Gender-Based Differences and Associated Factors Surrounding Excessive Smartphone Use Among Adolescents: Cross-sectional Study
Claesdotter-Knutsson, Emma LU ; André, Frida LU ; Fridh, Maria LU ; Delfin, Carl LU
; Hakansson, Anders
LU
and Lindström, Martin
LU
(2021)
In JMIR Pediatrics and Parenting
4(4).
- Abstract
- Background: Excessive smartphone use is a new and debated phenomenon frequently mentioned in the context of behavioral addiction, showing both shared and distinct traits when compared to pathological gaming and gambling. Objective: The aim of this study is to describe excessive smartphone use and associated factors among adolescents, focusing on comparisons between boys and girls. Methods: This study was based on data collected through a large-scale public health survey distributed in 2016 to pupils in the 9th grade of primary school and those in the 2nd grade of secondary school. Bayesian binomial regression models, with weakly informative priors, were used to examine whether the frequency of associated factors differed between those who... (More)
- Background: Excessive smartphone use is a new and debated phenomenon frequently mentioned in the context of behavioral addiction, showing both shared and distinct traits when compared to pathological gaming and gambling. Objective: The aim of this study is to describe excessive smartphone use and associated factors among adolescents, focusing on comparisons between boys and girls. Methods: This study was based on data collected through a large-scale public health survey distributed in 2016 to pupils in the 9th grade of primary school and those in the 2nd grade of secondary school. Bayesian binomial regression models, with weakly informative priors, were used to examine whether the frequency of associated factors differed between those who reported excessive smartphone use and those who did not. Results: The overall response rate was 77% (9143/11,868) among 9th grade pupils and 73.4% (7949/10,832) among 2nd grade pupils, resulting in a total of 17,092 responses. Based on the estimated median absolute percentage differences, along with associated odds ratios, we found that excessive smartphone use was associated with the use of cigarettes, alcohol, and other substances. The reporting of anxiety and worry along with feeling low more than once a week consistently increased the odds of excessive smartphone use among girls, whereas anxiety and worry elevated the odds of excessive smartphone use among boys. The reporting of less than 7 hours of sleep per night was associated with excessive smartphone use in all 4 study groups. Conclusions: The results varied across gender and grade in terms of robustness and the size of estimated difference. However, excessive smartphone use was associated with a higher frequency of multiple suspected associated factors, including ever having tried smoking, alcohol, or other substances; poor sleep; and often feeling low and feeling anxious. This study sheds light on some features and distinctions of a potentially problematic behavior among adolescents. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
https://lup.lub.lu.se/record/687ebf96-0d6f-4deb-b3b1-b8b99012f451
- author
- Claesdotter-Knutsson, Emma
LU
; André, Frida
LU
; Fridh, Maria
LU
; Delfin, Carl
LU
; Hakansson, Anders
LU
and Lindström, Martin
LU
- organization
- publishing date
- 2021
- type
- Contribution to journal
- publication status
- published
- subject
- keywords
- smartphone, cell phone, adolescent, sleep, anxiety, substance use, nicotine, alcohol drinking, smartphone use, addiction, behavioral addiction, worry, pathology, internet
- in
- JMIR Pediatrics and Parenting
- volume
- 4
- issue
- 4
- article number
- e30889
- publisher
- JMIR Publications Inc.
- external identifiers
-
- pmid:34813492
- scopus:85120338408
- ISSN
- 2561-6722
- DOI
- 10.2196/30889
- language
- English
- LU publication?
- yes
- id
- 687ebf96-0d6f-4deb-b3b1-b8b99012f451
- date added to LUP
- 2021-12-13 13:33:24
- date last changed
- 2024-08-11 03:20:57
@article{687ebf96-0d6f-4deb-b3b1-b8b99012f451,
abstract = {{Background: Excessive smartphone use is a new and debated phenomenon frequently mentioned in the context of behavioral addiction, showing both shared and distinct traits when compared to pathological gaming and gambling. Objective: The aim of this study is to describe excessive smartphone use and associated factors among adolescents, focusing on comparisons between boys and girls. Methods: This study was based on data collected through a large-scale public health survey distributed in 2016 to pupils in the 9th grade of primary school and those in the 2nd grade of secondary school. Bayesian binomial regression models, with weakly informative priors, were used to examine whether the frequency of associated factors differed between those who reported excessive smartphone use and those who did not. Results: The overall response rate was 77% (9143/11,868) among 9th grade pupils and 73.4% (7949/10,832) among 2nd grade pupils, resulting in a total of 17,092 responses. Based on the estimated median absolute percentage differences, along with associated odds ratios, we found that excessive smartphone use was associated with the use of cigarettes, alcohol, and other substances. The reporting of anxiety and worry along with feeling low more than once a week consistently increased the odds of excessive smartphone use among girls, whereas anxiety and worry elevated the odds of excessive smartphone use among boys. The reporting of less than 7 hours of sleep per night was associated with excessive smartphone use in all 4 study groups. Conclusions: The results varied across gender and grade in terms of robustness and the size of estimated difference. However, excessive smartphone use was associated with a higher frequency of multiple suspected associated factors, including ever having tried smoking, alcohol, or other substances; poor sleep; and often feeling low and feeling anxious. This study sheds light on some features and distinctions of a potentially problematic behavior among adolescents.}},
author = {{Claesdotter-Knutsson, Emma and André, Frida and Fridh, Maria and Delfin, Carl and Hakansson, Anders and Lindström, Martin}},
issn = {{2561-6722}},
keywords = {{smartphone; cell phone; adolescent; sleep; anxiety; substance use; nicotine; alcohol drinking; smartphone use; addiction; behavioral addiction; worry; pathology; internet}},
language = {{eng}},
number = {{4}},
publisher = {{JMIR Publications Inc.}},
series = {{JMIR Pediatrics and Parenting}},
title = {{Gender-Based Differences and Associated Factors Surrounding Excessive Smartphone Use Among Adolescents: Cross-sectional Study}},
url = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.2196/30889}},
doi = {{10.2196/30889}},
volume = {{4}},
year = {{2021}},
}