Abstract

Background

Methods

Results

Discussions

Conclusions

References

Publisher’s Note

Abstract

Background

     Mobile phone dependence is a common problem in the population of high school students. We aimed to evaluate the core self-evaluation, mental health and mobile phone dependence in Chinese high school students, to provide reliable evidence to the support of high school students.

Methods

     We conducted a survey of high school students in Xiamen, China. The self-assessment questionnaire on mobile phone use dependence among teenagers (SQAPMPU), Mental Health Scale for Middle School Students (MSSMHS) and Core self-evaluation scale were used to evaluate the mobile phone dependence, mental health and core self-evaluation. t-tests, Pearson correlation and multiple linear stepwise regression analyses were conducted to analyze the potential relationships.

Results

     A total of 1692 students were enrolled. The total score of mobile phone dependence of students in grades 10–۱۲ was higher than that of students in grades 7–۹٫ A total of 329 students in grades 7–۹ and 371 students in grades 10–۱۲ had abnormal mental status. The detection rate of psychological abnormalities among students in grades 10–۱۲ was higher than that of students in grades 10–۱۲٫ Core self-evaluation had significantly negative correlation with various factors of mental health (P < ۰٫۰۱). The worse the mental health, the higher the degree of mobile phone dependence, core self-evaluation played a mediating role between mental health and mobile phone dependence (8.03%).

Conclusions

     Core self-evaluation is an important factor affecting the mental health of high school students and mobile phone dependence. Educators should strengthen core self-evaluation of high school students to improve the mental health and reduce the mobile phone dependence.

Background

     Mobile phone dependence refers to a state of uncontrollable fascination when an individual negatively uses a mobile phone for non-study or work purposes, accompanied by physical or psychological discomfort, which affects social functions [1]. According to reports [2, 3], the number of mobile phone netizens in China has reached 825 million, of which 29.24 to 66.14% of high school students have mobile phone dependence. Mobile phone dependence causes damage to the physical and mental problems and social functions of high school students, such as depression, sleep problems, and poor cognitive and reduced learning abilities [4, 5]. Therefore, researches on mobile phone dependence are of great significance to the physical and mental health of high school students.

     There are many factors that affect high school students’ mobile phone dependence, and core self-evaluation may be one of the important factors [6]. Core self-evaluation is a potential and broad personality structure [7]. It is the most basic evaluation of an individual’s self-ability and value, which associated with different kind of dependence or addiction. However, as an important influencing factor of mobile phone dependence, low core self-evaluation does not necessarily lead to mobile phone dependence of high school students. Previous study has found that core self-evaluation can negatively predict anxiety [8]. Individuals with high core self-evaluation are full of confidence in life, believe that they have a good sense of control over most things in life, and less anxiety due to lack of control [9]. Anxiety refers to an unpleasant inner conflict that an individual has in the face of an upcoming event that may pose a threat, accompanied by certain emotional and physical symptoms, such as anger, tension, insomnia, and stomach pain [10].

Results

The characteristics of included students

     A total of 1692 students were enrolled in this survey, 1692 questionnaires were distributed, and 1637 valid questionnaires were returned. The effective rate of the questionnaire distribution was 96.75%. There are 832 students in grades 7–۹ with an average age of 14.63 ± ۱٫۲۲ years old, and 805 students in grades 10–۱۲ with an average age of 17.45 ± ۱٫۵۳ years old.

The mobile phone dependence status

     As shown in Table 1, students in grades 10–۱۲ had significantly higher physical and mental scores than that of students in grades 7–۹ (P < ۰٫۰۱). There was no significant difference in withdrawal symptoms and craving behavior (P > ۰٫۰۵). The total score of mobile phone dependence of students in grades 10–۱۲ was higher than that of students in grades 7–۹, and there was a statistical difference (P < ۰٫۰۵).