Factors affecting smartphone dependency among the young in China

Abstract

With rapid adoption of smartphones globally, the negative consequences of excessive smartphone use and dependency, especially among the young, has garnered more public attention recently. This study investigated the factors influencing smartphone dependency among the young. Using the Individual Media Dependency (IMD) perspective, this study proposed an extended IMD model to examine the influencing roles of six IMD goals, three psychological traits (self-esteem, leisure boredom, and sensation seeking), and smartphone use on smartphone dependency. A survey based on stratified random sampling was used to collect data from young smartphone users at one main public university in China. Structural equation modeling was then employed to examine the fit of the data to the model. The results identified four smartphone dependency symptoms, i.e. inability to control cravings, escape, feeling anxious, and productivity loss, and revealed the mechanisms between IMD goals, psychological traits, and smartphone dependency. The results showed that different IMD goals had significant impacts on different aspects of smartphone use, while smartphone use did not have a direct effect on smartphone dependency. The study provided important information, as it was among the first few to provide valuable references for both academicians and practitioners concerning smartphone dependency, which is still rarely explored in China.