Associations between smartphone use, smartphone addiction and mental health in teenagers: a structural equation modeling approach

This study assessed the interrelationships between smartphone use habits, self-reported dependence and mental health in a cross-sectional study encompassing 1,031 teenagers. The study variables comprised smartphone use/abuse and psychiatric distress signs/symptoms, whose associations were analyzed e...

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Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores: Pires, Rômulo Cesar Rezzo, Reinert, Ana Paula Rezzo Pires, Cantanhede, Andréa Martins, Pinheiro, Joseana Araújo Bezzera Brasil
Tipo de recurso: artículo
Estado:Versión publicada
Fecha de publicación:2024
País:Brasil
Institución:Universidade Tecnológica Federal do Paraná (UTFPR)
Repositorio:Revista Tecnologia e Sociedade (Online)
Idioma:inglés
OAI Identifier:oai:periodicos.utfpr:article/16652
Acceso en línea:https://periodicos.utfpr.edu.br/rts/article/view/16652
Access Level:acceso abierto
Palabra clave:Ciências da Saúde/ Saúde Coletiva
Smartphone; Mental Disorder; Teenager.
Descripción
Sumario:This study assessed the interrelationships between smartphone use habits, self-reported dependence and mental health in a cross-sectional study encompassing 1,031 teenagers. The study variables comprised smartphone use/abuse and psychiatric distress signs/symptoms, whose associations were analyzed employing a structural model through structural equation modeling. Early smartphone use by teenagers was negatively and significantly associated to smartphone dependence scores (direct effect) and psychiatric distress symptoms (indirect effect), mediated by cell phone dependence. Furthermore, smartphone addiction led to increased psychiatric distress scores, with a large effect. Thus, it appears that the relationships between smartphone use/abuse and mental health are complex and require further studies to support interventions aimed at teenagers.