Network analysis of the association between social anxiety and problematic smartphone use in college students.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Social anxiety (SA) and problematic smartphone use (PSU) have become increasingly common among college students in recent decades, with research indicating a mutual increase in risk. This study aim to deepen the understanding of how SA and PSU are interconnected at the symptom-level within this demographic using network analysis.

Methods

We recruited 1,197 college students from four institutions in Shaanxi Province, China. Symptoms of SA and PSU were assessed through self-report questionnaires. A regularized Gaussian graphical model was used to estimate the relationships between these symptoms. We calculated Bridge Expected Influence (BEI) to identify key symptoms contributing to their co-occurrence. Additionally, a network comparison test was conducted to examine

SUBMITTER: Xing W 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11799245 | biostudies-literature | 2025

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature