Core self-evaluation, mental health and mobile phone dependence in Chinese high school students: why should we care

The impact of childhood trauma on meaning in life among middle school students: the chain-mediating roles of social support and core self-evaluations

BACKGROUND

The negative impact of childhood trauma on adolescence' meaning in life has become a widely concerned topic. The junior high school students are still at a critical stage of developing their meaning in life. This study aims to explore the impact of childhood trauma on meaning in life among junior high school students, as well as the mediating role of social support and core self-evaluations.

METHODS

Cross-sectional data were collected from 23 schools in South China. 2,273 junior high school students completed self-reported questionnaires on demographic variables, childhood trauma, meaning in life, social support, and core self-evaluations. Statistical analysis was conducted via SPSS 27.0 and SPSS PROCESS.

RESULTS

Childhood trauma negatively impacted junior high school students' meaning in life significantly. Both social support ( Indirect effect = -0.073, 95% CI, -0.112 ~ -0.034) and core self-evaluations ( Indirect effect = -0.044, 95% CI, -0.061 ~ -0.028) were significant partial mediators in the childhood trauma and meaning in life. A chain mediating role of social support and core self-evaluations in the relationship between childhood trauma and meaning in life was also supported (Indirect effect = -0.048, 95% CI, -0.066 ~ -0.031). Hierarchical regression results showed that social support and core self-evaluations both positively predict meaning in life. When social support and core self-evaluations were added separately, the impact of childhood trauma weakened. When social support (β = 0.113, t = 4.108, p < 0.001) and core self-evaluations (β = 0.165, t = 6.250, p < 0.001) were both present, childhood trauma has the least impact on meaning in life.

CONCLUSIONS

Strengthening the power of social support networks and fostering positive core self-evaluations may be important strategies for mitigating the negative effects of childhood trauma and enhancing meaning in life for junior high school students.

Health risky behaviors among rural-to-urban migrant workers in China: prevalence, patterns, and association with distal and proximal factors

Background

Health Risky Behaviors (HRBs) pose a significant public health challenge, particularly among migrant workers in China who face unfavorable living and working conditions. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence and characteristics of HRBs in rural-to-urban migrant workers, as well as explore factors associated with HRBs from both distal and proximal perspectives.

Methods

A cross-sectional survey involving 2,065 rural-to-urban migrant workers was conducted. Participants completed a structured questionnaire assessing HRBs, distal factors (school dropout, peer victimization, physical neglect/abuse, emotional neglect/abuse) and proximal factors (work burnout, parent-child conflict, adulthood poverty, divorce intention, core self-evaluation). Logistic regression analysis was utilized to identify predictors of HRBs, leading to the development and validation of a prediction model (nomograms) for HRBs among migrant workers. The model's performance was assessed using metrics such as the area under the curve (AUC), calibration curve, receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve, and decision curve analysis (DCA).

Results

Significant predictors of HRBs included gender, school dropout, peer victimization, abuse/neglect experiences, work burnout, parent-child conflict, adulthood poverty, divorce intention, and core self-evaluation. The developed nomogram showed promising predictive accuracy with an AUC of 0.77 for the training set and 0.76 for the validation set. The calibration curve demonstrated good alignment with the diagonal, and the DCA illustrated the model's utility across different threshold ranges.

Conclusion

This study highlighted a high prevalence of HRBs among migrant workers in China, and the predictive tool developed can be instrumental in informing targeted interventions and policies to address and manage HRBs effectively among this population.

Prevalence, Risk Factors, and Relevant Consequences of Mobile Phone Dependence Among Middle School Students - Guangzhou City, Guangdong Province, China, 2023

What is already known about this topic?

The risk factors for mobile phone dependence (MPD) remain inconsistent and debated in the literature. Previous studies in China reported MPD prevalence rates of 26.2% among junior high students and 27.9% among senior high students in 2012. A 2021 study in Guangzhou City found a prevalence of 13.5% among first-year senior high students.

What is added by this report?

