The Relationship Between Mobile Phone Dependence And Depressive Symptoms Among College Students:A Longitudinal Study Based On A Cross-lag Model

Objective To investigate the current situation of mobile phone dependence and depressive symptoms among freshmen;To reveal the relationship between mobile phone dependence and depressive symptoms among college freshmen,and to provide evidence for the prevention and intervention of mobile phone dependence and depressive symptoms.Methods In this study,1226 first-year college students were selected as subjects in a longitudinal observational study design.Data information including general demographic characteristics,mobile phone dependence and depressive symptoms were collected at baseline and followed up one year later by electronic questionnaire.T test,χ~2 test and correlation analysis were used for comparative analysis of baseline and follow-up survey data.SPSS23.0,Excel2019 and other software were used for statistical analysis.AMOS25.0 software was used to construct cross hysteresis model and path analysis to cross lag model,institute of longitudinal tracking data,compare the correlation coefficient,find out the cross direction of lag correlation difference,causes and effects of the relationship between variables,according to the different characteristics of stratification,the participants build mobile cross lag model of dependence and depressive symptoms.To explore the effects of gender,physical activity and left-behind experience on the relationship between mobile phone dependence and depressive symptoms.Results Data from the two surveys showed that the participants’overall mobile phone dependence score at follow-up was significantly higher than that at baseline（t=-12.958,P<0.001）,and the overall depression score at follow-up was higher than that at baseline（t=-8.627,P<0.001）.And the number of mobile phone dependence and depressive symptoms increased significantly.According to the survey of the basic situation,there was a statistically significant difference in whether different genders were dependent on mobile phones（baseline data:χ~2=22.003,P<0.001,follow-up data:χ~2=5.251,P=0.023）;Depression was different in different genders,and the difference was statistically significant（baseline data:χ~2=4.763,P=0.031,follow-up data:χ~2=12.270,P<0.001）.There were statistically significant differences in depressive symptoms among individuals with different left-behind experiences（t=-2.817,P=0.005）,and the scores of mobile phone dependence among students with different left-behind experiences were statistically significant（t=-2.233,P=0.026）.The results of correlation analysis showed that there was a significant and positive correlation between mobile phone dependence and depression at different time points（P<0.001）.Cross-lag model results showed that there was a significant correlation between baseline depression and follow-up depression（β=0.075,P<0.001）and a significant correlation between baseline depression and follow-up depression（β=0.078,P<0.001）.Compared with the overall cross-lag model,in the female group,the cross-lag coefficient of the path from baseline data to depression in follow-up data increased（β=0.095,P=0.015）,and the path from depression in baseline data to follow-up data cross-lag The lag coefficient increased significantly（β=0.154,P<0.001）,while the cross-lag model of the male group showed no predictive effect between the two（P>0.05）.When exercise duration≤1h,the prediction effect of mobile phone dependence on depression increased（β=0.132,P<0.001）,and the effect of depression on mobile phone dependence also increased（β=0.126,P<0.001）.In the group of students with no left-behind experience,baseline depression predicted mobile phone dependence in follow-up data,and compared with the overall cross-lag model,the effect of depressive symptoms was increased（β=0.088,P=0.021）,while in the group of students with left-behind experience,Mobile phone dependence at baseline was an enhanced predictor of depressive symptoms at follow-up（β=0.117,P=0.010）.Conclusion This study proved that there was an interaction between mobile phone dependence and depressive symptoms in college students,and the predictive strength of the interaction was affected by gender,physical activity status and left-behind experience.The study promotes the understanding of the relationship between mobile phone dependence and depressive symptoms in college freshmen,and suggests that schools need to carry out targeted counseling work according to the characteristics of college students’unbalanced social development,through screening,providing counseling,and formulating academic management plans to improve the anti-addiction awareness of college students’mobile phone use,and timely intervention to prevent the impact of mobile phone dependence on mental health.