Bidirectional associations between cellular phone use behaviors and depressive symptoms in college students: a follow up study
10.16835/j.cnki.1000-9817.2023.02.021
- VernacularTitle:大学生手机使用行为与抑郁症状双向关联的随访研究
- Author:
LI Renjie, TAO Shuman, WU Xiaoyan, YANG Yajuan, ZOU Liwei, XIE Yang, LI Tingting, ZHANG Dan, ZHAI Shuang, QU Yang, TAO Fangbiao
1
,
2
Author Information
1. Department of Maternal, Child &
2. Adolescent Health, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, Hefei (230032) , China
- Publication Type:Journal Article
- Keywords:
Cellular phone;
Tool use behavior;
Depression;
Follow up studies;
Regression analysis;
Students
- From:
Chinese Journal of School Health
2023;44(2):251-255
- CountryChina
- Language:Chinese
-
Abstract:
Objective:The study aimed to describe the prevalence of mobile phone use and depressive symptoms and to examine the bidirectional associations between the two among college students, providinb evidence for mental health promotion among college students.
Methods:A longitudinal study with follow up at 6 month intervals was conducted in 1 135 students from 2 universities in Hefei, Anhui Province and Shangrao, Jiangxi Province who were selected between April and May 2019. The last follow up was conducted between April and May 2021 based on questionnaire survey, and 999 valid participants were obtained after matching. The self designed questionnaire was used to investigate the duration of cellular phone use and use of cellular phone functions among college students. The Self rating Questionnaire for Adolescent Problematic Mobile Phone Use (SQAPMPU) and the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) were used to assess cellular phone dependence and depressive symptoms among college students. Pearson correlation analysis was used to examine the correlation between cellular phone use behavior and depressive symptoms at baseline and 2 years later; linear regression model was used to analyze the linear association between cellular phone use behavior and depressive symptoms scores; autoregressive cross lagged model was used to analyze the bidirectional associations between cellular phone use behaviors and depressive symptoms among college students over time.
Results:The prevalence of mobile phone dependence and depressive symptoms among college students at baseline were 24.3% and 42.4%, respectively. The mean duration of mobile phone use among college students at baseline and the 2 year follow up were (2.84±0.90)h/d and (2.02±1.05)h/d, respectively; the mean scores of mobile phone dependence were (23.30±9.00) and (23.29±10.45), respectively; the mean scores of mobile phone function use were (30.12±6.66) and (29.12±7.27), respectively; and the mean scores of depressive symptoms were (4.51±4.76) and (2.61±4.40), respectively. Pearson correlation analysis showed there were significant positive correlations between duration of cellular phone use, cellular phone dependence, use of cellular phone functions at baseline or 2 years later and depressive symptoms 2 years later( r =0.08-0.50, P <0.05). Linear regression models showed a significant positive association between cellular phone dependence at baseline and depressive symptoms ( β=0.26, 95%CI =0.23-0.29) at baseline and 2 years later ( β=0.12, 95%CI =0.09-0.15). Autoregressive cross lagged models showed that cellular phone dependence at baseline positively predicted depressive symptoms 2 years later ( β =0.04) and depressive symptoms at baseline positively predicted cellular phone dependence 2 years later( β =0.23)( P <0.05).
Conclusion:There was a bidirectional association between cellular phone dependence and depressive symptoms among college students. Reducing cellular phone dependence is of positive significance for improving college students mental health.
