Gender differences in symptom interactions between problematic smartphone use and social anxiety in adolescents: a network analysis.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Increased prevalence of problematic smartphone use (PSU) in adolescents, results in a cycle of interaction between PSU and social anxiety. However, it is still unknown whether PSU and social anxiety symptoms have interacted among adolescents and whether there are gender differences in these symptoms. Therefore, this study investigated the gender differences in the symptom interactions between PSU and social anxiety via symptom network analysis.

Methods

This study included 2918 adolescents (52.71% boys; M_age = 14.73, SD_age = 1.39) from junior and senior high schools in China. The Mobile Phone Addiction Index and Social Anxiety Scale were used to evaluate symptomatology and networks. Network analysis and network comparison tests were used to de

SUBMITTER: Guo S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11829345 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature