16,130. This relationship between childhood trauma and problematic Internet use can be considered as a moderate correlation (r = 0.281, 95%CI[0.221, 0.338], p &lt; 0.001). The results showed that the relationship between childhood trauma and problematic Internet use was affected by different problematic Internet use measures. Meanwhile, meta-regression demonstrated that the relationship between childhood trauma and problematic Internet use was moderated by survey’s year. Specifically, the correlation coefficient between childhood trauma and problematic Internet use also increases with increasing year. However, the relationship between childhood trauma and problematic Internet use was not affected by the region, grade, childhood trauma measures, publication source.

Conclusion

Childhood trauma is closely related to problematic Internet use. In order to reduce problematic Internet use, corresponding prevention and intervention measures should be taken.

Texting on a Smartphone While Walking Affects Gait Parameters

Cell phone use while walking is an ever-increasing traffic hazard, and leads to an augmented risk of accidents. There is a rising number of injuries to pedestrians using a cell phone. Texting on a cell phone while walking is an emerging problem among people of different ages. The aim of this experiment was to investigate whether using a cell phone while walking affects walking velocity, as well as cadence, stride width, and length in young people. Forty-two subjects (20 males, 22 females; mean age: 20.74 ± 1.34 years; mean height: 173.21 ± 8.07 cm; mean weight: 69.05 ± 14.07 kg) participated in the study. The subjects were asked to walk on an FDM-1.5 dynamometer platform four times at a constant comfortable velocity and a fast velocity of their choice. They were asked to continuously type one sentence on a cell phone while walking at the same velocity. The results showed that texting while walking led to a significant reduction in velocity compared to walking without the phone. Width, cadence, and length of right and left single steps were statistically significantly influenced by this task. In conclusion, such changes in gait parameters may result in an increased risk of pedestrian crossing accidents and tripping while walking. Phone use is an activity that should be avoided while walking.

A Bibliometric Analysis to Identify Research Trends in Intervention Programs for Smartphone Addiction

Smartphone addiction is a serious social problem that necessitates research. To identify trends in intervention programs for smartphone addiction, distribution of research topics, and inter-relationships in academic research. We analyzed 104 studies published between 30 June 2022, and 31 August 2022, on the Web of Science (WoS). We applied the bibliometric method and identified the relationship and development trends of academic research in the field using descriptive analysis, the Latent Dirichlet Allocation (LDA), co-citation analysis, bibliographic coupling, and co-occurrence. There were four findings: First, intervention programs are classified into 10 types: psychological, social support, lifestyle, technological, family, medical care, educational, exercise, mindfulness, and meditation. Second, the volume of research on intervention programs increased every year. Third, China and South Korea had the highest research involvement. Finally, academic studies were split into either the human behavior or social science categories. Most of them defined the symptoms in terms of individual behavior and social relations, implying that smartphone addiction is not yet recognized as a disorder. Smartphone addiction has not yet been internationally recognized as a disorder, despite its impact on human physiology, psychology, and social behavior. Most related studies have been conducted in Asia, specifically in China and South Korea; Spain has the most outside Asia. Additionally, most of the research subjects were students, probably because of the convenience of sampling. As smartphones gain popularity among older adults, future studies could focus on smartphone addiction among individuals of varied ages.

Escaping negative moods and concentration problems play bridge roles in the symptom network of problematic smartphone use and depression

Background

Problematic smartphone use (PSU) has become an issue of great concern in the age of smartphones. PSU is associated with emotional problems, one of which is depression, as shown by empirical studies. However, previous studies have been limited in that they have focused solely on the total score for symptoms of PSU and depression while ignoring the symptomatic heterogeneity of these two concepts.

Method

This study filled this gap by exploring links between symptoms of PSU and depression among 1,849 university students (59.17% female participants, 17-23 years old). Network analysis was utilized to reveal symptom connections, central symptoms, and bridge symptoms between PSU and depression.

Results

(1) A total of 17 of 81 symptom connections (about 21%) between PSU and depression existed in the symptom network. For example, "self-control failure" for PSU was positively correlated with "concentration problems" for depression; (2) "recklessly continuing" for PSU and "fatigue" for depression were central symptoms within the PSU symptom network and depression symptom network, respectively; (3) "escaping negative moods" for PSU and "concentration problems" for depression were bridge symptoms. The former was maximumly connected with the depression symptoms and the latter was maximumly connected with the PSU symptoms; and (4) gender had very minimal influence on the network characteristics.

Conclusion

The results are in keeping with the central idea of the compensatory internet use theory that excessive smartphone use may be a coping strategy for depressed emotions derived from escaping motivation. Moreover, concentration problems may be a mediator explaining how negative emotions (e.g., depression) cause PSU, which is undefined in current internet use theories. Finally, symptom connections, central symptoms, and bridge symptoms could be potential targets for the prevention and intervention of PSU and depression in young adults.

Global mental health experiences of single mothers: A mixed methods research synthesis

AIM

The aim of this research is to synthesize findings from primary studies (quantitative and qualitative) that investigated the global mental health experiences of single mothers to provide a deeper understanding to better care and respond to the support needs of single mothers.

DESIGN

Hayvaert et al.'s mixed methods research synthesis approach.

DATA SOURCES

The search process in the following databases, CINAHL, PsycINFO, and Scopus resulted in eight high-quality studies (5 qualitative and 3 quantitative) published between June 2016 and July 2021.

