A cross-lagged panel model for testing the bidirectional relationship between depression and smartphone addiction and the influences of maladaptive metacognition on them in Chinese adolescents

Predictors of smartphone addiction in adolescents with depression: combing the machine learning and moderated mediation model approach

Smartphone addiction (SA) significantly impacts the physical and mental health of adolescents, and can further exacerbate existing mental health issues in those with depression. However, fewer studies have focused on the predictors of SA in adolescents with depression. This study employs machine learning methods to identify key risk factors for SA, using the interpretable SHapley Additive exPlanations (SHAP) method to enhance interpretability. Additionally, by constructing a mediation moderation model, the interactions between significant risk factors are analyzed. The study included 2203 adolescents with depression. Machine learning results from four models (Random Forest, Support Vector Machine, Logistic Regression, XGBoost) consistently identified emotion-focused coping, rumination, and school bullying as the strongest predictors of SA. Further mediation moderation analyses based on the Interaction of Person-Affect-Cognition-Execution (I-PACE) model revealed that rumination significantly mediated the relationship between school bullying and SA, and emotion-focused coping significantly moderated the relationships between school bullying and both rumination and SA. This is the first study to use machine learning to explore the predictors of SA in depressive adolescents and further analyze the interactions among these predictors. Future interventions for SA in adolescents with depression may benefit from psychotherapy that addresses emotion-focused coping and rumination.

Latent profiles of problematic internet use and their six-month subsequent psychopathology outcomes

Objective

Problematic Internet Use (PIU) has many adverse effects on youth mental health, including heightened risks of depression and anxiety. However, few studies have systematically investigated the internal heterogeneity of PIU symptoms among rural Chinese adolescents. Data was collected from 5,271 rural Chinese adolescents from two secondary schools in Guizhou and Sichuan at two waves. This study aimed to identify PIU profiles at T1 and examine their relationships with subsequent anxiety, depression, and stress after six months at T2.

Methods

A Latent Profile Analysis (LPA) was conducted to first identify PIU symptom profiles. Then, a "three-step" logistic regression mixed model was conducted to explore the association between PIU patterns and demographic correlates. Anxiety, depression, and stress symptoms collected at the second wave were compared across PIU profiles by using a Bolck-Croon-Hagenaars (BCH) approach.

Results

The study found that (1) The patterns of PIU among rural adolescents could be divided into four subgroups: low PIU group (57.18%), medium PIU group (15.65%), high PIU group (9.01%), and self-blame group (18.16%), which is a uniquely identified group. (2) Being female, an ethnic minority, living off-campus, having left-behind experiences, and having fewer siblings were risk factors for high PIU group membership. (3) The order of severity for anxiety, depression, and stress was as follows: high PIU, medium PIU, self-blame, and low PIU groups. (4) The self-blame group had relatively lower anxiety, depression, and stress scores than the medium PIU group, despite the fact that the self-blame group had higher PIU scores than the medium PIU group, which further strengthens the importance of using a person-centered approach.

Conclusions

Addressing the profiles of PIU is vital for rural Chinese adolescent mental health, necessitating tailored interventions.

The Longitudinal Effect of Psychological Distress on Internet Addiction Symptoms Among Chinese College Students: Cross-Lagged Panel Network Analysis

BACKGROUND

There is a growing amount of evidence suggesting high rates of co-occurring internet addiction (IA) symptoms and psychological distress in youth. However, the extent to which IA symptoms develop over time, how they interact with psychological distress symptoms dynamically, and how they predict one another remain unclear. Additionally, what specific types of distress, including depression, anxiety, and stress, are more closely associated with IA symptoms remains inconclusive.

OBJECTIVE

This longitudinal study aimed to explore the development of and changes in IA symptoms over time and the directional relationship between IA and various psychological distress symptoms.

METHODS

This study followed a sample of 2497 Chinese college students (mean age 19.14, SD 0.72 years) across 3 waves of a data collection span of 2 years. Their IA and psychological distress symptoms were assessed at baseline (T1), 12-month follow-up (T2), and 24-month follow-up (T3). We used network analysis to examine the network structure of IA symptoms at each wave and cross-lagged panel network (CLPN) analysis to investigate longitudinal associations between IA symptoms and psychological distress, including depressive, anxiety, and stress symptoms.

