Childhood Maltreatment Affects Mobile Phone Addiction from the Perspective of Attachment Theory

Childhood maltreatment and its dose-response relation with non-suicidal self-injury among adolescents: The mediating role of mobile phone addiction

OBJECTIVES

The associations between childhood maltreatment (CM) and mobile phone addiction (MPA), as well as non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) have been extensively explored. However, the dose-response relationship between CM and NSSI remains inconsistent. Furthermore, there is limited understanding of the potential mediation effect of MPA on the relationship between CM and NSSI. This study aimed to explore the dose-response relationship between CM and NSSI and investigate the potential mediating role of MPA in this relationship.

STUDY DESIGN

Cross-sectional study. Cross-sectional study.

METHODS

In the cross-sectional study, a total of 21481 adolescents were selected using a multi-stage cluster sampling method in China. CM, MPA, and NSSI were obtained via self-reports. Data were analyzed using logistic regression models, restricted cubic spline (RCS) functions, and mediation models.

RESULTS

A total of 38.1 % of adolescents reported engaging in NSSI at least once. Compared with participants without CM, participants with more types of CM (cumulative childhood maltreatment, CCM) had a higher risk of NSSI (P-trend in all models <0.001). RCS further confirmed the dose-response relationships between the continuous change in CM (scores) and the risk of NSSI (P for non-linearity <0.001). Mediation analysis indicated that the relationship between CM (scores) and NSSI was mediated by MPA, and the indirect effect (β = 1.07 × 10-3, 95 % CI: 9.62 × 10-4, 1.19 × 10-3) accounted for 22.23 % of the total effect.

CONCLUSIONS

There was a dose-response relationship between CM and the NSSI, and the relationship was mediated by MPA. Interventions targeting MPA may reduce the risk of NSSI among adolescents who have experienced CM, particularly those with CCM.

How does childhood emotional abuse aggravate problematic mobile phone use among Chinese adolescents: roles of rumination and depression symptoms

Problematic mobile phone use (PMPU) is a significant concern, particularly among adolescents. Accumulating evidence indicates that early traumatic events, such as childhood emotional abuse (CEA), are predisposing factors for adolescent PMPU. The primary objective of the current study was to examine the relationship between childhood emotional abuse (CEA) and problematic mobile phone use (PMPU) among adolescents, as well as to explore the potential mediating roles of rumination and symptoms of depression. Data were collected from Chinese senior high school students (N = 489, 44.79% males and 55.21% females, Mage = 16.92 years, SD = 0.67) who completed the measures of CEA, rumination, depression symptoms, and PMPU. The results revealed that (1) CEA did not have a direct effect on PMPU among adolescents; (2) CEA was associated with PMPU through rumination and depression symptoms, separately; (3) CEA was linked to PMPU via a sequential pathway from rumination to depression symptoms. The present study has unveiled the roles of CEA, rumination, and depression symptoms in the development of PMPU among adolescents. More precisely, rumination and depression symptoms serve indirect roles in the relationship between CEA and adolescent PMPU.

Reliability and validity of the short version of the childhood abuse self report scale in Chinese college students

BACKGROUND

The reliability and validity of the current scale for measuring childhood abuse in China are worrying. The development of the Short Version of the Childhood Abuse Self Report Scale (CASRS-12) helps to change this situation, but the effectiveness of the tool has not yet been tested in Chinese participants. This study aims to test the reliability and validity of the CASRS‑12 in Chinese college students.

METHODS

A total of 932 college students were investigated, of whom 418 were investigated for the first time, and only the CASRS‑12 was filled out. In the second survey, 514 participants filled out the CASRS‑12, Depression Scale, Self-esteem Scale and Subjective Well-being Scale in turn. After 4 weeks, 109 participants were selected for retest.

RESULTS

Each item of the CASRS‑12 had good discrimination. Exploratory factor analysis and confirmatory factor analysis (χ2/df = 4. 18, RMSEA = 0. 079, CFI = 0. 95, TLI = 0. 94, IFI = 0. 95, NFI = 0. 94) all supported the four-factor structure of the scale, and the cumulative contribution rate of variance was 76.05%. Cronbach's α coefficient and retest reliability were 0.86 and 0.65, respectively. Childhood abuse was positively correlated with depression (r = 0. 42, p < 0.01), and negatively correlated with self-esteem (r=-0. 33, p < 0.01) and subjective well-being (r=-0. 32, p < 0.01).

CONCLUSION

The Chinese version of CASRS‑12 meets the measurement standard and could be used to measure the level of childhood abuse of Chinese college students.

Effects of use motivations and alexithymia on smartphone addiction: mediating role of insecure attachment

Background and objectives

Concern exists regarding the potential negative consequences of smartphone addiction among adolescents. This study investigated the effect of use motivations and alexithymia on smartphone addiction among adolescents with two insecure attachment styles, namely, anxious and avoidant attachment. These attachment styles were regarded as mediating variables.

Methods

Self-report measures were used to assess use motivations, alexithymia, insecure attachment and smartphone addiction. Data were collected from 748 junior high school students (382 males and 366 females) in northeastern China. Structural equation modeling was used to test our hypothesis that use motivations and alexithymia are directly associated with smartphone addiction and also through the mediation of attachment insecurities.

Results

The structural equation modeling results showed a strong and positive correlation between use motivation and smartphone addiction, with avoidant attachment mediating such a relationship. Meanwhile, the two components of alexithymia, difficulty identifying feelings and externally oriented thinking, positively predicted smartphone addiction, with avoidant attachment serving as a mediator of this effect. In addition, the mediation analysis results demonstrated that attachment anxiety mediated the connection between escape drive, extrinsically focused thought, and smartphone addiction.

Conclusion

Findings describe how attachment insecurities, smartphone use motivations, and alexithymia can interact with one another to predict smartphone addiction. Smartphone use motivation types and alexithymia symptoms should be taken into consideration when designing targeted intervention programs for smartphone addiction to address the different attachment needs of adolescents, which would be helpful to reduce their smartphone addiction behaviors.