Smartphone addiction and victimization predicts sleep problems and depression among children

Relationship of Smartphone Addiction with Cyberbullying, Alcohol Use, Depression, and Anxiety Among University Students

Smartphone addiction is one of the major social issues among young people these days. The current study aims to identify the determinants of smartphone addiction and examine the association between smartphone addiction and multiple behavioral/psychological problems. The study sample consisted of 1105 university students from Singapore. Students in the high-risk smartphone use group reported higher levels of smartphone addiction, cybervictimization, and depressive and anxiety symptoms. Depressive and anxiety symptoms showed a positive association with smartphone addiction. Additionally, both depressive and anxiety symptoms had significant indirect effects when assessing two separate simple mediation models. When testing the parallel mediation model, the indirect effect of cybervictimization on smartphone addiction occurred through anxiety but not depression. Based on these findings, the current study proposed the implementation of routine screening and the provision of multi-level services in education settings. Nevertheless, the study has limitations related to the study population and the use of self-reported questionnaires.

Effects of socio-demographical characteristics of high school students on smartphone addiction and depression

This study was conducted to determine the smartphone addiction and severity of depressive symptoms of high school students. In this descriptive cross-sectional and correlational study, the sample consisted of 1744 high school students. In the study, data were collected using a Descriptive Questionnaire, the Smartphone Addiction Scale-Short Form, and the Depression Scale for Children. Data were analyzed in independent groups Student's t test, One-way ANOVA, Pearson correlation analysis, and a multiple regression model. It was determined that the students' mean smartphone addiction score was affected by gender, grade level, school success, having problems with the family, relationship with family, relationship with friends, and social self-evaluation. The mean depression score was affected by family type, economic status, social self-evaluation. According to the multiple regression analysis, effects of socio-demographic variables on smartphone addiction were 25%. It was concluded that the socio-demographic characteristics of high school students have an effect on smartphone addiction and depression.

Relationship between smartphone addiction, loneliness, and depression in adolescents: A correlational structural equation modeling study

PURPOSE

This study was aimed to investigate the relationship between smartphone addiction, loneliness, and depression in adolescents.

DESIGN AND METHODS

This study was designed in a correlational-cross-sectional-descriptive model and was conducted with 1041 adolescents attending high schools in a provincial center in Eastern Turkey. The data were collected through face-to-face interviews using a personal information form, Smartphone Addiction Scale-Short Version for Adolescents, UCLA Loneliness Scale, and Kutcher Adolescent Depression Scale.

RESULTS

The average scores for smartphone addiction were found to be higher among females, individuals with low academic success, and those with a high-income level. Similarly, the average scores for loneliness were higher among individuals residing in broken families and those with parents who have limited literacy. Additionally, the mean scores for depression were higher among individuals with low academic success and those with a high-income level. Furthermore, a significant positive correlation was observed between the duration of smartphone use and levels of smartphone addiction, loneliness, and depression.

CONCLUSION

Smartphone addiction, loneliness, and depression were found to be prevalent above the moderate level in adolescents. Additionally, a significant positive correlation was observed between the depression and loneliness scores of adolescents.

PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS

Pediatric and school nurses should assess children's phone use. Nurses are well-positioned to establish a follow-up program aimed at monitoring adolescents' efforts in managing smartphone use, offering continuous support, and providing guidance when necessary. The implementation of such programs enables prompt intervention in addressing any arising issues.

A comprehensive review on emerging trends in the dynamic evolution of digital addiction and depression

Introduction

Using digital addiction as an umbrella term to cover any type of addictions to digital technologies such as the internet, smartphones, social media, or video games, the current study aimed to reveal the intellectual structure and evolution of research addressing digital addiction-depression relationship.

Methods

The study combined bibliometric and science mapping analysis methods for this purpose. Data for the study was gathered from Web of Science Core Collection after a comprehensive process of data search/extraction, and 241 articles were included in the final data set. A period-based, comparative science mapping analysis was performed using the SciMAT software.

Results

The analysis of data over three periods, Period 1 (1983-2016), Period 2 (2017-2019), and Period 3 (2020-2022) showed that internet addiction was the most significant theme across all three periods, which was followed by social media addiction. Depression, which emerged as a significant theme during Period 1, was later covered under anxiety disorder theme. Research interest was mostly on factors related to both addiction and depression such as cognitive distortion, insomnia, loneliness, self-esteem, social support, alexithymia, as well as cybervictimization or academic performance.

Discussion

The results suggested that much research is warranted on the digital addiction-depression relationship in different age cohorts, especially children and elderly. Similarly, the current analysis showed that this line of research particularly focused on internet, gaming and social media addiction, and evidence with regard to other types of digital addiction or related compulsive behaviors was almost absent. In addition, research was mostly inclined to understanding cause-effect relationships, which is significant, but preventive strategies seemed to be barely addressed. Likewise, the smartphone addiction-depression relationship arguably garnered less research interest, so future research would contribute to the field in this respect.