Chinese Adolescents’ Academic Stress and Smartphone Addiction: A Moderated-Mediation Model

ABSTRACT

The current study examined how academic stress, depression, and usage types were related to smartphone addiction among Chinese adolescents living in underdeveloped areas. A survey was administered to a sample of 1,718 students (M_age = 14.63) from 18 different middle and high schools in China. Based on a moderated-mediation model, the findings revealed that academic stress was positively related to smartphone addiction, and depression mediated this relationship. Usage type played a moderating role in the relationship between depression and smartphone addiction. Our study provides useful insights for educators and parents to guide adolescents for effective use of smartphone technologies.

Acknowledgments

We would like to thank all the teachers and students who participated in our study, as well as all the data collectors who provided help in this study.

Disclosure Statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities of China [Grant 2018ECNUHLYT018]. This work was supported by School of Journalism of Fudan University [Grant IDH3353032/002].

Notes on contributors

Bin Shen

Bin Shen (Ph.D., The University of Alabama) is an associate professor of School of Journalism at Fudan University, Shanghai, China. Her research interests include media effects and marketing communication. Email: [email protected] or [email protected]

Fan Wang

Fan Wang (Ph.D., Fudan University) is a research professor of Department of Politics at East China Normal University, Shanghai, China. His research interests include health communication, political communication, and new media. Email: [email protected]

Shaojing Sun

Shaojing Sun (Ph.D., Kent State University, University of Virginia) is a professor of School of Journalism at Fudan University, Shanghai, China. His research interests include digital media, health communication, and data science. Email: [email protected]

Yue Liu

Yue Liu is a graduate student of the Department of Politics at East China Normal University, Shanghai, China. Her research interests include health communication and political communication. Email: [email protected]