Association between Smartphone Addiction and Suicide

Abstract

Objective: This study aimed to explore the associations between smartphone overdependence (smartphone addiction) and suicidal ideation and attempts among Korean adolescents to acknowledge the risk of smartphone overuse. Methods: Data were obtained from the results of the 2020 Korea Youth Risk Behavior Web-based Survey. Smartphone addiction was categorized into three groups: adolescents who scored less than 23 were categorized as the general user group and formed the reference, those with scores of 23–30 were categorized as the potential-risk user group, and those with scores higher than 31 were categorized under the high-risk user group. Suicidal ideation and suicide attempt were identified as dependent variables in the present study. Multiple logistic regression was used to analyze the relationship between SA and suicidal ideation and suicide attempt status among Korean adolescents. Results: This study included 41,173 general users of smartphones, 12,142 potential-risk users, and 1633 high-risk users from among 54,948 adolescents who were middle- and high-school students. Adolescents with potentially risky smartphone use showed a higher likelihood of suicidal ideation (OR: 1.50, CI: 1.42–1.60). Similarly, adolescents with high-risk smartphone use showed a significant risk of suicidal ideation (OR: 2.49, CI: 2.21–2.81) and suicide attempt (OR: 1.87, CI: 1.48–2.37) compared to the adolescents who were general users. Conclusion: Our study results encourage parents and social workers to acknowledge that adolescents’ smartphone addiction leads to a higher risk to their mental health, wherein they may engage in suicidal ideation and even resort to a suicide attempt.

Mobile phone addiction and suicide behaviors among Chinese adolescents: The mediation of poor sleep quality

“…However, our analysis did not disclose a significant association between MPA and suicide attempters. This finding dose not align with some previous studies ( Shinetsetseg et al., 2022 ). In other words, MPA may be insufficient to develop suicidal ideation and plans to suicide attempts ( Kim, 2022 ).…”

“…observed that Chinese boys had lower risks of suicidal ideation (OR = 0.61, 95% CI: 0.57–0.67) and suicide attempts (OR = 0.67, 95% CI: 0.56–0.79) than Chinese girls ( Guo et al., 2018 ). Moreover, some other studies in different populations have demonstrated a congruent finding ( Guo et al., 2020 ; Liu, Chen, Liu, Wang, & Jia, 2019 ; Shinetsetseg et al., 2022 ). However, according to data from mortality surveillance system, Chinese females had a lower incident rate ratio (IRR) of suicide rates (IRR = 0.79, 95% CI: 0.75–0.83) than Chinese males ( Sha, Chang, Law, Hong, & Yip, 2018 ).…”

“…First, in support of the social-emotional model, adolescents with MPA generally have less social support and negative attachment with their family members and peers ( Wu et al., 2016 ). Hence, insufficient social support and attachment would increase the risk of loneliness and interpersonal isolation, or even breed a breakdown of their intimate relationships ( Herrero, Urueña, Torres, & Hidalgo, 2017 ), which could ultimately lead to suicidal risk ( Li et al., 2022 ; Shinetsetseg et al., 2022 ). Additionally, some prior studies support that mobile phone addicts are more likely to have a failure of face-to-face communication with their social circles, which also may facilitate depressive symptoms and anxiety ( Boniel-Nissim et al., 2015 ; Chen et al., 2016 ).…”

“…Recently, Shinetsetseg et al. revealed that adolescents with problematic mobile phone use had about twice risk odds of suicidal ideation and attempts when compared to those general mobile phone users ( Shinetsetseg, Jung, Park, Park, & Jang, 2022 ). However, Hyesun Kim found an incongruent finding among 25,987 Korean high school students that smartphone overdependence had significant effects on suicidal ideation and plans, but not on suicide attempts ( Kim, 2022 ).…”

“…We anticipated that poor sleep quality could mediate the relationship between MPA and suicide behaviors (Hypothesis 2). Last, since there are debatable findings about the risk of suicide behaviors between males and females ( Guo et al., 2018 ; Li et al., 2022 ; Shinetsetseg et al., 2022 ), and there is no previous study to compare the difference of MPA between urban and rural adolescents. Thus, our third objective is to explore the interaction of sex and residence.…”