A Network Structure of Mental Health and Problematic Mobile Phone Use Among Middle School Students

Area of Science:

• Adolescent Psychology
• Digital Well-being
• Mental Health Interventions

Background:

• Adolescent mental health is significantly impacted by problematic mobile phone use.
• Understanding the interplay between mental health and phone usage is crucial for effective interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the network structure between mental health dimensions and problematic mobile phone use items in middle school students.
• To identify core and bridge symptoms linking mental health and problematic phone use.
• To inform intervention strategies for adolescent mental health and problematic mobile phone use.

Main Methods:

• Network analysis applied to data from 1637 middle school students.
• Utilized the Middle School Students Mental Health Scale (MSSMHS-60) and the Self-Rating Questionnaire for Adolescent Problematic Mobile Phone Use (SQAPMPU).
• Employed descriptive statistical analysis with SPSS and network analysis with R.

Main Results:

• Core symptoms identified: excessive phone use for satisfaction, anxiety, and depression.
• Bridge symptoms identified: academic stress, psychological disequilibrium, and depression related to phone use.
• Network analysis revealed key interconnected symptoms.

Conclusions:

• Reducing smartphone time and alleviating anxiety/depression can improve adolescent mental health and decrease problematic phone use.
• Addressing academic pressure and enhancing social support can mitigate the severity of problematic mobile phone use.