REVIEW METHODS

Descriptive statistics and instrument scores were provided in summary form. Themes were analysed using Krippendorff's content analysis. A joint display was provided to reveal a complementary relationship between two different data sets.

RESULTS

A total of 348 single mothers participated. Amongst the pooled sample, women identified as: Japanese (n = 174), Israeli (n = 147), Black African (n = 18), African American (n = 9), Native American (n = 5), Burundian-Australian (n = 8), UK British (n = 12), Asian (n = 3), South Korean (n = 7), Indian (n = 2), Malaysian (n = 44), Hispanic/Latina (n = 1) and Eastern European (n = 3). Four themes were identified: (1) Learning to let go of the past, (2) It takes a whole village: Importance of social support, (3) Seeking a self-reliant life: Challenges with balancing career & childcare and (4) Finding strength within: Personal growth. Only one intervention utilizing creative group counselling was found to significantly decrease depression (p = .008), anxiety (p = .005), and stress (p = .012) whilst increasing self-compassion (p = .013).

CONCLUSION

It is important for clinicians who care for single mothers, particularly if they recently immigrated, are multiparous, and an ethnic minority to encourage engagement in peer-initiated counselling and obtain mental health care as necessary.

IMPACT

This study identified and addressed the mental health issues that single mothers face worldwide. This is also the first mixed methods research synthesis to report single mothers' ethnicity in nursing and midwifery literature. Thus, findings from this mixed methods research synthesis can help nurses worldwide build culturally-concordant programs in their respective community organizations and partners (e.g. community health centres, mother-child enrichment clubs), inform health policies, and promote safer spaces for many single mothers, particularly for those who will immigrate to the Global North (i.e. UK, US, Canada) and become an ethnic minority.

Parental Psychological Control and Addiction Behaviors in Smartphone and Internet: The Mediating Role of Shyness among Adolescents

Parental psychological control has been found to be a vital familial factor that is closely related to adolescents' addiction behaviors with regard to smartphones and the internet. However, the underlying mechanisms of these associations are less clear. The aim of the present study was to examine whether shyness mediated the relationships between parental psychological control and these two addiction behaviors. A positivist paradigm was used in the present study. The questionnaires (parental psychological control, shyness, and smartphone and internet addiction questionnaires) were used to collect data from a sample of 1857 Chinese adolescents (961 female, 896 male) in junior and senior middle schools. Descriptive statistics as well as correlation and mediation tests were employed to analyze the data. We observed that adolescents with siblings showed a higher level of internet addiction than those with no siblings. Moreover, three dimensions of parental psychological control were positively associated with addiction behaviors. The following analyses displayed that the correlation between authority assertion and smartphone addiction was greater than that between authority assertion and internet addiction. Subsequently, shyness was significantly positively related to parental psychological control and addiction behaviors. Importantly, we found that the relations between the three dimensions of parental psychological control and the addiction behaviors concerning smartphones and the internet were partially mediated by shyness. This study contributes to our understanding of how parental psychological control predicts high levels of adolescents' addiction behaviors surrounding smartphones and the internet.

Effect of Exercise Intervention on Internet Addiction and Autonomic Nervous Function in College Students

Objective

To investigate the effects of 12-week physical exercise (jogging, basketball, and outdoor training) on sleep quality, harmful mood, and heart rate variability (HRV) in college students with Internet addiction.

Methods

46 college students with Internet addiction were chosen and then randomly assigned to the Internet addiction group (IA, n = 23) and the Internet addiction exercise group (IA+EX, n = 23). The subjects in the IA+EX group underwent physical exercise for 12 weeks (three times per week), and the IA group did not perform regular physical exercise during the experiment. Then, the degree of Internet addiction, depression, and sleep quality were evaluated by using Young's Internet Addiction Test (IAT) scale, Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression (CES-D) scale, and Pittsburgh sleep quality index (PSQI); HRV were measured by using Polar Team 2 before and after physical exercise intervention.

Results

(1) After the 12-week exercise, compared to preexercise intervention, the scores of IAT, CES-D, and PSQI significantly decreased (t = 12.183, 9.238, 5.660; P < 0.01) in the IA+EX group; compared with the IA group, the scores of IAT, CES-D, and PSQI significantly decreased (t = 2.449, 3.175, 4.487; P < 0.05, P <0.01) in IA+EX group college students with Internet addiction. (2) After the 12-week exercise, compared to preexercise intervention, LFn and the ratio of LF/HF significantly decreased (t = 5.650, 3.493; P < 0.01) and HFn significantly increased (t = −2.491, P < 0.05) in the IA+EX group; there were no significant differences in the above indexes before and after the experiment in the IA group (P > 0.05). Compared with the IA group, HFn significantly increased (t = 3.616, P < 0.01) and the ratio of LF/HF significantly decreased (t = 2.099, P < 0.01) in IA+EX group college students with Internet addiction; there was no significant difference in LFn between the two groups.

Conclusion

Long-term physical exercise could significantly reduce the degree of Internet addiction and depression, improve sleep quality, and balance sympathetic parasympathetic function of college students with Internet addiction, indicating that exercise-based intervention might be an effective way to alleviate or even eliminate Internet addiction.

