Correlation of objective mobile phone use time and mobile phone addiction with depressive and anxiety symptoms in young adults

doi:10.5498/wjp.v16.i5.117104

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May 19, 2026 (publication date) through May 5, 2026

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World Journal of Psychiatry

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Copyright: ©Author(s) 2026. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license. No commercial re-use. See permissions. Published by Baishideng Publishing Group Inc.

World J Psychiatry. May 19, 2026; 16(5): 117104
Published online May 19, 2026. doi: 10.5498/wjp.v16.i5.117104

Table 1 Characteristics of the study population, n (%)/mean ± SD

Characteristics	Participants	Depressive symptoms		P value	Anxiety symptoms		P value
Characteristics	Participants	No	Yes	P value	No	Yes	P value
Gender				< 0.001			< 0.001
Male	5881 (35.3)	4837 (82.2)	1044 (17.8)		4410 (75.0)	1471 (25.0)
Female	10787 (64.7)	8573 (79.5)	2214 (20.5)		7668 (71.1)	3119 (28.9)
Grade				< 0.001			< 0.001
1^st	4892 (29.3)	4042 (82.6)	850 (17.4)		3781 (77.3)	1111 (22.7)
2^nd	3907 (23.4)	3044 (77.9)	863 (22.1)		2775 (71.0)	1132 (29.0)
3^rd	3913 (23.5)	3073 (78.5)	840 (21.5)		2717 (69.4)	1196 (30.6)
4^th and above	3956 (23.7)	3251 (82.2)	705 (17.8)		2805 (70.9)	1151 (29.1)
Race				0.034			0.046
Han	16169 (97.0)	13027 (80.6)	3142 (19.4)		11736 (72.6)	4433 (27.4)
Others	499 (3.0)	383 (76.8)	116 (23.2)		342 (68.5)	157 (31.5)
Registered permanent residence				0.020			0.180
Rural	8993 (54.0)	7176 (79.8)	1817 (20.2)		6478 (72.0)	2515 (28.0)
Urban	7675 (46.0)	6234 (81.2)	1441 (18.8)		5600 (73.0)	2075 (27.0)
Siblings				0.010			0.135
No	4940 (29.6)	4035 (81.7)	905 (18.3)		3619 (73.3)	1321 (26.7)
Yes	11728 (70.4)	9375 (79.9)	2353 (20.1)		8459 (72.1)	3269 (27.9)
Maternal educational attainment				< 0.001			0.003
Middle school or under	10726 (64.4)	8523 (79.5)	2203 (20.5)		7684 (71.6)	3042 (28.4)
High school	3401 (20.4)	2780 (81.7)	621 (18.3)		2494 (73.3)	907 (26.7)
College or above	2541 (15.2)	2107 (82.9)	434 (17.1)		1900 (74.8)	641 (25.2)
Paternal educational attainment				< 0.001			< 0.001
Middle school or under	9123 (54.7)	7225 (79.2)	1898 (20.8)		6495 (71.2)	2628 (28.8)
High school	3697 (22.2)	3033 (82.0)	664 (18.0)		2775 (75.1)	922 (24.9)
College or above	3848 (23.1)	3152 (81.9)	696 (18.1)		2808 (73.0)	1040 (27.0)
Current smoking				< 0.001			< 0.001
No	14700 (88.2)	11960 (81.4)	2740 (18.6)		10775 (73.3)	3925 (26.7)
Yes	1968 (11.8)	1450 (73.7)	518 (26.3)		1303 (66.2)	665 (33.8)
Current drinking				< 0.001			< 0.001
No	13485 (80.9)	11104 (82.3)	2381 (17.7)		10070 (74.7)	3415 (25.3)
Yes	3183 (19.1)	2306 (72.4)	877 (27.6)		2008 (63.1)	1175 (36.9)
Rational diet				< 0.001			< 0.001