RESULTS

The cross-sectional networks of IA symptoms at 3 time points showed high similarity in terms of structure, existence of edges, and centrality indices. Nodes A2 (excessive use), A1 (salience), and A5 (lack of control) emerged as nodes with the highest expected influence (EI) centrality in the IA symptom networks across time (A2: EI=1.13 at T1, 1.15 at T2, 1.17 at T3; A1: EI=1.10 at T1, 1.13 at T2, 1.15 at T3; A5: EI=0.86 at T1, 0.88 at T2, 0.92 at T3). CLPN analysis revealed that psychological distress predicts IA symptoms but not the other way around. Depressive symptoms played a key role in predicting various IA-related problems (T1 to T2, edge weight=0.11; T2 to T3, edge weight=0.28; T1 to T3, edge weight=0.22) and served as bridge symptoms connecting IA and psychological distress (T1 to T2: bridge-expected influence [BEI]=0.15; T2 to T3: BEI=0.14; T1 to T3: BEI=0.19).

CONCLUSIONS

Findings revealed a relatively stable network structure of IA symptoms among college students and suggested that psychological distress, especially depressive symptoms, may play a central role in activating IA symptoms over time. These results provide evidence for understanding the directional relationship between the central characteristics of distress symptoms and IA. The study also underscores the importance of depressive symptoms in their co-occurrence with IA, indicating that the key and bridge symptoms identified in this study can be prioritized as targets for preventing and treating IA in Chinese youth. Through identification and early intervention of depressive symptoms, we may avoid the progression of co-occurring issues, leading to more effective treatment outcomes.

Adaptation and Validation of the Spanish Version of the Smartphone Application-Based Addiction Scale (SABAS)

Smartphone addiction is very prevalent among university students and can negatively impact both their physical and mental health. This study aimed to translate the smartphone application-based addiction scale (SABAS) into Spanish and evaluate its psychometric properties among Spanish university students. A total of 297 university students (222 women and 75 men) participated in this study (M age = 20.88, SD = 4.58) by completing a sociodemographic questionnaire, the smartphone addiction scale-short version, the depression, anxiety, and stress scale-21, the fear of missing out scale, and the SABAS. The SABAS was translated into Spanish using the forward-backward method. The factor structure was analyzed using confirmatory factor analysis, while reliability was assessed with Cronbach's alpha and McDonald's omega coefficients. The SABAS showed acceptable reliability (α = 0.72; ω = 0.73), and all of its items were kept. Factor analysis revealed that the Spanish version of the SABAS was unifactorial and demonstrated excellent validity (χ2 = 10.285; p = 0.246; RMSEA = 0.034; CFI = 0.991; SRMR = 0.030). Significant associations were also observed between the SABAS score and the number of hours of smartphone use, fear of missing out, and psychological distress. Despite its brevity, the Spanish version of the SABAS provides good validity and reliability. Therefore, it can be used as a tool for screening smartphone addiction in Spanish university students.

The Influence of Negative Emotions on Mobile Phone Addiction Among Chinese College Students: The Mediating Role of Negative Coping Styles and the Moderating Role of Gender

Background

Negative emotions (depression and anxiety) are highly correlated with mobile phone addiction among college students, but the underlying mechanisms between variables need further exploration. The aim of this study is to further elucidate the relationship between negative emotions and mobile phone addiction among college students, with negative coping styles as the mediating variable and gender as the moderating variable.

Methods

A survey was conducted on 509 college students from two universities in Anhui Province, China, covering topics such as mobile phone addiction, depression, anxiety, and negative coping styles. SPSS software was used to analyze the relationship between variables.

Results

Depression, anxiety, negative coping styles, and mobile phone addiction are all significantly positively correlated. Negative coping styles mediate the relationship between depression, anxiety, and mobile phone addiction among college students. Gender regulates the relationship between depression/anxiety and mobile phone addiction. Specifically, the impact of negative emotions (depression and anxiety) on mobile phone addiction is greater in the male group than in the female group.

Conclusion

This study further reveals the psychological mechanisms behind the relationship between negative emotions (depression and anxiety) and mobile phone addiction. Negative coping styles are the mediating factor in this relationship, while gender is the moderating factor in this relationship.