This study reveals that the overall MPD prevalence among middle school students in Guangzhou was 10.0% in 2023, with distinct rates between junior high (7.3%) and senior high (12.4%) students. The research identifies key risk factors for MPD development and documents injury patterns associated with excessive phone use.

What are the implications for public health practice?

These findings provide an evidence base for developing targeted interventions to reduce both MPD occurrence and associated injuries among middle school students.

Digital Detox Strategies and Mental Health: A Comprehensive Scoping Review of Why, Where, and How

Excessive use of social media (SM) platforms and digital technology (DT), often driven by habitual scrolling due to adaptive feed experiences, has been linked to anxiety, sleep disturbances, and obsessive-compulsive behaviors while also exacerbating mental health concerns. Yet, the role of "digital detox", defined as a voluntary reduction or temporary cessation of device use, remains only partially understood as both a clinical and lifestyle intervention. This comprehensive scoping review was conducted to consolidate existing research on digital detox interventions and evaluate contextual factors that may influence their effectiveness for mental health and well-being. A targeted keyword search for "digital detox" was conducted in the PubMed database on December 12, 2024, yielding 34 initial results. This review followed the approach recommended by the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses Extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR) to identify, screen, and extract evidence from relevant studies as per pre-specified inclusion criteria. A total of 14 studies were found eligible, and data from these studies and their relevant references (totaling 640 citations) were extracted and synthesized. Our findings suggest that digital detox interventions may alleviate depression and problematic internet use, and individuals with higher baseline symptom severity appear to derive higher benefits. However, the impact on broader outcomes such as life satisfaction and overall well-being remains variable. Divergent intervention approaches, ranging from short-term SM abstinence to sustained, moderate device restrictions and individual differences in baseline severity of symptoms, coping styles, environmental pressures, and support systems, may contribute to different outcomes across various studies and systematic reviews. Overall, age, gender, baseline mental health, and range and duration of DT usage prior to detox are the key variables that may determine the effectiveness of digital detox interventions. Tailored DT usage in moderation, aligned with each individual's age, developmental stage, and academic needs, has greater benefits among younger populations, particularly adolescents and young adults, while mindful and regulated SM use is especially advantageous for female populations. However, other populations could also benefit, provided interventions address self-regulation challenges specific to adult lifestyles. Given the growing global prevalence of problematic smartphone use (PSU) and its documented comorbidity with psychiatric disorders, digital detox strategies have the potential to be integrated into clinical recommendations and policy initiatives. However, a framework for assessing intervention quality and long-term outcomes is essential.

Potential association between mobile phone usage duration and postpartum depression risk: Evidence from a Mendelian randomization study

The widespread adoption of mobile phones in daily life has raised concerns regarding their impact on mental health, including among postpartum women. Considering the rising prevalence of postpartum depression (PPD) and the pervasive use of mobile phones in modern society, this study aimed to rigorously investigate the causal relationship between mobile phone use duration and the risk of developing PPD. Data were collected through an online survey assessing mobile phone usage and mental health among postpartum women. The survey's reliability and validity were evaluated using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences software. In total, 2015 participants completed the survey. To explore causal relationships, genetic data were sourced from open-access databases, and two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) techniques were employed. Statistical analysis, including chi-square tests, revealed a significant association between higher mobile phone use and lower incidence of PPD. MR analysis supported these findings, indicating a protective effect of mobile phone use against PPD (P < .05 based on inverse variance weighting and the weighted median method). This MR-based study provides evidence that increased mobile phone use is associated with a decreased risk of PPD, suggesting that mobile phones could serve as an effective tool for PPD prevention. These findings highlight the importance of evidence-based evaluations of lifestyle factors in mental health research.

The role of core self-evaluation between peer victimization and depression: A longitudinal multilevel moderated mediation model and the healthy context paradox in Chinese adolescents

BACKGROUND

According to the healthy context paradox, the negative effects of peer victimization on core self-evaluation and depressive symptoms may vary in different levels of classroom-level victimization. However, previous studies have not investigated this issue using a longitudinal study design.

OBJECTIVE

The present study used a longitudinal design to examine why and under what conditions peer victimization was associated with adolescents' depressive symptoms.

