Abstract
Even though boys’ depression has become important, and their smartphone use has increased since COVID-19, little is known about low-income middle and high school boys’ depression in the context of whether they have siblings. Thus, this study investigates the relationship between smartphone addiction and depression as well as the moderating effect of being an only child on the relationship. Participants were limited to middle and high school students whose families were regarded as having a low-income. A total of 129 low-income boys were selected for the final sample. The PROCESS macro 3.4 for Statistical Product and Service Solutions was used to identify the moderating effect. Smartphone addiction was positively related to depression among low-income male students. Being an only child significantly moderated the relationship between smartphone addiction and depression. This study contributes to understanding the importance of examining mental health problems among middle school boys since COVID-19, particularly among low-income boys. It is necessary to provide tailored mental health services for middle school boys in low-income families. Alternative activities and social programs should be provided for adolescent boys who are only children to safely socialize with friends and peers without a smartphone.
Highlights
The COVID-19 pandemic has greatly affected children’s and adolescents’ lives around the world
By encouraging adolescent boys to participate in activities that do not include smartphone use, these boys may be less likely to develop a smartphone addiction, and have fewer symptoms of depression
These suggestions are given in the context of COVID-19, where one must be mindful of social distancing and the spread of coronavirus disease, they persist even once such measures are no longer needed, to encourage adolescent boys to participate in diverse activities, reduce the likelihood of smartphone addiction, and depression
Summary
The COVID-19 pandemic has greatly affected children’s and adolescents’ lives around the world. Children and adolescents are more depressed than before the pandemic [3,4], and smartphone addiction and problematic smartphone use have been found to be positively associated with depression, this data includes studies conducted before COVID-19 [5,6]. Parents of children aged 10-18 years in Switzerland reported that their children had increased their media use significantly during the COVID-19-related lockdown, including their use of mobile phones, tablets, computers, video game consoles and televisions [14]. Screen time increased by 4.85 hours per day among Italian children and adolescents three weeks into a COVID-19-related period of mandatory home confinement [12]. By examining screen time more generally and collapsing different types of technology use into a single variable, conceptual and empirical precision is decreased [15]
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