Mobile phone addiction and depression among Chinese medical students: the mediating role of sleep quality and the moderating role of peer relationships

The literature has shown that mobile phone addiction is an important risk factor for depression. However, the internal mechanisms of mobile phone addiction leading to depression are still not clear. This study examined the mediating role of sleep quality and moderating role of peer relationships in the association between mobile phone addiction and depression. A sample of 450 Chinese medical students were recruited to complete measures of mobile phone addiction, depression, sleep quality and peer relationships. In this study, SPSS 25.0 and macro PROCESS were used to conduct statistical analysis on the collected data. The results showed that sleep quality partially mediated the association between mobile phone addiction and depression. Moreover, the effect of sleep quality on depression was moderated by peer relationships. The present study can advance our understanding of how and when mobile phone addiction leads to depression. Limitations and implications of this study are discussed.

Ultrasound biomicroscopy study of accommodative state in Smartphone abusers

Background

Addiction to Smartphone usage has psychological and physical impacts. However, the state of spasm of accommodation is unclear in Smartphone abusers.

Methods

We performed a cross-sectional study among adults aged 18–35 years between October 2016 and December 2018. Forty participants were Smartphone abusers according to the Smartphone addiction questionnaire, and 40 participants were non users. We measured auto refraction precycloplegia and postcycloplegia at far for all participants to evaluate the state of spasm of accommodation. We assessed the ultrasound biomicroscopy (UBM) parameters including anterior chamber angle (ACA).

Results

There was a significant difference in the odds of having spasm of accommodation between Smartphone abusers compared to non-users (OR = 6.64, 95% CI = 1.73–25.47; adjusted OR = 14.63, 95% CI = 2.99–71.62). The Smartphone abusers and non-users groups had a superior ACA median of 30.45^° ± 8.3^° vs. 26.75^° ± 6.6^° (P = 0.04) precycloplegia at far and 31.70^° ± 11.8^° vs. 31.45^° ± 8.3^° (P = 0.15) postcycloplegia at far, respectively, demonstrated by the Mann-Whitney U test. There was significant higher difference in the precycloplegic nasal ACA at far in the Smartphone abusers group than the non-users group (mean precycloplegic nasal ACA difference = 3.57^°, 95% CI = 0.76^° - 6.37^°), demonstrated by the independent t test. Similarly, there was significant higher difference in the postcycloplegic nasal ACA at far (mean postcycloplegic nasal ACA difference = 4.26^°, 95% CI = 1.33^° - 7.19^°).

Conclusions

Smartphone abusers are in a condition of accommodation spasm. As a result, cycloplegic refraction should be done for Smartphone abusers.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12886-022-02557-x.

Smartphone addiction and its associated factors among freshmen medical students in China: a cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND

With smartphone use widespread worldwide, smartphone addiction is an emerging epidemic. This study aims to investigate the prevalence of smartphone addiction among freshmen medical students and to explore its association with personal factors, mental health, and professional identity.

METHODS

This cross-sectional study was conducted from October 10th to November 10th, 2020 and included 2,182 first-year college students at Wannan Medical College, China. The smartphone addiction test, professional identity, and a 12-item general health questionnaire were used for this cross-sectional survey. Pearson's correlation coefficient (r) was employed to examine the correlations between smartphone addiction and mental health and professional identity. Binary logistic regression analysis was carried out to assess the factors influencing smartphone addiction. Of the 2,182 students, 866 (39.7%) were identified as having smartphone addiction. The logistic regression analysis shows that four factors (professional identity scale, poor mental health, smartphone use before sleep, and perceived study pressure) were significantly associated with smartphone addiction.

CONCLUSIONS

This cross-sectional study suggests that smartphone addiction is common among Chinese freshmen medical students. Smartphone addiction was common among the freshmen medical students surveyed. The findings imply that promotional programs, aimed at enhancing mental health and professional identity among freshmen medical students, help to reduce smartphone addiction in this population.

Smartphone Addiction and Associated Health Outcomes in Adult Populations: A Systematic Review

BACKGROUND

Smartphones play a critical role in increasing human-machine interactions, with many advantages. However, the growing popularity of smartphone use has led to smartphone overuse and addiction. This review aims to systematically investigate the impact of smartphone addiction on health outcomes.

METHODS

The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines were used to carry out the systematic review. Five electronic databases including Medline, Web of Science, PsycINFO, PubMed, and Scopus were searched to identify eligible studies. Eligible studies were screened against predetermined inclusion criteria and data were extracted according to the review questions. This review is registered in PROSPERO (CRD42020181404). The quality of the articles was assessed using the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Quality Assessment Tool for Observational Cohort and Cross-Sectional Studies.

RESULTS

A total of 27 of 2550 articles met the inclusion criteria. All of the studies were cross-sectional and focused on physical, mental, and neurological health outcomes. The majority of the studies focused on mental health outcomes and consistent associations were observed between smartphone addiction and several mental health outcomes. Anxiety and depression were commonly found to mediate mental health problems. A wide range of physical health sequelae was also associated with smartphone addiction. Furthermore, there was an association between smartphone addiction and neurological disorders.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings suggest that there are consistent associations between smartphone addiction and physical and mental health, especially mental health. Social awareness campaigns about smartphone addiction and its impact on physical and mental health are needed. Further studies, especially randomized controlled trials, are warranted to validate the impacts of smartphone addiction.