METHOD

A large number of Chinese adolescents (Time 1: N = 4164, 50.3 % girls, Mage = 12.89, SDage = 0.77; Time 2: N = 4001, 50.4 % girls, Mage = 14.39, SDage = 0.75) were followed for one and a half years.

RESULTS

Results showed that adolescents who were victimized in healthy contexts were more depressed and were at an increased risk of reporting more negative core self-evaluation than those victimized in unhealthy contexts. Moreover, core self-evaluation served as a mediator between peer victimization and depressive symptoms.

LIMITATIONS

This study included two waves of data, which limited the exploration of dynamic relationships between peer victimization and depressive symptoms. In addition, the self-reported data weakened the objectivity of the results. Finally, this study neglected the effects of different dimensions of peer victimization on depressive symptoms.

CONCLUSIONS

The healthy context paradox of peer victimization is identified in China, highlighting that future interventions of peer victimization should pay more attention to specific remaining victimized and self-devaluing individuals in healthy contexts.

The effect of smartphone addiction on adolescent health: the moderating effect of leisure physical activities

BACKGROUND

Smartphone addiction is a growing concern, especially among adolescents, due to its negative impact on health. This study examines how leisure physical activity influence this relationship.

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to investigate the relationship between smartphone addiction and adolescent health, examining the mediating role of loneliness and the moderating effect of leisure physical activity.

METHODS

A survey of 1271 Chinese university students was conducted using the PAPS Health and Fitness Scale, Smartphone Addiction Scale, and Leisure Time Exercise Scale.

RESULTS

Smartphone addiction negatively affects adolescent health. Loneliness mediates this relationship, while leisure physical activity moderates it. High levels of physical activity reduce the negative impact of loneliness on health (bsimple = -0.49, P < 0.001), whereas low levels enhance this impact (bsimple = -0.21, P < 0.001).

CONCLUSION

These research have practical implications for preventing and reducing smartphone addiction and offer a theoretical foundation for promoting healthier lifestyles among adolescents.

An analysis of the role of college students' core self-evaluation in the relationship between extracurricular physical exercise and academic stress

Objective

To explore the role of college students' core self-evaluation in the association between extracurricular physical exercise and academic stress, and to provide a reference and basis for effectively alleviating current college students' academic stress.

Methods

A stratified cluster random sampling method was used to conduct an online survey using the China College Student Mental Health Screening Scale, the Core Self-Esteem Scale, and a self-developed questionnaire for 1,249 college students from 8 junior colleges in Jiangsu Province, China, in January 2023, and analyses were conducted using bivariate correlation and mediation effect tests.

Results

More than half of the students were worried about lagging behind other students in their studies and worrying about exams, as well as more than half of the students had <2 h of extracurricular physical exercise per week in terms of academic stress. Significant correlations were found between extracurricular physical exercise time and core self-evaluation (r = 0.225, p < 0.01), academic stress (r = -0.317, p < 0.01), and between core self-evaluation and academic stress (r =-0.371, p < 0.01). Extracurricular physical exercise had a negative predictive effect on academic stress (effect = -0.306, 95%CI: -0.361~-0.251) and partially through the mediating path of core self-evaluation, (effect = -0.067, 95%CI: -0.091~-0.046), with a mediating effect of 21.9%. Among them, the mediating effect of core self-evaluation was highest in "worrying about lagging behind other students in their studies" and "worrying about exams", which accounted for 24.4% and 24.3% respectively.

Conclusion

Currently, college students have different degrees of academic stress; extracurricular physical exercise can reduce academic stress through direct effects, and also through the indirect effect of improving the level of core self-evaluation, and active extracurricular physical exercise has become an important way to promote students' physical and mental health.

Associations between problem technology use, life stress, and self-esteem among high school students

BACKGROUND

Adolescence is a critical period for development, with many risk factors resulting in long-term health consequences, particularly regarding mental health. The purpose of this study was to examine the associations between problem technology use, life stress, and self-esteem in a representative sample of adolescents residing in Ontario, Canada.