Post-traumatic growth promotes resilience development: A Longitudinal Mediation Model

BACKGROUND

The frequent occurrence of global disasters poses unprecedented challenges to nursing practice. The frontline nurses in disaster relief are exposed to these events and bear significant levels of stress and psychological distress. Resilience and posttraumatic growth (PTG) are essential protective factors that contribute to sustaining their mental health. The purpose of this study was to determine the directional relationship between resilience and PTG using a cross-lagged design. Furthermore, employing longitudinal mediation to test whether the T1 resilience of frontline nurses would promote the development of T3 resilience through the mediating role of T2 PTG.

METHODS

A total of 258 frontline nurses were selected as subjects. They completed self-reported measurements in three periods. The present study was conducted using a cross-lagged panel model and a longitudinal mediation model.

RESULTS

The results of cross-lagged path analysis from T2 to T3 showed that PTG could positively predict the development of resilience (β = 0.235, p < 0.001). Resilience did not positively predict the development of PTG (p > 0.05). The analysis of mediating effect results showed that the development of PTG at T2 mediated the relationship between resilience from T1 to T3.

LIMITATIONS

Findings may be limited by self-report, recall bias of resilience before the epidemic and short tracking frequency.

CONCLUSIONS

These results can identify individuals with an increased risk of low resilience under disaster and the mediating role of posttraumatic growth in promoting the development of nurses' resilience, which provides a theoretical basis for psychological crisis intervention and the resilience promotion plan for posttraumatic growth under disaster events.

Relationships between metacognitive beliefs and anxiety and depression in children and adolescents: A meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

As hypothesized in the Self-Regulatory Executive Function (S-REF) model, metacognitive beliefs are associated with anxiety and depression in adults. An important question is the extent to which such effects are present in children and adolescents, with the implication that the model may also apply to young people. The aim of this meta-analysis was to synthesize results on the nature and magnitude of associations between metacognitive beliefs and anxiety and depression in children and adolescents.

METHODS

Systematic searches were conducted to identify studies that investigated: (1) group differences in metacognitive beliefs in clinical compared to non-clinical samples or (2) correlations between metacognitive beliefs and symptoms of anxiety and depression.

RESULTS

Forty papers were identified comprising a total sample of 9,887 participants aged 7-18 years. Meta-analyses revealed that clinical samples endorsed significantly elevated metacognitive beliefs on four out of the five domains measured (i.e., negative beliefs about worry, cognitive confidence, need for control, and cognitive self-consciousness, with the only exception being positive beliefs about worry) compared to non-clinical samples with a small to large effect (Hedges' gs = 0.45-1.22). Moreover, all five domains of metacognitive beliefs were significantly and positively correlated with symptoms of anxiety and depression of a small to large effect (rs = .24-.53). Negative beliefs about worry showed the strongest relationship with clinical status and the magnitude of symptoms.

LIMITATIONS

The number of studies did not allow for an evaluation of metacognitive beliefs at a disorder-specific level.

CONCLUSIONS

In line with the S-REF model, our findings provide evidence of robust cross-sectional relationships between metacognitions and both anxiety and depression in childhood and adolescence.

Parental Phubbing and Adolescent Smartphone Addiction: Depression and Perceived School Climate Matter

This study investigated the association between parental phubbing and adolescents' smartphone addiction, the mediating role of depression, and the moderating role of perceived school climate in the association. Seven hundred forty-two Chinese adolescents (Mage = 12.97, SD = 0.64, 45.55 percent female) were recruited and self-reported questionnaires were administered. Results indicated that parental phubbing was positively associated with adolescents' smartphone addiction. Depression partially mediated the above relation. Further, perceived school climate moderated the relation between parental phubbing and depression, such that the positive association between parental phubbing and depression was stronger among adolescents who perceived their school climate as more negative (vs. positive). The findings deepened our understanding of the relation between parenting behaviors and adolescents' smartphone addiction and implications for interventions and practices were discussed.

Analyzing the psychometric properties of the PHQ-9 using item response theory in a Chinese adolescent population

BACKGROUND

People are more likely to fall victim to depression during adolescence since it is a period of rapid biopsychosocial transformation. Despite this, most depression research has concentrated on clinical issues, and evaluating depressive symptoms in teenagers is not as widespread. This study used item response theory (IRT) to examine the psychometric properties of the Patient Health Report scale (PHQ-9) in Chinese adolescents. Meanwhile, item function difference tests were used to check whether there were differences in depression symptoms in this group based on education and gender.

