Associations between problematic smartphone use and behavioural difficulties, quality of life, and school performance among children and adolescents
Kliesener T, Meigen C, Kiess W, Poulain T
BMC psychiatry · 28 citations
How it was studied
- Design
- Cross-sectional study (classified by our AI screen)
- Studied in
- People
- Main outcome
- Health markers and function
Who paid for it
- Funding
- Independent funding
- Government
- European Commission
- University or hospital
- Universität Leipzig
- Government
- Freistaat Sachsen
- Government
- European Regional Development Fund
- Government
- European Social Fund
- Government
- European Union, Free State of Saxony
Based on 6 listed funder(s) and full-text disclosure statement.
Publication
- Published
- 2022-03-18 · BMC Psychiatry · vol. 22 · issue 1 · p. 195
- Publisher
- BioMed Central
- Cited
- 66 citations · more than 99% of similar papers · 20.6× the field average
- Impact
- Top 10% most cited in its field
- References
- 65 works
- Access
- Open access (journal) · CC-BY
- Research areas
- Impact of Technology on Adolescents · Child Development and Digital Technology · Bullying, Victimization, and Aggression
- Keywords
- smartphone addiction, children and adolescents, behavioral problems, quality of life, academic performance, smartphone usage patterns, social networking, gaming, video viewing, sociodemographic risk factors, LIFE Child study
- MeSH
- humans, behavior, addictive, family, quality of life, adolescent, child, female, social networking, smartphone, problem behavior
4 authors
From DE
- Tobias Kliesener · correspondingLeipzig University
- Christof MeigenLeipzig University
- Wieland KießLeipzig University
- Tanja PoulainLeipzig University
Abstract
Background
European studies on determinants and factors associated with problematic smartphone use (PSU) in children and adolescents are still sparse. This study reports the current amount of PSU symptoms and the presence of (clinically relevant) PSU in German children and adolescents. We also investigated associations between socio-demographic factors, different smartphone usage patterns, and daily smartphone usage time and the amount of PSU symptoms in this group. In addition, associations of PSU symptoms and high smartphone usage times (> 2 h/day) with behavioural problems, quality of life (QoL), and school performance were investigated.
Methods
Within the framework of the LIFE Child study, 564 children and adolescents aged 10-18 years provided information on PSU symptoms (using the Smartphone Addiction Proneness Scale), daily smartphone usage time, smartphone activities, behavioural strengths and difficulties (using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire), QoL (using the KIDSCREEN-27), and school performance. Multiple regression analyses were applied to assess associations.
Results
In the present sample, PSU was present in 13 children (2.3%). Older age, female gender, high daily smartphone usage time of > 2 h, and intensive smartphone use for social networking, gaming, or watching video clips were significantly associated with more PSU symptoms. Children and adolescents reporting more PSU symptoms also showed lower QoL, more behavioural difficulties, and poorer school performance, independently of age, gender, socio-economic status, and daily smartphone usage time. In contrast, daily smartphone usage time per se showed only weak or non-significant associations with these aspects of health and behaviour.
Conclusion
Intensive smartphone use for entertainment may increase the risk of developing PSU symptoms. Furthermore, the results indicate that PSU symptoms (more than long smartphone usage times per se) are associated with more behavioural difficulties and poorer QoL.
Abstract via Europe PMC. Copyright remains with the authors or publisher (CC BY).
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