Gender-Based Differences and Associated Factors Surrounding Excessive Smartphone Use Among Adolescents: Cross-sectional Study (Preprint)

Abstract

BACKGROUND Excessive smartphone use is a new and debated phenomenon frequently mentioned in the context of behavioural addiction, showing both shared and separate traits when compared to pathological gaming and gambling. OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to describe excessive smartphone use and associated factors in adolescents focusing on comparisons between boys and girls. METHODS This study was based on data collected through a public health survey distributed in 2016 to pupils in 9th grade of primary school and in 2th grade of secondary school. The response rate was 77% in 9th grade and 73% in 2nd grade. In total 13498 participants were included RESULTS Excessive smartphone use was associated with the experience of both cigarettes, alcohol and other substances. The reporting of both anxiety/worries and feeling low more than once a week increased the probability of excessive smartphone use among girls consistently while anxiety/worries elevated the probability of excessive smartphone use among boys. The reporting of less than 7 hours of sleep per night was associated to excessive smartphone use in all four study groups. CONCLUSIONS The results varied across sex and grade in terms of robustness and size of the estimated difference. However excessive smartphone use was associated with a higher frequency of multiple suspected associated factors, including ever having tried smoking, alcohol, and other substances, poor sleep, and often feeling low and often feeling anxious. The current study brings light to some features and distinctions of a potentially problematic behaviour among adolescents of today.