Mediation of Internet addiction on association between childhood maltreatment and suicidal behaviours among Chinese adolescents

Aims

The associations between suicidal behaviours and childhood maltreatment (CM), as well as Internet addiction (IA) have been extensively examined. However, few studies pay attention to different types of CM and all stages of suicidality, including suicidal ideation (SI), suicidal plans (SP) and suicidal attempts (SA). Moreover, little is known regarding the mediation of IA on the relationship between CM and suicidal behaviours. The study aims to explore the direct effect of CM and IA on three stages of suicidal behaviours, and the indirect effect of CM on suicidality via IA.

Methods

A total of 16 130 high-school students aged 12–18 were recruited using a stratified cluster sampling strategy across five representative provinces in China. Relevant information was collected by a self-administered anonymous questionnaire. Multinomial logistic regression analysis and structural equation model were used to examine the associations.

Results

During the last year, 16.0% of participants reported suicidal behaviours. Specifically, 7.9% reported SI only, 4.6% reported SP but no SA, and 3.5% reported SA. The prevalence of neglect, physical abuse and IA in moderate to severe were 28.9, 19.9 and 33.1%, respectively. After controlling for demographic characteristics and confounding factors, such as loneliness, psychological resilience, and social support, moderate and severe neglect, physical abuse and IA were associated with an increased risk of SI, SP and SA (p < 0.01). The total effect of neglect and physical abuse on suicidal behaviours were 0.152 and 0.172, respectively (p < 0.001). The mediation proportion of IA on the association between neglect and suicidal behaviours, as well as physical abuse and suicidal behaviours were 22.4 and 18.0%, respectively.

Conclusions

CM and IA are independently associated with suicidal behaviours among Chinese adolescents. Moreover, IA plays a mediating role on the relationship between CM and suicidality. Targeted interventions for adolescents’ suicidal behaviours should focus on those who have experience of CM and IA.

Age-related and individual variations in altered prefrontal and cerebellar connectivity associated with the tendency of developing internet addiction

Internet addiction refers to problematic patterns of internet use that continually alter the neural organization and brain networks that control impulsive behaviors and inhibitory functions. Individuals with elevated tendencies to develop internet addiction represent the transition between healthy and clinical conditions and may progress to behavioral addictive disorders. In this network neuroscience study, we used resting‐state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs‐fMRI) to examine how and whether individual variations in the tendency of developing internet addiction rewire functional connectivity and diminish the amplitude of spontaneous low‐frequency fluctuations in healthy brains. The influence of neurocognitive aging (aged over 60 years) on executive‐cerebellar networks responsible for internet addictive behavior was also investigated. Our results revealed that individuals with an elevated tendency of developing internet addiction had disrupted executive‐cerebellar networks but increased occipital‐putamen connectivity, probably resulting from addiction‐sensitive cognitive control processes and bottom‐up sensory plasticity. Neurocognitive aging alleviated the effects of reduced mechanisms of prefrontal and cerebellar connectivity, suggesting age‐related modulation of addiction‐associated brain networks in response to compulsive internet use. Our findings highlight age‐related and individual differences in altered functional connectivity and the brain networks of individuals at a high risk of developing internet addictive disorders. These results offer novel network‐based preclinical markers of internet addictive behaviors for individuals of different ages.

Smartphone addiction and associated factors among postgraduate students in an Arabic sample: a cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND

Smartphone addiction, as with other behavioral addictions, is associated with social, physical, and mental health issues. In this article, we investigated the prevalence of smartphone addiction among postgraduate students and evaluated its correlation with social demographics, depression, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and nicotine dependence.

OBJECTIVES

The objective of this study was to investigate the prevalence of smartphone addiction among Middle Eastern postgraduate students, determine the factors associated with smartphone addiction, and estimate the incidence rate of major depressive disorder (MDD), ADHD, insomnia, and nicotine addiction among postgraduate students with smartphone addiction.

METHODS

As part of a cross-sectional online survey, participants were given a self-questionnaire divided into six sections: Socio-demographics, Smartphone Addiction Scale (SAS), Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ9) for Depression, Athens Insomnia Scale (AIS), the Fagerström Test for Cigarette Dependence Questionnaire (FTCd), and the adult ADHD Self-Report Scale (ASRS-v1.1).

RESULTS

Of the 506 patients, 51.0% of the participants demonstrated smartphone addiction. A significant association was also observed between extensive smartphone use and MDD (P = 0.001). Of the smokers in this study, 41.5% were addicted to smartphones (P = 0.039). Smartphone addicts had approximately two times the chance of having insomnia (OR = 2.113) (P = 0.013). In addition, they showcased more ADHD symptoms (OR = 2.712) (P < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

We found a positive association among insomnia, depression, adult ADHD, and smartphone addiction, which confirms the findings reported in the previous studies. Therefore, we encourage the scientific community to further study the impacts of smartphone addiction on the mental health of postgraduate students.

Excessive Smartphone Use Is Associated With Health Problems in Adolescents and Young Adults

Background and Aims: This present paper will review the existing evidence on the effects of excessive smartphone use on physical and mental health. Results: Comorbidity with depression, anxiety, OCD, ADHD and alcohol use disorder. Excessive smartphone use is associated with difficulties in cognitive-emotion regulation, impulsivity, impaired cognitive function, addiction to social networking, shyness and low self-esteem. Medical problems include sleep problems, reduced physical fitness, unhealthy eating habits, pain and migraines, reduced cognitive control and changes in the brain's gray matter volume. In Conclusion: Excessive smartphone use is associated with psychiatric, cognitive, emotional, medical and brain changes that should be considered by health and education professionals.