METHODS

Self-reported data were obtained from a cross-sectional sample of 4,748 students (57.9% females) in grades 9 to 12 (mean age: 15.9 ± 1.3 years) who participated in the 2019 Ontario Student Drug Use and Health Survey. Problem technology use was measured using the 6-item Short Problem Internet Use Test, life stress was assessed using an item from the British Columbia Adolescent Health Survey and self-esteem was assessed using a global measure from the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale. Ordinal logistic regression models were adjusted for age, sex, ethnoracial background, subjective socioeconomic status, body mass index z-score, tobacco cigarette smoking, alcohol consumption and cannabis use.

RESULTS

We found that 18.3% of participants reported symptoms of moderate-to-high problem technology use, although symptoms were more common in females than males (22% vs. 14.7%, respectively). Moderate-to-high problem technology use was associated with 2.04 (95% CI: 1.77-2.35) times higher odds of reporting high life stress and 2.08 (95% CI: 1.76-2.45) times higher odds of reporting low self-esteem compared to all other response options.

CONCLUSIONS

Findings from this study show that problem technology use is strongly associated with higher life stress and lower self-esteem in adolescents. This study supports the importance of developing and implementing effective strategies that help to mitigate the adverse effects of problem technology use on adolescent mental health.

The association between the deviation from balanced time perspective on adolescent pandemic mobile phone addiction: the moderating role of self-control and the mediating role of psychological distress

Background

Few studies have examined the impact that the deviation from balanced time perspective (DBTP) had on mobile phone addiction during the COVID-19 normalization prevention and control phase. Therefore, this study sought to determine the associations between DBTP, depression and anxiety, self-control, and adolescent mobile phone addiction.

Methods

The moderated mediating model was tested using the SPSS PROCESS model. The sample was 1,164 adolescents from different regional areas of Sichuan, China. From February to March 2020, participants completed the Zimbardo time perspective inventory (ZTPI), the brief symptom inventory for physical and mental health (BSI-18), the self-control scale (SCS), and the Chinese version of the mobile phone addiction index (MPAI).

Results

The DBTP was significantly and positively correlated with mobile phone addiction, depressive and anxiety symptoms mediated the relationship between DBTP and mobile phone addiction, self-control moderated the indirect effect of DBTP on mobile phone addiction, and as the level of self-control increased, the effect of DBTP on anxiety and depression and the effect of depression and anxiety on mobile phone addiction weakened.

Conclusion

During the COVID-19 pandemic, DBTP and lower self-control were risk factors for higher mobile phone addiction in adolescents. Therefore, guiding adolescents to balance their time perspective and enhance their self-control could strengthen their psychological well-being and reduce addictive mobile phone behaviors. This research was supported by "Youth Fund of the Ministry of Education" (18YJCZH233): "Research on the plastic mechanism of decision-making impulsiveness of anxious groups in the context of risk society."

Advances for pediatricians in 2022: allergy, anesthesiology, cardiology, dermatology, endocrinology, gastroenterology, genetics, global health, infectious diseases, metabolism, neonatology, neurology, oncology, pulmonology

The last year saw intensive efforts to advance knowledge in pediatric medicine. This review highlights important publications that have been issued in the Italian Journal of Pediatrics in 2022. We have chosen papers in the fields of allergy, anesthesiology, cardiology, dermatology, endocrinology, gastroenterology, genetics, global health, infectious diseases, metabolism, neonatology, neurology, oncology, pulmonology. Novel valuable developments in epidemiology, pathophysiology, prevention, diagnosis and treatment that can rapidly change the approach to diseases in childhood have been included and discussed.

The Relationship between Physical Exercise and Smartphone Addiction among Chinese College Students: The Mediating Effect of Core Self-Evaluation

Smartphone addiction is widespread among college students. Physical exercise and core self-evaluation are two potential factors that may influence smartphone addiction. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between physical exercise and college students' smartphone addiction, as well as the mediating effect of core self-evaluation. Here, 643 undergraduate university students are surveyed via questionnaire using the Physical Activity Rating Scale, the Smartphone Addiction Scale for College Students, and the Core Self-Evaluations Scale. The participants include 363 males (56.5%) and 280 females (43.5%), with ages ranging from 17 to 25 years old (mean = 19.68, SD = 1.40). The obtained data are analyzed using SPSS26.0 and the PROCESS plugins. The main findings of the study are as follows: (1) There is a significant negative correlation between physical exercise and smartphone addiction (r = -0.30, p < 0.01), a significant positive correlation between physical exercise and core self-evaluation (r = 0.25, p < 0.01), and a significant negative correlation between core self-evaluation and smartphone addiction (r = -0.52, p < 0.01). (2) There is a mediating effect of core self-evaluation between physical exercise and smartphone addiction. The current study can provide new evidence for the impact of physical exercise on smartphone addiction and highlights the importance of core self-evaluation. Moreover, research ideas and methodological guidance are provided for the following interventions and treatments targeting college students' smartphone addiction.

Core self-evaluation and subjective wellbeing: A moderated mediation model

Objectives

Much has been written documenting the positive association between core self-evaluation and adolescents' subjective wellbeing, but little is known about the mediating and moderating mechanisms which underlay this relationship. This study constructed a moderated mediation model to examine whether meaning in life mediated the relationship between core self-evaluation and subjective wellbeing, and whether this mediating process was moderated by adolescents' self-esteem.

Methods

A sample of 1,185 adolescents (11-17 years of age, 51.3% females) completed the Core Self-Evaluation Scale (CSES), the Meaning in Life Questionnaire (MLQ), the Rosenberg Self-esteem Scale (RSES), and the Index of Wellbeing Scale (IWS).

Results

The results indicate that after controlling for gender and age, core self-evaluation contributed significantly to subjective wellbeing (β = 0.900, p < 0.001). Meaning in life played a mediating role in the relationship between core self-evaluation and subjective wellbeing (β = 0.143, p < 0.01), with core self-evaluation indirectly affecting subjective wellbeing through meaning in life (β_indirect = 0.068, 95% CI = [0.024, 0.119]). Self-esteem moderated the path mediated by meaning in life, more specifically, the conditional indirect effect between core self-evaluation and wellbeing was significant for adolescents with medium and low self-esteem (effect = 0.056, 95% CI = [0.014, 0.106]; effect = 0.092, 95% CI = [0.034, 0.159]. Both mediating and moderating effects were shown to exist in the association between core self-evaluation and adolescents' subjective wellbeing.

Discussion

Based on the results, the following suggestions can be made: subjective wellbeing can be promoted through interventions such as enhancing adolescents' core self-evaluation and helping them understand the meaning in life, and that greater attention needs to be paid to adolescents with low self-esteem. The findings of this study helpful to clarify the mediation and moderating mechanism of the beneficial influence of adolescents' core self-evaluation on subjective wellbeing.

An Empirical Study on the Relationship among Mental Health, Learning Engagement, and Academic Self-Efficacy of Senior High School Students

This study examines the mediating role of the academic self-efficacy of high school students in Tibetan and Qiang areas of China on the relationship between their mental health and learning engagement, as well as their gender and grade-specific differences in mental health, learning engagement, and academic self-efficacy. The authors drew 600 valid samples in Tibetan and Qiang areas of China, built a measurement model and a structure model, established a structural equation model comprising the mental health scale, the learning engagement scale, and the academic self-efficacy scale, and conducted an independent sample t-tests and a one-way analysis of variance. The questionnaires took the form of the 5-point Likert scale. This research shows that the mental health of high school students in Tibetan and Qiang areas of China has a significant positive impact on their learning engagement and academic self-efficacy and that their academic self-efficacy has a significant positive impact on their learning engagement. Academic self-efficacy produces an overwhelming mediating effect on the ways mental health influences learning engagement. High school students, male and female, in Tibetan and Qiang areas of China show no marked gender-specific differences in mental health, learning engagement, and academic self-efficacy, while junior high school students show marked grade-specific differences in mental health, and senior high school students show marked grade-specific differences in learning engagement and academic self-efficacy. This article concludes that improving the academic self-efficacy of high school students in Tibetan and Qiang areas of China can boost their learning engagement.