Purpose This study investigated differences in the relationships of factors including emotional problems, self-perception, parental behavior, and peer attachment with smartphone dependency (SD) among middle school, high school, and college students in South Korea.
Methods This study used data from a nationwide sample of 1,882 middle school, 1,821 high school, and 1,346 college students who owned smartphones. Descriptive statistics and multiple regression analysis were conducted to investigate the predictors of SD based on school level.
Results SD scores significantly differed across school levels. Female gender, more aggressive behavior, less ego-identity, and less monitoring parental behavior were linked to higher SD at all school levels. Less self-esteem and intrusive parental behavior were linked to SD in middle school students. In high school students, additional factors related to higher levels of SD were resilience, intrusive / inconsistent parental behavior, peer trust and alienation, and depression. Additionally, resilience, over-expectant parental behavior, and peer trust were linked to higher SD in college students.
Conclusion This study provides insights into SD and predictors of SD among middle school, high school, and college students. Based on these findings, SD prevention programs should be developed according to the developmental stages of adolescents and young adults.
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Purpose The purpose of this study was to identify factors associated with smartphone overdependency in preschool children based on an analysis of mother, child, and their mutual dyadic relationships.
Methods Data were collected from 171 mothers of preschool children enrolled at daycare centers and kindergartens from January to March 2018. The data were analyzed by descriptive statistics, the t-test, analysis of variance with Scheffé post hoc test, Pearson correlation coefficient, and hierarchical regression analysis using SPSS version 24.
Results The self regulation of preschool children (β=-.358, p<.001) was the factor most closely associated with smartphone overdependency. The second most closely associated factor was children’s use of a smartphone 0.5-1 hour daily (β=-.249, p=.005). Additional associated factors were mothers’ use of a smartphone for 3-4 hours daily (β=.217, p=.002), children’s use of a smartphone for less than 0.5 hour daily (β=-.212, p=.006), and children’s use of a smartphone for 1-2 days per week (β=-.205, p=.026).
Conclusion Based on the results of this study, it is necessary to try to develop guidelines and programs to prevent smart phone overdependency in preschool children.
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Purpose The purpose of this study was to verify the relationship among depression, school adjustment, parent-child bonding, parental control and smartphone addiction, and to identify factors which influence smartphone addiction in adolescents.
Methods A cross-sectional design was used, with a convenience sample of 183 middle school students from 3 middle schools. Data collection was conducted through self-report questionnaires from April to May, 2017. Data were analyzed using χ2 test, Fisher’s exact test, t-test, one-way ANOVA, correlation coefficient analysis, and binary logistic regression with SPSS Ver. 21.0.
Results The mean score for smartphone addiction was 29.40. Of the adolescents, 21.3% were in the smartphone addiction risk group. Logistic regression analysis showed that gender (OR=7.09, 95% Cl: 2.57~19.52), school life (OR=0.86, 95% Cl: 0.79~0.93), smartphone usage time (OR=1.32, 95% Cl: 1.04~1.66), and parental control (OR=4.70, 95% Cl: 1.04~21.29) were effect factors for the smartphone addiction risk group.
Conclusion Findings indicate that school satisfaction was an important factor in adolescents’ smartphone addiction. Control oriented parent management of adolescents’ smartphone use did not reduce the risk of smartphone addiction and may have worsen the addiction. Future research is needed to improve understanding of how teachers and parents will manage their adolescents’ use of smartphones.
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Purpose The purpose of this study was to investigate the use of smartphones to address parents’ educational needs.
Methods The participants were parents of children under 18 years old, Participants were 347 parents (222 mothers, 125 fathers). Data were collected from August, 15 to September, 2, 2016 using self-report questionnaire. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, t-test and ANOVA with the SPSS WIN 21.0 program.
Results Parents had an average score of 3.30 (±.41) for the need to have smartphone health education. Among the educational subcategories, ‘child and family’ showed the highest average for educational needs (3.40, ±.57). According to the demographic characteristics of the participants, there were significant difference in parents’ age (t=4.354, p=.014), and parents’ who have received health education versus parents who have not (t=2.483, p=.014).
Conclusion Findings indicate that the smartphone may be an effective educational method for parents.
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Purpose The purpose of this study was to explore the relationships among preschoolers’ smartphone addiction tendency, problem behaviors, and parenting efficacy of the mothers of these children.
Methods A cross-sectional, descriptive study design was used with self-administered questionnaires. A total of 83 mothers of preschoolers aged 4-6 years and their preschool teachers from a kindergarten participated in the study.
Results Mean daily time spent by the preschoolers on smartphones was about 45 minutes/day. About 40% spent more than 60 minutes/day on smartphones. The majority (69.8%) used smartphones without adult supervision. The level of smartphone addiction tendency among the pre-schoolers was 1.52±0.45 on a 4-point scale. Preschoolers whose mothers use smartphones for more than 60 minutes/day showed a higher level of smartphone addiction tendency than preschoolers whose mothers use smartphones for less than 60 minutes/day. Also smartphone addiction tendency among preschoolers had a positive correlation with hyperactive-distractible behavior (r = .228, p = .038) and a negative correlation with parenting efficacy of their mothers (r = -.299, p = .006).
Conclusion Our findings demonstrated that preschooler’s smartphone addiction tendency is significantly associated with hyperactive-distractible behaviors of the children and low parenting efficacy among their mothers. Therefore well-designed care plans for these populations should be provided to decrease smartphone addiction tendency.
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