Functional gastrointestinal disorders, lifestyle habits, and smartphone addiction in adolescents

We performed a cross-sectional study. In spring 2019, 1,594 students (mean age 12.87 years) completed a questionnaire on gastrointestinal symptoms, smartphone use, Quality of Life (QoL), dietary habits, and physical activity. Based on the Rome IV criteria, 30.9% of participants met the symptom-based criteria for FGIDs and 8.9% experienced ≥2 disorders simultaneously. Well-being was less frequently reported by children with FGIDs than others (29.0% vs. 48.2%; p < 0.001). Participants addicted to smartphones reported low than others well-being (18.0% vs. 25.8%; p < 0.001), they also showed higher prevalence of FGIDs [Odds Ratio (OR), 1.98; 95% Confidence Interval (CI), 1.47-2.68; p < 0.001]. Among dietary habits, skipping breakfast (OR, 1.50; 95% CI, 1.09-2.05; p = 0.01) and low fruit consumption (OR, 1.66; 95% CI, 1.172.36; p = 0.005) were more frequent in participants with FGIDs. FGIDs are common in pediatric populations. FGIDs have an impact on QoL. Some dietary habits and physical activity are associated with these disorders. Smartphone addiction was found to be associated with FGIDs.

Smartphone addiction, risk factors and its adverse effects in nursing students: A systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Smartphones are technological devices that have a great impact on people's daily lives changing their habits and behaviors. The utilities and capabilities of these devices are increasing and the foresight is that this tendency will grow in the next years. However, the problematic use of the smartphone has increased dangerously, interfering with the clinical practice of healthcare professionals.

OBJECTIVE

To conduct a systematic review and a meta-analysis to estimate the prevalence of smartphone addiction, also known as nomophobia, in nursing students and to identify its related factors and its negative effects.

DESIGN

Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

DATA SOURCES

The literature search was done in CINAHL, Proquest, Pubmed, Scopus and Web of Science databases.

REVIEW METHODS

The search equation was "(nomophobia OR smartphone) AND nurs* student*". n = 16 articles were identified.

RESULTS

The meta-analytic estimation of nomophobia or smartphone addiction was 22% (CI95% 18%-26%] in a sample of n = 2780 nursing students. Smartphone usability is very extended during the clinical practice by nursing students. They indicated using the device or watching other students distracted with their smartphone. Some variables related to excessive use in nursing students are lower sleep quality, lower self-esteem, higher social distress, lower perceived social support or lower communication skills between others.

CONCLUSIONS

The main use of the smartphone by nursing students is for communication with other people and some of them indicate that it can be a distraction.

Associations of personality and clinical characteristics with excessive Internet and smartphone use in adolescents: A structural equation modeling approach

Adolescent Internet addiction is an important social issue entailing extensive use of Internet and smartphones and its side effects. This study identified relevant psychological factors that affect excessive Internet use (EIU) and excessive smartphone use (ESU) in adolescents using structural equation modeling (SEM). A sample of 714 individuals drawn from lists of middle school students in South Korea completed self-administered questionnaires, including Young's Internet Addiction Test (Y-IAT), the Smartphone Addiction Scale (SAS), and various clinical and psychological scales measuring depression, anxiety, attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), aggression, expression of anger, and the behavioral inhibition system (BIS)/activation system (BAS). The final model, fitted using SEM, showed that both clinical characteristics, including ADHD symptoms, aggression, expression of anger, depression, and anxiety, and personality characteristics, represented by BIS/BAS, played important roles in the severity of EIU or ESU. In particular, affective components such as depression and anxiety were significantly associated with both EIU and ESU, whereas aggression, the expression of anger, and ADHD symptoms affected only EIU. Furthermore, the association between ESU and EIU was significant. Although personality characteristics measured by the BIS and BAS scores did not have direct effects on addiction, they were associated with clinical features and might be risk factors for addiction. The model revealed significant pathways from personality and clinical features to EIU and ESU in adolescents and informed our basic understanding of the meaningful predictors of these addictions and their direct and indirect influences.

The Matthew Effect in Recovery from Smartphone Addiction in a 6-Month Longitudinal Study of Children and Adolescents

The clinical course of problematic smartphone use (PSU) remains largely unknown due to a lack of longitudinal studies. We recruited 193 subjects with smartphone addiction problems for the present study. After providing informed consent, the subjects completed surveys and underwent comprehensive interviews regarding smartphone usage. A total of 56 subjects among the 193 initially recruited subjects were followed up for six months. We compared baseline characteristics between persistent addicted users and recovered users at the end of the 6-month follow-up. Persistent problematic smartphone users displayed higher baseline smartphone addiction severity and were more prone to develop mental health problems at the follow-up. However, baseline depressive or anxiety status did not significantly influence the course of PSU. PSU behaved more like an addictive disorder rather than a secondary psychiatric disorder. Harm avoidance, impulsivity, higher Internet use, and less conversation time with mothers were identified as poor prognostic factors in PSU. Lower quality of life, low perceived happiness, and goal instability also contributed to persistent PSU, while recovery increased these scores as well as measures of self-esteem. These findings suggest that the Matthew effect is found in the recovery of PSU with better premorbid psychosocial adjustment leading to a more successful recovery. Greater clinical resources are required for interventions in vulnerable populations to modify the course of this increasingly prevalent problematic behavior worldwide.

Impact of Problematic Smartphone Use and Instagram Use Intensity on Self-Esteem with University Students from Physical Education

Mobile devices are a revolutionary element that offer many possibilities, although they can also cause problems for users. This is the case with the development of addictive behaviors that can affect personal well-being. The purpose of this paper has been to analyze the influence of smartphone addiction and Instagram use intensity on the self-esteem of Physical Education students. A cross-sectional research design was adopted by applying an online survey to a sample of undergraduate students (n = 385). The results showed that gender and age were factors that influenced the problematic use of the smartphone. In turn, there was a significant positive correlation between smartphone addiction and Instagram use intensity. The influence of smartphone addiction on students' self-esteem was also highlighted. In contrast, Instagram use intensity did not affect self-esteem. Finally, the findings are discussed, and the main implications of the study are established, where physical education students take on a special role in order to avoid the improper use of smartphones and Instagram through sport.

Internet Addiction in the Web of Science Database: A Review of the Literature with Scientific Mapping

Information and communication technologies (ICT) is a major element of today’s society with great potential that can offer both advantages and disadvantages. Addiction to the Internet and social networks is a growing problem in all age groups. Education is the context in which to work and train in the correct use of these media. The objective of the study focuses on knowing the scientific production and the performance of the concepts “addiction” and “internet” (ADIN). A bibliometric methodology complemented with the scientific mapping technique was followed. Different processes related to the quantification, analysis, evaluation, and estimation of scientific documents were carried out. The literature was analyzed by specific programs such as SciMAT, Analyze Results, and Creation Citation Report. The unit of analysis was specified in 5644 scientific publications extracted from Web of Science (WoS), belonging to the period of years between 1996 and 2019. The results showed that the evolution in the study of the addiction to the Internet is constant and continuous, with articles in English being the most used means to present the information on the part of the investigators. In addition, the subject of study was based on time, given that the coincidence of key words between the periods analyzed was high. In conclusion, the importance of promoting healthy living habits that include responsible use of the Internet are discussed.

Internet addiction mediates the association between cyber victimization and psychological and physical symptoms:moderation by physical exercise

BACKGROUND

The potential mechanisms underlying cyber victimization and the resulting psychological and physical symptoms remain unclear. Thus, the present study investigated whether Internet addiction mediates the association between peer victimization (e.g., cyberbullying) and psychological and physical symptoms. Furthermore, it was assessed whether physical exercise moderates the hypothetical mediation.

METHODS

1854 students from 11 middle and high schools in Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, China, were sampled for this study. Psychological and physical symptoms were assessed using the World Health Organization Quality of Life-BREF, while Internet addiction was evaluated using the Internet addiction test by Young. Cyber victimization was measured using a single question. In addition, this study examined whether Internet addiction mediated the association between cyber victimization and both psychological and physical symptoms. Additional work was conducted to test if physical exercise played a moderating role in the mediation hypothesized above. Mediation and moderation were analyzed using PROCESS macro for SPSS.

RESULTS

Regression analysis showed that both cyber victimization (β = - 0.102, p < 0.05) and Internet addiction (β = - 0.278, p < 0.05) significantly predicted psychological and physical symptoms and demographic variables were controlled. Further mediation analysis suggested that Internet addiction mediated the relationship between cyber victimization and psychological and physical symptoms. The 95% CI (confidence interval) of the direct effect was (- 4.283, - 1.696) and the indirect effect (- 1.904, - 0.820), respectively, excluding zero. Finally, moderation analysis indicated that physical exercise moderated the relationship between Internet addiction and psychological and physical symptoms (p = 0.047).

CONCLUSIONS

Internet addiction plays a mediating role in the association between cyber victimization and both psychological and physical symptoms, Thus, addressing Internet addiction among cyberbullying victims is worthwhile. Furthermore, physical exercise alleviates negative impacts on health and should thus be promoted.

Association of problematic smartphone use with poor sleep quality, depression, and anxiety: A systematic review and meta-analysis

To quantitatively assess the association of problematic smartphone use (PSU) with poor sleep quality, depression, and anxiety, we reviewed current evidence from observational studies and performed a systematic review and meta-analysis. The EBSCO PsycARTICLES, EMBASE, PubMed and Web of Science databases were searched, and 14 studies were included for the systematic review and meta-analysis. We calculated odds risk and 95% confidence intervals (CIs), using random-effect or fixed-effect models. Heterogeneity was assessed using I² and chi² statistics. Subgroup analyses were conducted based on country, adjusted variables, the methods of statistical analysis, outcome measures and publication year. We found significantly increased risks of poor sleep quality, depression, and anxiety in people with PSU. Our findings highlight the necessity of managing the PSU. However, further studies are required to confirm the results due to the high heterogeneity and methodological limitations.

