School connectedness and adolescents' problematic smartphone use: a cross-lagged model mediated by depressive symptoms.

BACKGROUND

With the rapid development of information technology, problematic smartphone use (PSU) has become increasingly prevalent among adolescents, posing risks to their psychological well-being and healthy development. Identifying the protective factors and underlying psychological mechanisms of PSU is critical for developing effective interventions. School connectedness, a key element of adolescents’ social environment, may serve as a buffer against psychological distress and behavioral problems, yet its longitudinal influence on PSU remains underexplored.

METHODS

A sample of 419 Chinese adolescents (mean age = 16.34 years, SD = 0.71; 67.3% female) completed the School Connectedness Scale, Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale, and Self-rating Questionnaire for Adolescent Phone Use in April 2023 (Time 1) and October 2023 (Time 2). A cross-lagged panel model was employed to examine the directional associations among these variables over time. Furthermore, a semi-longitudinal mediation model was constructed to investigate whether depressive symptoms reflect an indirect pathway between school connectedness and PSU.

RESULTS

Analyses from the cross-lagged and semi-longitudinal mediation models revealed that the pattern of results is consistent with an indirect association linking school connectedness to PSU via depressive symptoms. Specifically, school connectedness at T1 was negatively associated with depressive symptoms at T2, and depressive symptoms at T1 were positively associated with PSU at T2.

CONCLUSIONS

These findings highlight school connectedness may serve as a potential protective factor in mitigating adolescent PSU by alleviating depressive symptoms. Interventions aiming to enhance adolescents’ sense of school belonging may help reduce emotional distress and lower the risk of PSU.