METHODS

In this research, the PHQ-9 was employed as a measurement tool, and 5958 valid data points were obtained from 12 secondary schools in China (Mage = 13.484; SDage = 1.627; range 11-19 years; 52.17% boys).

RESULTS

IRT shows that all items of the PHQ-9 satisfy monotonicity, unidimensionality and local independence and that they have good psychometric properties. Furthermore, DIF analysis revealed gender and educational disparities in adolescent depressive symptoms.

CONCLUSION

The study indicates that the PHQ-9 possesses favourable psychometric properties for use in Chinese adolescents. As a result, it serves as a valuable tool for effectively screening depressive symptoms in adolescents. It provides a foundation for prioritizing the development of secondary school students' physical and mental health.

Predictors of problematic smartphone use among young adult lesbian, gay and bisexual individuals during the COVID-19 pandemic: a four-year follow-up study

BACKGROUND

This 4-year follow-up study was conducted to evaluate the predictive effects of prepandemic individual and environmental factors on problematic smartphone use (PSU) among young adult lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) individuals during the COVID-19 pandemic.

METHODS

Data on prepandemic PSU, demographics, sexual stigma (e.g., perceived sexual stigma from family members, internalized sexual stigma, and sexual microaggression), self-identity confusion (e.g., disturbed identity, unconsolidated identity, and lack of identity), anxiety, depression, and family support were collected from 1,000 LGB individuals between August 2018 and June 2019. The participants' PSU was surveyed again after 4 years (between August 2022 and June 2023). The associations of prepandemic individual and environmental factors with PSU at follow-up were analyzed through linear regression.

RESULTS

In total, 673 (67.3%) participants completed the follow-up assessment. The severity of PSU significantly decreased after 4 years (p = .001). Before the incorporation of PSU at baseline into the analysis model, the results of the model revealed that high levels depressive symptoms (p < .001), disturbed identity (p < .001), and perceived sexual stigma from family members (p = .025) at baseline were significantly associated with PSU at follow-up. After the incorporation of PSU at baseline into the analysis model, the results of the model revealed that high levels PSU (p < .001) and depressive symptoms (p = .002) at baseline were significantly associated with PSU at follow-up.

CONCLUSION

Interventions aimed at reducing the severity of PSU among LGB individuals should be designed considering the predictors identified in our study.

Examining the Longitudinal Relationship Between Metacognitive Beliefs and Psychological Distress in an Adolescent Population: A Preliminary Analysis

Adolescence is a period marked by significant vulnerability to the onset of mental health concerns. Within adults, the metacognitive model of psychological disorders advocates for the involvement of metacognitive beliefs in the onset, and maintenance, of psychopathology. The current study aimed to assess the applicability of the metacognitive model in adolescence by exploring the relationship, as well as the trajectory, between metacognitive beliefs and psychological distress. The longitudinal prospective cohort study investigated data from a community-based sample of participants aged 12 to 13. Self-report assessment measures of metacognitive beliefs, psychological distress, and somatic distress are reported across four time-points. Baseline assessments are reported for 70 participants, which reduced to 53 participants at time-point four. Correlational analyses demonstrated a significant relationship between overall metacognition, as well as negative metacognitive beliefs, and psychological distress at each of the four time-points. Generalised Estimating Equations found a significant association between metacognitive predictors and psychological distress over the four time-points. These results indicate that negative metacognitive beliefs, positive metacognitive beliefs, metacognitive beliefs related to superstition, punishment, and responsibility, low perceived levels of cognitive confidence and cognitive self-consciousness predict psychological distress over 12 months in adolescents aged 12 to 13. The strongest longitudinal correlational structure was found for the model of negative metacognitive beliefs and psychological distress. These findings provide preliminary evidence for the positive linear relationship between metacognitive beliefs and psychological distress in adolescence. The study provides an important contribution to understanding the role of metacognitive beliefs in the aetiology and perpetuation of psychological distress in adolescence.