Adaptation and Validation of the Polish Version of the 10-Item Mobile Phone Problematic Use Scale

Pathological use of smartphones may be the biggest non-drug addiction of the 21st century. Therefore, rapid screening tools designed for easy identification of people with problematic mobile phone use are needed. The main aim of the present study was to validate a short version of the Mobile Phone Problematic Use Scale (MPPUS-10) in the Polish population. The study comprised 640 university students aged 18-38 years. We used a self-report questionnaire that included questions regarding socio-demographic variables and Polish versions of the Mobile Phone Problem Use Scale (MPPUS-10), Mobile Phone Addiction Assessment Questionnaire (MPAAQ in Polish KBUTK), and Internet Addiction Test (IAT) by Kimberly Young. The analysis showed high reliability for the final Polish version of MPPUS-10 (Cronbach's α = 0.78) and confirmed a significant correlation between the MPPUS-10 and the MPAAQ, which was previously used in Poland (rho = 0.56; p < 0.001). Due to the poor correlation of item number 10 with other items, we suggest dropping this item and using the nine-item Polish version. Our result also confirmed significant correlation between the MPPUS-10 and the IAT (rho = 0.54; p < 0.001). The contribution of the study is the Polish validation and adaptation of the MPPUS-10 scale with confirmed psychometric values. It provides a quick and convenient screening tool to assess problematic mobile phone use. Our results also indicate the need for a revision of available diagnostic tools in Poland.

Determinants of Subjective Poor Sleep Quality in Social Media Users Among Freshman College Students

INTRODUCTION

Social media (SM) usage has increased markedly among young adults. It is linked to poor sleep quality (PSQ), a risk factor for mental and physical health concerns. This study identified the determinants of PSQ in SM users among freshman college students.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

A cross-sectional design was used and 842 students completed a self-administered questionnaire. Analyses were performed using the χ ² test to examine differences in the characteristics of poor and good sleepers and logistic regression to estimate the risk of PSQ with reference to SM usage patterns.

RESULTS

Around 75.40% (n = 635) of the participants had PSQ. There was a significant difference in the PSQ rate between males (66.3%) and females (79.3%, p < 0.001), those who were physically active (67.2%) and those who were not (82.4%, p < 0.001), those who were mentally depressed (86.5%) and those who were not (61.5%, p < 0.001), and those with anxiety (87.8%) and those without (64.3%, p < 0.001). The risk of PSQ was lower among students who used SM for education (OR = 0.65, CI = 0.42 to 0.99, p = 0.048), had higher laptop usage (OR = 0.67, CI = 0.47 to 0.96, p = 0.03), and had higher SM usage during daytime (OR = 0.46, CI = 0.32 to 0.67, p < 0.001). The risk of PSQ was higher among those who reported SM usage at bedtime (OR = 1.69, CI = 1.01 to 2.81, p = 0.046).

DISCUSSION

Among SM users, PSQ was related to sociodemographic features, lifestyle characteristics, and health-risk factors. Further research is required to confirm these findings.

Customers as Co-Creators: Antecedents of Customer Participation in Online Virtual Communities

The development of internet technology and the popularity of smartphones has been gradually affecting people's daily lives, thus causing subtle changes to their health. Manufacturing companies are increasingly establishing virtual communities to motivate customers to participate in new product development. However, the reasons that customers participate in the innovation process and the timing of participation remain under-researched. Hence, using data on 517 customers of 14 manufacturing enterprises, we investigate the reasons behind such participation and the moderating role of perceived ease of use and perceived control based on the social exchange theory. Results show that learning benefits, integrative benefits, and hedonic benefits have positive effects on participation. Perceived ease of use strengthens the positive relationship between integrative benefits and customer participation. Perceived control strengthens the positive relationship between hedonic benefits and customer participation. Theoretical implications and managerial practices are also discussed.

Personal Factors, Internet Characteristics, and Environmental Factors Contributing to Adolescent Internet Addiction: A Public Health Perspective

Individual characteristics, family- and school-related variables, and environmental variables have equal importance in understanding Internet addiction. Most previous studies on Internet addiction have focused on individual factors; those that considered environmental influence typically only examined the proximal environment. Effective prevention and intervention of Internet addiction require a framework that integrates individual- and environmental-level factors. This study examined the relationships between personal factors, family/school factors, perceived Internet characteristics, and environmental variables as they contribute to Internet addiction among adolescents based on the public health model. A representative sample of 1628 junior high school students from 56 regions in Seoul and Gyeonggi-do participated in the study via questionnaires with the cooperation of the Ministry of Health and Welfare and the district office of education. The study analyzed psychological factors, family cohesion, attitudes toward academic activities, Internet characteristics, accessibility to PC cafés, and exposure to Internet game advertising. About 6% of the adolescents were categorized as being in the severely addicted group. Between-group comparisons showed that the addicted group had started using the Internet earlier; had higher levels of depression, compulsivity, and aggressiveness as well as lower family cohesion; and reported higher accessibility to PC cafés and exposure to Internet game advertising. Multiple logistic regression indicated that for adolescents, environmental factors had a greater influence than family or school-related factors. Policy implications for prevention and intervention are discussed.

Long-Term Symptoms of Mobile Phone Use on Mobile Phone Addiction and Depression Among Korean Adolescents

This study aimed to compare the mean scores of mobile phone use, mobile phone addiction, and depressive symptoms at three-time points among Korean adolescents according to gender and to examine the differences in the long-term relationships among the three abovementioned variables between Korean boys and girls in a four-year period. Data for 1794 adolescents (897 boys and 897 girls) were obtained from three waves of the second panel of the Korean Children and Youth Panel Survey. Multigroup structural equation modeling was used for data analyses. The study findings showed that at each of the three-time points, Korean girls tended to use their mobile phones more frequently and were at a higher risk of mobile phone addiction and depressive symptoms than Korean boys. Significant changes were observed in the longitudinal relationships among phone use, mobile phone addiction, and depressive symptoms in Korean adolescents across time periods, but no gender differences were found in the strengths of these relationships. These findings contribute to expanding the knowledge base of mobile phone addiction and depressive symptoms among Korean adolescents.

