Evidence mapPaperPMID 40813670Full record

ArticleBMC public health2025

Mobile phone dependency and subclinical depressive-anxiety symptom co-occurrence in college students: a cross-lagged panel network analysis.

Ze Zhao, Xiaobin Ding, Chen Chen, Jie Wang, Nianxi He, Jiajia Xu, Jing Li, Lili Liu

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Article in BMC public health, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 5 papers.

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5citing papers in PubMed
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1 · What the graph read from it

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3 · Its place in the literature

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5 citing papers in PubMed.

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4 · The record

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5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors.

Ze Zhao *Northwest Normal University, Lanzhou, China.
Xiaobin Ding *Northwest Normal University, Lanzhou, China.
Chen ChenNorthwest Normal University, Lanzhou, China.
Jie WangNanchong Vocational and Technical College, Nanchong, China.
Nianxi HeNanchong Vocational and Technical College, Nanchong, China.
Jiajia XuNanchong Vocational and Technical College, Nanchong, China.
Jing LiNanchong Vocational and Technical College, Nanchong, China.
Lili Liu *Hainan College of Foreign Studies, Wenchang, China. 3010933018@qq.com.

Funding

Hainan College of Foreign Studies Scientific Research Project Hwyky2019-07Northwest Normal University Graduate Research Grant Program 2023KYZZ-B036Scientific Research Planning Project of the Sichuan Psychological Society: "Longitudinal Network Relationships Between Smartphone Addiction, Depression, and Anxiety Among College Students in Vocational Colleges" SCSXLXH202403105
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundWith the widespread use of smartphones among college students, issues related to smartphone dependence have become increasingly prevalent. Existing research has shown that subclinical anxiety and depression often co-occur and are closely associated with smartphone dependence. This study employed a cross-lagged panel network approach to explore the dynamic interplay between smartphone dependence and the co-occurrence of subclinical anxiety and depressive symptoms among college students.

methodsThe Mobile Phone Addiction Index (MPAI), Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), and Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7) were used as measurement tools. Two waves of longitudinal data were collected from 571 college students (26.3% male; mean age = 19.53 years, SD = 1.12) between March 2024 and September 2024.

resultsThe results revealed that anxiety symptoms significantly predicted smartphone dependence. The node Uncontrollable worry (A2) exerted the strongest influence on other symptoms, whereas Delayed work (MPAI-16) was more frequently predicted by other symptoms. The three strongest cross-lagged paths in the network were from Spend too much time (MPAI-2) to Complained by others (MPAI-1), from Uncontrollable worry (A2) to Delayed work (MPAI-16), and from Uncontrollable worry (A2) to Anxiety if not used for some time (MPAI-10), all of which played a key role in maintaining the overall network structure.

conclusionBased on these findings, interventions targeting smartphone dependence among college students should begin with an assessment of their interpersonal relationships and anxiety levels. Enhancing social support, fostering healthy interpersonal connections, and alleviating students' worries and fears may serve as effective strategies to reduce smartphone dependence in this population.

Indexed as

AnxietyCell PhoneDepressionInternet Addiction DisorderSmartphoneStudentsFemaleHumansLongitudinal StudiesMaleSurveys and QuestionnairesUniversitiesYoung AdultAnxietyCollege studentsCross-lagged panel network analysisDepressionMobile phone dependency

Identifiers

PMID40813670
PMCPMC12351813

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.