Problematic social media use and mental health risks among first-year Chinese undergraduates: a three-wave longitudinal study

Introduction

The association between social media use and mental health risks has been widely investigated over the past two decades with many cross-sectional studies reporting that problematic social media use (PSMU) is associated with higher mental health risk such as anxiety and depression. The present study examined the relationship between PSMU severity and mental health risks (depression, anxiety, stress, and loneliness) using a three-wave longitudinal design.

Methods

A total of 685 first-year Chinese undergraduate students (Mean age = 19.12 years, SD = 0.92) completed surveys at three times points with intervals of 3 to 4 months. Results revealed that PSMU was positively correlated with all the mental health risk variables over the three time points.

Results

The prevalence of PSMU increased over the three research waves. Cross-lagged models identified bi-directional relationships between PSMU and mental health risks, while such links were not consistent between different mental health risk variables and can change over different research intervals.

Discussion

This study indicates that PSMU and mental health risks could predict each other in a vicious loop, but the differences between specific mental health risks and the research context (e.g., different term times and experiences in university) should not be ignored. Further research attention should be paid to the prevalence of PSMU and mental health conditions among Chinese first-year undergraduates who appear to have difficulties in adapting to university life.

Bidirectional association between depressive symptoms and cardiovascular disease in the middle-aged and elderly Chinese: a 5-year longitudinal study

OBJECTIVE

Depressive symptoms and cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are important issues affecting the health of the middle-aged and elderly population in China. This study aimed to investigate the bidirectional association between depressive symptoms and CVD in middle-aged and elderly people in China.

DESIGN

A 5-year longitudinal study.

SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS

We included 6702 middle-aged and elderly participants from China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS), which is a nationwide longitudinal household survey that started in 2011 (T1) and followed up every 2 years in 2013 (T2) and 2015 (T3).

OUTCOME MEASURES

Depressive symptoms were measured by the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale. Binary logistic regression was used to identify the influencing factors of depressive symptoms and CVD at T1. The cross-lagged panel model was used to analyse the association between depressive symptoms and CVD at T1, T2 and T3.

RESULTS

The CHARLS is a representative longitudinal survey of people aged ≥45 years. Using data extracted from the CHARLS, overall, at T1, 2621 (39.10%) participants had depressive symptoms and 432 (6.4%) had CVD, and at T3, 2423 (36.2%) had depressive symptoms and 760 (11.3%) had CVD, respectively. Depressive symptoms at T1 had a effect on CVD at T2 (β=0.015, p=0.009), and depressive symptoms at T2 had an effect on CVD at T3 (β=0.015, p=0.034). CVD at T1 predicted depressive symptoms at T2 (β=0.036, p=0.002).

CONCLUSIONS

There is a bidirectional predictive effect between depressive symptoms and CVD. The effect of depressive symptoms on CVD is stable, and CVD has an effect on depressive symptoms in a short period of time.

Longitudinal associations among smartphone addiction, loneliness, and depressive symptoms in college students: Disentangling between- And within-person associations

BACKGROUND

Smartphone addiction and depressive symptoms are two prevalent and highly correlated problems among college students worldwide. However, the causal relationships and potential mechanisms (e.g., loneliness) between them remain controversial. Thus, the present study investigated the dynamic longitudinal relations between smartphone addiction and depressive symptoms including loneliness as a possible mediator in Chinese college students.

METHODS

A total of 3,827 college students (52.8% males, 47.2% females; M_age = 18.87 years, SD = 1.48) participated in a four-wave longitudinal study across two years, and the interval between waves was 6 months except for the second and the third wave (12 months). Smartphone Addiction Scale-Short Version, University of California Los Angeles Loneliness Scale-8 and Patient Health Questionnaire-9 were used to assess participants' smartphone addiction, loneliness, and depressive symptoms, respectively. Random intercept cross-lagged panel models (RI-CLPM) were utilized to separate between- and within-person effects.

RESULTS

The results of RI-CLPM demonstrated a bidirectional association between smartphone addiction and depressive symptoms (from T₃ to T₄), and loneliness (T₃) mediated the association between smartphone addiction (T₂) and depressive symptoms (T₄) at the within-person level (indirect effect = 0.008, 95%CI = 0.002-0.019).

CONCLUSIONS

Given that loneliness served as a mediator in the relation between smartphone addiction and depressive symptoms, enhancing offline interpersonal communication may hold great promise for alleviating negative emotions and reducing the dependence on online communication.