Working Memory-Related Prefrontal Hemodynamic Responses in University Students: A Correlation Study of Subjective Well-Being and Lifestyle Habits

Identification of social risk factors and the promotion of stress coping mechanisms and mental resilience are topics of interest in the field of mental health. The relationships between risk- or tolerability-associated factors and task-related hemodynamic responses in the prefrontal cortex (PFC) in adolescents may have important implications for mental health challenges. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between task-related PFC hemodynamic activities and subjective well-being or lifestyle habits using wearable near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS). In this study, after sample refinement to reduce heterogeneity, 20 university students were included in verbal working memory (VWM) task analyses and 21 were included in spatial working memory (SWM) task analyses. The task-related hemodynamic responses were detected using wearable NIRS. To assess the risk- or tolerability-associated factors, the levels of positive and negative affect were assessed using the Subjective Well-Being Inventory (SUBI) and lifestyle habits (such as gaming) were evaluated using a nine-item questionnaire. There was a positive correlation between SUBI positive affect and VWM task-related oxy-hemoglobin signal changes in the right dorsolateral PFC (DLPFC), underlining the significance of subjective well-being as an important independent emotional domain and suggesting the possibility of the differential objective evaluations of subjective well-being in the right PFC. Negative correlations between PFC activities during both VWM and SWM tasks at the left DLPFC and the number of game playing days in 1 week were also statistically significant, suggesting the presence of modality-non-specific hemodynamic regulation by habitual game playing. Each correlation was still robust after the elimination of major confounding impacts. Although further replication studies are warranted to confirm these preliminary results, this investigation of the relationship between task-related PFC hemodynamic activities and emotional domains or lifestyle habits might have clinical significance with regard to primary prevention of mental health issues in university students. To our knowledge, this is the first demonstration of these relationships with the use of wearable NIRS, which enables measurement under near natural conditions and is easy to use in schools or workplaces.

Associations of personality traits with internet addiction in Chinese medical students: the mediating role of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder symptoms

BACKGROUND

Internet addiction (IA) has emerged as a public health concern, particularly among adolescents and young adults. However, few studies have been conducted in medical students. This multi-center study aimed to investigate the prevalence of IA in Chinese medical students, to examine the associations of big five personality traits with IA in the population, and to explore the possible mediating role of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptoms in the relationship.

METHODS

Self-reported questionnaires, including Internet Addiction Test (IAT), Big Five Inventory (BFI), Adult ADHD Self-Report Scale-V1.1 (ASRS-V1.1) Screener, and socio-demographic section were distributed to clinical students at 3 medical schools in China. A total of 1264 students became the final subjects.

RESULTS

The overall prevalence of IA among Chinese medical students was 44.7% (IAT > 30), and 9.2% of the students demonstrated moderate or severe IA (IAT ≥ 50). After adjustment for covariates, while conscientiousness and agreeableness were negatively associated with IA, neuroticism was positively associated with it. ADHD symptoms mediated the associations of conscientiousness, agreeableness and neuroticism with IA.

CONCLUSION

The prevalence of IA among Chinese medical students is high. Both personality traits and ADHD symptoms should be considered when tailored intervention strategies are designed to prevent and reduce IA in medical students.

The Relationship Between Sleep Quality and Internet Addiction Among Female College Students

BACKGROUND

Over 40% of Taiwanese College students experience sleep problems that not only impair their quality of life but also contribute to psychosomatic disorders. Of all the factors affecting the sleep quality, internet surfing is among one of the most prevalent. Female college students are more vulnerable to internet-associated sleep disorders than their male counterparts. Therefore, this study aims to investigate (1) the relationship between internet addiction and sleep quality, and (2) whether significant variations in sleep quality exist among students with different degrees of internet use.

METHODS

This structured questionnaire-based cross-sectional study enrolled students from a technical institute in southern Taiwan. The questionnaire collected information on the following three aspects: (1) demography, (2) sleep quality with Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), and (3) severity of internet addiction using a 20-item Internet Addiction Test (IAT). Multiple regression analysis was performed to examine the correlation between PSQI and IAT scores among the participants. Logistic analysis was used to determine the significance of association between PSQI and IAT scores.

RESULTS

In total, 503 female students were recruited (mean age 17.05 ± 1.34). After controlling for age, body mass index, smoking and drinking habits, religion, and habitual use of smartphone before sleep, internet addiction was found to be significantly associated with subjective sleep quality, sleep latency, sleep duration, sleep disturbance, use of sleep medication, and daytime dysfunction. Worse quality of sleep as reflected by PSQI was noted in students with moderate and severe degrees of internet addiction compared to those with mild or no internet addiction. Logistic regression analysis of the association between scores on IAT and sleep quality, demonstrated significant correlations between quality of sleep and total IAT scores (odds ratio = 1.05:1.03 ∼ 1.06, p < 0.01).

CONCLUSION

The results of this study demonstrated significant negative association between the degree of internet addiction and sleep quality, providing reference for educational institutes to minimize adverse effects associated with internet use and improve students' sleep quality.