Purpose The majority of adolescents use smartphones, and their overdependence on smartphones has emerged as a serious social issue. Although studies have explored the effect of smartphone overdependence on adolescent problem behaviors, research on its influence on sexual behavior is scarce. This study aimed to examine the association between smartphone overdependence and sexual behavior among adolescents.
Methods This study used data from the 19th Korea Youth Risk Behavior Web-Based Survey conducted in 2023. Smartphone overdependence was the independent variable, and sexual behaviors (sexual intercourse and contraceptive use) were the dependent variables. Multivariate regression analysis was performed to control for confounding variables.
Results The study participants included 52,880 adolescents aged 13–18 years. Among them, 28.0% (n=14,672) were classified as smartphone overdependent, 6.5% (n=3,349) had sexual experience, and 65% (n=2,182) of those with sexual experience reported using contraception. Smartphone overdependence was not significantly associated with sexual experience but was significantly associated with contraceptive use. Adolescents in the non-overdependent group were 1.27 times more likely to use contraception than those in the smartphone overdependent group (95% confidence interval, 1.07–1.52; p<.007).
Conclusion The findings highlight a significant association between smartphone overdependence and contraceptive use among adolescents. Policy interventions and educational strategies that consider adolescents’ smartphone usage patterns and trait factors are necessary.
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Purpose The rising prevalence of smartphone overdependence among adolescents and its detrimental impact on mental health have become a growing concern. This study aimed to investigate the association between smartphone overdependence and the mental health of Korean adolescents.
Methods Participants were drawn from the 16th Korea Youth Risk Behavior Web-based Survey conducted in 2020. The dependent variable as smartphone overdependence, while the main exposure of interest was mental health, encompassing generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), perceived stress, sources of perceived stress, perceived loneliness, and perceived depressive symptoms. The study employed the Rao-Scott chi-square test and multiple logistic regression using IBM SPSS version 26.0.
Results The participants comprised 54,948 adolescents aged 13 to 18 years. Among them, 25.1% (n=13,775) were categorized as smartphone overdependence group. Specifically, 20.3% of adolescents who reported GAD ≥10 and 22.5% of those who reported experiencing high levels of perceived loneliness were identified as smartphone overdependent. The GAD increased a risk of smartphone overdependence by 2.61 times (95% confidence interval [95% CI]: 2.46–2.77). Perceived loneliness was associated with 1.98-fold (95% CI: 1.87–2.09) increased risk of smartphone overdependence. Additionally, conflict with peers was found to increase the risk of smartphone overdependence by 4.63-fold (95% CI: 3.89–5.52), followed by conflict with parents (odds ratio [OR]: 4.52, 95% CI: 3.84–5.31), and family environment (OR: 4.52, 95% CI: 3.75–5.46).
Conclusion The findings underscore a significant association between smartphone overdependence and mental health in Korean adolescents. Healthcare services to improve their emotional coping and interpersonal skills are necessary.
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Purpose This study aimed to identify the main keywords and research topics used in research on problematic smartphone use (PSU) among children (6-12 years old), including parental factors.
Methods The publication period for the literature was set from January 2007 to January 2022, as smartphones were first released in 2007. In total, 395 articles were identified, 230 of which were included in the final analysis. Text network analysis was performed using NetMiner 4.5.
Results Research on this topic has steadily increased since 2007, with 40 papers published in 2021. Eight main research topics were derived: group 1, parental attitudes; group 2, children's PSU behavior and parental support; group 3, family environment and behavioral addiction; group 4, social relationships; group 5, seeking solutions; group 6, parent-child relationships; group 7, children's mental health and school adaptation; and group 8, PSU in adolescents.
Conclusion Parental factors related to PSU have been studied in various aspects. However, more active research on school-age children's PSU needs to be conducted due to the paucity of research in this population compared to studies conducted among adolescents. The results of this study provide useful data for selecting research topics in the field of PSU.
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Methods The study design was a cross-sectional descriptive study. The data were derived from the 2017 survey on smartphone overdependence conducted by the Ministry of Science and ICT and the National Information Society Agency. The study sample was 595 elementary school students identified as being smartphone-dependent. The data were analyzed by frequency, percentage, mean, standard deviation, the independent t-test, the x2 test, the Pearson correlation coefficient, and multiple regression analysis.
Results The frequency of smartphone use was the factor strongly associated with more severe smartphone dependence in participants. Games were the most commonly used application type among participants, regardless of their degree of dependence. More severe smartphone dependence was associated with greater use of applications such as learning and television/video.
Conclusion As smartphone dependence becomes more severe, children tend to use their smartphones more frequently and to use applications that involve solitary play for the purposes of entertainment and pleasure. The findings suggest that the parents should attentively monitor their children’s smartphone use patterns and provide consistent discipline in a way that ensures appropriate smartphone use.
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Results Among participants, 16.5% engaged fully with HiChart, while 43.3% engaged partially. The overall satisfaction with HiChart was high. Some main reasons for not engaging with the education were participants’ unawareness of the text messages, lack of time, and poor internet connection. The participants suggested that more educational content needed to be covered, such as coping with infant emergencies and information about the neonatal intensive care unit.
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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.
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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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