Depression and internet addiction among adolescents:A meta-analysis

Depression and Internet addiction (IA) are both prevalent and burdensome in adolescents. Findings on the relationship between depression and IA remain equivocal, and we therefore conducted a meta-analysis to confirm their correlation. We searched for relevant studies, with the last search being conducted on November 10, 2022. Adolescents aged 10 to 24 reported objectively measured depression and IA using scales that have been used worldwide and are valid. Random effect models were used to produce combined odds ratios (OR) and coefficient of regression (β) We included 42 studies presenting data from 102,769 participants. The meta-analysis confirmed that depression is positively correlated with IA and vice versa. Adolescents with depressive disorders were found to have a higher risk of IA. Adolescents with IA were found to have a higher risk of depressive disorders. In addition, IA had a stronger effect on depression risk. Screening for Internet addiction in depressed adolescents is recommended at initial diagnosis and follow-up. Similarly, Internet addicts should be screened regularly for depression.

Metacognitive beliefs and anxiety symptoms could serve as mediators between fear of missing out and gaming disorder in adolescents

Given the vulnerability to and prevalence of emotional problems and Internet gaming disorder (IGD) in adolescents, this study aimed to test the effects of fear of missing out (FoMO) on IGD and the mediating roles of metacognitive beliefs and anxiety symptoms based on the self-regulatory executive function (S-REF) model. At a Chinese high school, 283 participants (M_age = 16.89 years old; girls = 42.0%) with past-year gaming experience voluntarily completed an anonymous paper-and-pencil questionnaire. FoMO showed significant, positive associations with IGD, anxiety symptoms, and metacognitive beliefs. Results of path analysis showed a significant direct effect of FoMO on IGD, whereas anxiety symptoms mediated the relationship between FoMO and IGD. The indirect effects of FoMO on IGD via serial mediations of three negative metacognitive beliefs (i.e., negative beliefs about worry, low cognitive confidence, and beliefs regarding need for control) and anxiety symptoms were also statistically significant. These findings demonstrated that maladaptive metacognitive beliefs and anxiety are risk-enhancing mediators in the relationship between FoMO and IGD. Therefore, metacognitive therapy, particularly for regulating those three specific significant metacognitive beliefs, is recommended for treating IGD and anxiety, especially for those with higher levels of FoMO.

The association of childhood maltreatment with Internet addiction: the serial mediating effects of cognitive emotion regulation strategies and depression

OBJECTIVES

Childhood maltreatment, cognitive emotion regulation strategies (CERSs), and depression can be important in adolescents' Internet addiction. The current study aims to investigate the direct effect of childhood maltreatment on Internet addiction and its indirect effects via CERSs and depression.

PARTICIPANTS AND SETTING

4091 adolescents (age M = 13.64, SD = 1.59; 48.9 % males) were recruited from a public school in China.

METHODS

In a cross-sectional design, participants completed the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire-Short Form (CTQ-SF), the Cognitive Emotion Regulation Questionnaire-Short version (CERQ-Short), the Self-Rating Depression Scale (SDS), and the Internet Addiction Test (IAT). A latent structural equation model was used to test the hypotheses.

RESULTS

After controlling for age, childhood maltreatment was directly associated with adolescents' Internet addiction (β = 0.12, p < 0.001). Meanwhile, the serial mediating effect via maladaptive CERSs and depression was 0.02 (95 % CI [0.01, 0.04]), and via adaptive CERSs and depression was 0.001 (95 % CI [0.0004, 0.002]), demonstrating significant serial mediating role of CERSs and depression in this relationship. No gender difference was observed.

CONCLUSIONS

The findings suggest that maladaptive CERSs and depression can be potential mechanisms relating childhood maltreatment to adolescents' Internet addiction, while adaptive CERSs can be a less influential factor for reducing Internet addiction.

Validity, reliability, and correlates of the Smartphone Addiction Scale-Short Version among Japanese adults

BACKGROUND

The short version of the smartphone addiction scale (SAS-SV) is widely used to measure problematic smartphone use (PSU). This study examined the validity and reliability of the SAS-SV among Japanese adults, as well as cross-sectional and longitudinal associations with relevant mental health traits and problems.

