The impact of problematic mobile phone use and the number of close friends on depression and anxiety symptoms among college students

Wang, Wei; Xu, Huiqiong; Li, Shuqin; Jiang, Zhicheng; Sun, Yanjun; Wan, Yuhui

doi:10.3389/fpsyt.2023.1281847

Cited by 4 publications

(2 citation statements)

References 67 publications

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“…More recently, a study also pointed out that problematic mobile phone use was an important risk factors for depression. 18 Significantly, a previous investigation also highlighted that as sitting hours accumulate, university students experience a significant rise in depression and anxiety. In line with the social withdrawal hypothesis, this phenomenon could be attributed to the increased viewing of television or use of computers and the internet, which in turn fosters a sedentary lifestyle and reduces social interactions.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 97%

Evaluation of Depression and Its Correlates in Terms of Demographics, Eating Habits, and Exercises Among University Students: A Multicenter Cross-Sectional Analysis

Zheng,

Li,

Zhang

et al. 2024

NDT

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Background: University students are a vulnerable population prone to mental health challenges. This study aimed to investigate depression and its associated factors among university students in terms of demographics, eating habits, and exercises. Methods: A total of 2891 university students from three universities participated in this study between January 2024 and February 2024. An online survey questionnaire was distributed using a snow-ball strategy. The survey collected demographic, lifestyle, and psychological data, including depression and anxiety scores using the PHQ-9 and GAD-7 screening tools. Subgroup analysis was conducted according to sport frequency and sport type using Chi-square test for qualitative data and t-test for quantitative data. Multiple linear regression analysis was performed to identify risk factors for depression. Results: A total of 44.2% and 39.5% of the participants reported symptoms of depression and anxiety, respectively. Significant differences were observed in various characteristics across different sport frequency groups, with participants with higher sport frequency tending to have less depression (P<0.001) and anxiety (P<0.001) symptoms. As the frequency of weekly exercise increased, anxiety and depression scores gradually decreased. The mean PHQ-9 and GAD-7 scores were highest in the group with no sports and lowest in the group with a sport frequency of 3-4 times per week (P<0.001). Additionally, once exercise frequency reached 5 times per week or more, anxiety and depression scores no longer decreased. Subgroup analysis based on sport type revealed that participants engaging in specific sports, such as basketball, tennis, dance, and running, had lower depression (P<0.001) and anxiety (P<0.001) scores compared to the overall average. Based on multiple linear regression analysis, married status (P=0.036), enjoying barbecue food (P<0.001), prolonged sedentary time (P=0.001), experiencing stress events (P<0.001), and electronic device usage time (P<0.001) were positively associated with depression scores, while loving eating vegetables (P=0.007), a relatively longer sport time (P=0.005), a higher exercise frequency (P=0.064), and no chronic disease (P<0.001) were negatively associated with depression scores. Conclusion:This study highlights the importance of a healthy lifestyle, including regular exercise, limited exposure to electronic screens, and a balanced diet, in preventing and mitigating depression among university students. This study also suggests that exercising 3-4 times a week is associated with the lowest levels of anxiety and depression. Activities such as basketball, tennis, dance, and running are effective in alleviating these mental health issues through regular exercise.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 97%

Evaluation of Depression and Its Correlates in Terms of Demographics, Eating Habits, and Exercises Among University Students: A Multicenter Cross-Sectional Analysis

Zheng,

Li,

Zhang

et al. 2024

NDT

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

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“…Additionally, a higher quality of interpersonal relationships can lead to lower levels of anxiety and stress (17). Furthermore, longitudinal studies have found that the level of interpersonal relationships among college students can directly predict their levels of depression (18,19). Additionally, there is evidence to suggest a link between diet and negative emotions.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The relationship between health-promoting behaviors and negative emotions in college freshmen: a cross-lagged analysis

Tao,

Wu,

Huang

et al. 2024

Front. Public Health

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BackgroundThe prevalence of mental health issues has been gradually increasing among college students in recent years. Improvements in mental health can be achieved through changes in daily behavior and the use of psychological counseling. This study aims to investigate the relationship between health-promoting behaviors and negative emotions among college freshmen as they enter the university. It also examines the impact of various sub-dimensions of health-promoting behaviors and other factors on the negative emotions (stress, anxiety, and depression) experienced by college freshmen.MethodsUsing the Negative Emotion and Health-Promoting Behavior scales, a 7-month longitudinal study was conducted on 4,252 college freshmen, with collection of data at two time points (T1: November 12, 2021; T2: June 17, 2022). Out of this longitudinal study, 3,632 valid samples were obtained. This research aimed to explore the association and impact between negative emotions and the level of health-promoting behaviors among college students during their time at the university.Results① There were significant differences in the levels of health-promoting behaviors and negative emotions over the course of 7 months (P < 0.05). Health-promoting behaviors were found to have a significant negative correlation with negative emotions (P < 0.05). ② Negative emotions at T1 significantly negatively predicted health-promoting behaviors at T2 (β = −0.11, P < 0.01), while health-promoting behaviors at T1 significantly negatively predicted negative emotions at T2 (β = −0.12, P < 0.001). ③ Stress management (β = −0.104, P < 0.05; β = −0.087, P < 0.05), self-actualization (β = −0.282, P < 0.01; β = −0.260, P < 0.05), health responsibility (β = −0.057, P < 0.05; β = −0.088, P < 0.05), and interpersonal relations (β = 0.068, P < 0.01; β = 0.138, P < 0.05) were important components in improving stress and anxiety. Self-actualization (β = −0.437, P < 0.001), exercise (β = 0.048, P < 0.001), nutrition (β = 0.044, P < 0.001), and interpersonal relations (β = 0.065, P < 0.001) were important components in improving depression. ④ Gender, place of household registration, and whether the individual is the only child were significant factors affecting negative emotions in college freshmen.ConclusionThe level of health-promoting behaviors is an important indicator for assessing the negative emotional states of college freshmen. Enhancing health-promoting behaviors across various dimensions can help alleviate different types of negative emotions. Gender, place of household registration, and being the only child are significant factors that influence negative emotions.

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How social support affects depression in college students: a moderated mediating effect

Zhang,

Wan,

Zheng

et al. 2024

Preprint

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Objective To investigate how rumination influences the relationship between depression among college students and social support, and to test the moderating effect of gender differences on this basis. Methods A questionnaire survey was conducted using random cluster sampling method to select college students from several colleges and universities in Jiangxi and Zhejiang regions, and SPSS 26.0 was used for regression analysis and PROCESS plug-in for the construction of a moderated mediation model. Results Rumination partially mediated the association between social support and depression (indirect impact β = 0.68, P < 0.01);Social support adversely predicted depression in college students (β=-0.40, P < 0.001); and gender moderated the direct pathway of social support on college students' depression.Compared to male college students, female students were more likely to experience depression if they had lower amounts of social support. Conclusion Social support influenced college students' depression through the mediation of rumination thinking and the moderation of gender.

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The impact of problematic mobile phone use and the number of close friends on depression and anxiety symptoms among college students

Cited by 4 publications

References 67 publications

Evaluation of Depression and Its Correlates in Terms of Demographics, Eating Habits, and Exercises Among University Students: A Multicenter Cross-Sectional Analysis

Evaluation of Depression and Its Correlates in Terms of Demographics, Eating Habits, and Exercises Among University Students: A Multicenter Cross-Sectional Analysis

The relationship between health-promoting behaviors and negative emotions in college freshmen: a cross-lagged analysis

How social support affects depression in college students: a moderated mediating effect

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