Abstract
This cross-sectional study identified the association between COVID-19-related perceived household financial decline and smartphone dependency among adolescents in South Korea. Data from the 2020 Youth Risk Behavior Survey of Korea was used and 54,809 middle and high school students were included. COVID-19-related perceived household financial decline was categorized as no financial decline, mild, moderate, and severe. Smartphone dependency was calculated by 10 questions and was largely categorized as yes and no, and as normal, low, and high (prevalence rate: 25.0%). Binary and multinomial regression analyses were performed to analyze the association. The more severe the financial decline, the more pronounced the risk of high-risk smartphone dependency (mild financial decline: odds ratio (OR) 1.11, 95% CI 0.96–1.28; moderate: OR 1.22, 95% CI 1.04–1.43; severe: OR 2.56, 95% CI 2.06–3.17). Poor family relationships (OR 1.06, 95% CI 1.03–1.10) and severe social conflict (OR 2.99, 95% CI 2.50–3.58) were also related to smartphone dependency. The ORs were 2.63 with more than three bathrooms and 1.63 with their own bedroom. Smartphone dependency among adolescents is closely related to COVID-19-related perceived household financial decline. As smartphone dependency relates to complicated psychological issues, further evaluation is necessary, especially for vulnerable adolescents.
Highlights
South Korea’s smartphone penetration rate was 95.9% among middle school students and 95.2% among high school students in 2018 [1]
Adolescents with smartphone dependency indicated gradually increased odds ratio (OR) of household financial decline due to COVID-19 compared to no financial decline
When household financial decline due to COVID-19 was severe, these individuals began experiencing interpersonal conflicts or problems with daily roles, with weakened control over smartphone use leading to smartphone dependency
Summary
South Korea’s smartphone penetration rate was 95.9% among middle school students and 95.2% among high school students in 2018 [1]. The proportion of smartphone dependency risk in Korea has been increasing every year, and in 2020 81.9% of Koreans considered smartphone dependency was a serious societal concern [2]. Among Korean adolescents, the proportion of smartphone dependency risk has been rising progressively, and the rate reached 35.8% in 2020 [2]. 12–15-year-olds in China, and 62.6% among 13–18-year-olds in the Philippines [3–6]. These differences may be attributed to variations in age groups, health literacy, and smartphone questionnaire composition. Smartphone dependency can be defined as the state of excessive smartphone use. Smartphone dependence is a state in which the use of smartphones in daily life is prominent and the use of smartphones is not controlled. Among Korean adolescents who are at risk of smartphone dependency, the most serious risk factor was
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callMore From: International journal of environmental research and public health
Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