METHODS

Datasets from a larger project on smartphone use and mental health were used to conduct two studies. Participants were adults aged over 20 years who carried a smartphone.

RESULTS

Study 1 (n = 99,156) showed the acceptable internal consistency and structural validity of the SAS-SV with a bifactor model with three factors. For the test-retest reliability of the SAS-SV, the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) was .70, 95% CI [.69, 70], when the SAS-SV was measured seven and twelve months apart (n = 20,389). Study 2 (n = 3419) revealed that when measured concurrently, the SAS-SV was strongly positively correlated with another measure of PSU and moderately correlated with smartphone use time, problematic internet use (PIU), depression, the attentional factor of impulsiveness, and symptoms related to attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder and obsessive-compulsive disorder. When measured 12 months apart, the SAS-SV was positively strongly associated with another measure of PSU and PIU and moderately associated with depression.

DISCUSSION

The structural validity of the SAS-SV appeared acceptable among Japanese adults with the bifactor model. The reliability of the SAS-SV was demonstrated in the subsequent seven- and twelve-month associations.

CONCLUSION

The cross-sectional and longitudinal associations of the SAS-SV provided further evidence regarding PSU characteristics.

A bidirectional association between smartphone addiction and depression among college students: A cross-lagged panel model

Background

Smartphone addiction (SA) is associated with adverse consequences, especially for freshmen. Evidence indicates that SA is associated with depression, and it is necessary to conduct a longitudinal study to explore the association further.

Methods

SA (measured by the Smartphone Addiction Scale-Short Version) and depression (measured by the Zung's Self-Rating Depression Scale) among 1,186 freshmen were surveyed at baseline and a respective 12-month follow-up for each participant. The application of a cross-lagged panel model approach (CLPM) revealed an association between SA and depression after adjusting for demographic variables.

Results

The CLPM results showed a significant path from baseline SA to follow-up depression (β = 0.08, P < 0.001) and a significant path from baseline depression to follow-up SA (β = 0.08, P < 0.001). Compared with the overall cross-lagged model, the cross-lagged coefficient of the path from baseline SA to follow-up depression increased in the female group (β = 0.10, P = 0.015), and the cross-lagged coefficient of the path from baseline depression to follow-up SA also increased significantly (β = 0.15, P < 0.001). In contrast, the cross-lagged model in the male group showed no predictive effect between SA and depression (P > 0.05).

Conclusions

The current study showed a significant bidirectional association between smartphone addiction and depression among freshmen, but only in the female population.

The impact of psychological distress on problematic smartphone use among college students: The mediating role of metacognitions about smartphone use

A mediation model was constructed to clarify the relationship and mechanisms linking psychological distress to problematic smartphone use (PSU), focusing on the mediating role of metacognitions about smartphone use. A questionnaire method was used to investigate psychological distress, metacognitions about smartphone use, and problematic smartphone use among 664 college students. The results showed that (1) psychological distress had a significant positive predictive effect on problematic smartphone use, and (2) there were differences in the underlying mechanisms linking different types of psychological distress to problematic smartphone use. Specifically, negative metacognition about smartphone use partially mediated the relationship between depression and problematic smartphone use, whereas anxiety could act on problematic smartphone use through the parallel mediation of positive metacognition about smartphone use and negative metacognition about smartphone use, with the latter having a greater positive mediating effect than the former. These findings reveal the mechanism of action linking different types of psychological distress to problematic smartphone use from the perspective of the cognitive-behavioral model of pathological Internet use, which has implications for the prevention and intervention of problematic smartphone use among college students.

Food Addiction and Emotional Eating Behaviors Co-Occurring with Problematic Smartphone Use in Adolescents?

Addiction in adolescence is increasing and has a significant impact on physical and mental health. Notably, addictions can be comorbid and affect each other. Despite the recent growing interest in food addiction (FA) and problematic smartphone use (PSU), few studies have investigated their association in adolescents. We investigated the relationship between FA and PSU in adolescents and the effects of eating behaviors. A total of 209 adolescents (44.5% male; mean age = 12.86 ± 0.7 years) participated in the current school-based community study. We found a positive correlation between the dimensional Yale Food Addiction Scale for Children 2.0 (dYFAS-C2.0) and the Smartphone Overdependence Scale after adjusting for age, sex, body mass index, and socioeconomic status. The high-risk PSU group accounted for 17.2% of participants. Furthermore, this group showed 2.3 times higher dYFAS-C2.0 scores than the general group. Emotional overeating and satiety responsiveness were correlated with PSU. A comprehensive evaluation of addiction symptoms is needed for proper intervention, especially in adolescents with symptoms of abnormal eating behaviors.

The relationship between parental psychological control and problematic smartphone use in early Chinese adolescence: A repeated-measures study at two time-points

The current study examined the bidirectional relationship between parental psychological control and problematic smartphone use (PSU) in early Chinese adolescence using a two time-points repeated-measures study and explored the role of psychological security and insomnia in the relationship between parental psychological control and subsequent PSU in early adolescence. The sample consisted of 2128 fourth- and fifth-grade students (55.69% male, age = 9 to 13, M_age ± SD = 10.91 ± 0.80) who participated in two measurements and completed questionnaires about parental psychological control, PSU, psychological security and insomnia. The results indicated that: (1) Autoregressive cross-lagged models showed a reciprocal relationship between parental psychological control and PSU severity in early adolescence. (2) Both psychological security and insomnia mediate the link between parental psychological control and subsequent PSU severity. (3) Psychological security and insomnia play serial mediating roles between parental psychological control and subsequent PSU severity. These findings indicate that reducing parental psychological control, boosting psychological security and alleviating insomnia symptoms in adolescents are all conducive to decrease PSU severity in early adolescence.

Exploring Stress and Problematic Use of Short-Form Video Applications among Middle-Aged Chinese Adults: The Mediating Roles of Duration of Use and Flow Experience

The pervasiveness of smartphones and the popularity of short-form video applications (SVAs), such as TikTok, among middle-aged Chinese adults have raised concerns about problematic SVAs use. Although a plethora of research has examined problematic smartphone use among teenagers and young adults, scarce attention has been paid to the middle-aged group. This study integrates the psychopathological approach and the compensatory use approach to explicate problematic SVAs use among middle-aged Chinese adults. We aim to examine the relationship between stress and problematic SVAs use via the mediating roles of duration of use and flow experience. A total of 194 middle-aged adults from across the nation participated in an online survey. The results showed that stress was positively associated with problematic SVAs use. We also found that duration of use positively mediated the relationship between stress and problematic SVAs use. Furthermore, a serial mediation effect of duration of use and flow experience was found. The findings suggest that the aforementioned two approaches are complementary to each other in explicating problematic SVAs use, but the compensatory use approach explains more than the psychopathological approach does. Flow experience extends the original compensatory use approach and demonstrates the importance of incorporating techno-psychological predictors in understanding problematic SVAs use.

Longitudinal relationships among problematic mobile phone use, bedtime procrastination, sleep quality and depressive symptoms in Chinese college students: a cross-lagged panel analysis

BACKGROUND

Cross-sectional and longitudinal studies have found that problematic mobile phone use, bedtime procrastination, sleep quality, and depressive symptoms are strongly associated. However, studies are inconsistent regarding whether problematic mobile phone use predicts depressive symptoms or vice versa, and sleep factors have been infrequently focused on in this regard. In addition, few studies have examined the longitudinal associations and directions of effects between these factors. Therefore, this study aims to explore the longitudinal relationship among problematic mobile phone use, bedtime procrastination, sleep quality, and depressive symptoms in college students.

METHODS

Overall, 1181 college students completed questionnaires on problematic mobile phone use, bedtime procrastination, sleep quality, and depressive symptoms at two time points 12 months apart. A cross-lagged model was used to examine the longitudinal relationship between these factors.

RESULTS

Cross-lagged analyses showed significant bidirectional relationships of problematic mobile phone use with bedtime procrastination and depressive symptoms. Additionally, there were also significant bidirectional relationships of sleep quality with bedtime procrastination and depressive symptoms. Problematic mobile phone use predicted subsequent sleep quality one-way, and bedtime procrastination predicted subsequent depressive symptoms one-way.

CONCLUSIONS

This study further expands our understanding of the longitudinal and bidirectional relationships among problematic mobile phone use, bedtime procrastination, sleep quality and depressive symptoms and helps school mental health educators design targeted interventions to reduce problematic mobile phone use, sleep problems, and depressive symptoms among college students.