Yes	1294 (7.8)	1161 (89.7)	133 (10.3)		1057 (81.7)	237 (18.3)
No	15374 (92.2)	12249 (79.7)	3125 (20.3)		11021 (71.7)	4353 (28.3)
Physical exercise				< 0.001			< 0.001
Moderate or high	4446 (26.7)	3719 (83.6)	727 (16.4)		3325 (74.8)	1121 (25.2)
Low	12222 (73.3)	9691 (79.3)	2531 (20.7)		8753 (71.6)	3469 (28.4)
Family disasters				< 0.001			< 0.001
No	15041 (90.2)	12188 (81.0)	2853 (19.0)		11025 (73.3)	4016 (26.7)
Yes	1627 (9.8)	1222 (75.1)	405 (24.9)		1053 (64.7)	574 (35.3)
Hospitalization experiences				< 0.001			< 0.001
No	15266 (91.6)	12442 (81.5)	2824 (18.5)		11243 (73.6)	4023 (26.4)
Yes	1402 (8.4)	968 (69.0)	434 (31.0)		835 (59.6)	567 (40.4)
Failed exams				< 0.001			< 0.001
No	8549 (51.3)	7242 (84.7)	1307 (15.3)		6717 (78.6)	1832 (21.4)
Yes	8119 (48.7)	6168 (76.0)	1951 (24.0)		5361 (66.0)	2758 (34.0)
Failed relationships				< 0.001			< 0.001
No	13642 (81.8)	11294 (82.8)	2348 (17.2)		10248 (75.1)	3394 (24.9)
Yes	3026 (18.2)	2116 (69.9)	910 (30.1)		1830 (60.5)	1196 (39.5)
Mobile phone use time (hours/day)				< 0.001			< 0.001
0-3	3707 (22.2)	2970 (80.1)	737 (19.9)		2755 (74.3)	952 (25.7)
3-6	2818 (16.9)	2353 (83.5)	465 (16.5)		2099 (74.5)	719 (25.5)
6-9	4322 (25.8)	3522 (81.5)	800 (18.5)		3156 (73.0)	1166 (27.0)
9-12	4114 (24.7)	3253 (79.1)	861 (20.9)		2917 (70.9)	1197 (29.1)
≥ 12	1707 (10.2)	1312 (76.9)	395 (23.1)		1151 (67.4)	556 (32.6)
Mobile phone use time (hours/day)	6.98 ± 4.11	6.92 ± 4.07	7.20 ± 4.28	0.001	6.86 ± 4.10	7.28 ± 4.16	< 0.001
Mobile phone addiction				< 0.001			< 0.001
No	11842 (71.0)	10348 (87.4)	1494 (12.6)		9596 (81.0)	2246 (19.0)
Yes	4826 (29.0)	3062 (63.4)	1764 (36.6)		2482 (51.4)	2344 (48.6)
MPATS score	39.3 ± 12.9	37.3 ± 12.4	47.8 ± 11.2	< 0.001	36.5 ± 12.2	46.9 ± 11.5	< 0.001
MPATS-salience	8.6 ± 3.3	8.1 ± 3.2	10.7 ± 3.1	< 0.001	8.0 ± 3.1	10.3 ± 3.2	< 0.001
MPATS-withdrawal symptoms	16.0 ± 5.3	15.2 ± 5.2	19.0 ± 4.8	< 0.001	14.9 ± 5.1	18.9 ± 4.9	< 0.001
MPATS-social comfort	7.5 ± 3.0	7.2 ± 2.9	9.2 ± 2.7	< 0.001	7.0 ± 2.9	9.0 ± 2.9	< 0.001
MPATS-mood changes	7.1 ± 2.8	6.7 ± 2.7	8.8 ± 2.6	< 0.001	6.5 ± 2.6	8.7 ± 2.7	< 0.001

MPATS: Mobile Phone Addiction Tendency Scale.

Full Size Table

Table 2 Associations of mobile phone use time and mobile phone addiction with depressive and anxiety symptoms.

Smartphone use	Depressive symptoms OR (95%CI)			Anxiety symptoms OR (95%CI)
Smartphone use	Model 1	Model 2	Model 3	Model 1	Model 2	Model 3
Mobile phone use time (hours/day), per 3 hours/day	1.03 (1.00-1.07)	1.03 (1.00 1.06)	1.02 (0.99-1.05)	1.08 (1.05-1.11)	1.12 (1.03-1.21)	1.07 (1.04-1.10)
Mobile phone use time hours/day
0-3	1.18 (1.05-1.23)	1.21 (1.07-1.36)	1.18 (1.05-1.33)	0.96 (0.87-1.06)	0.98 (0.88-1.08)	0.97 (0.87-1.07)
3-6	0.90 (0.80-1.03)	0.93 (0.82-1.06)	0.94 (0.82-1.07)	0.93 (0.83-1.03)	0.95 (0.85-1.06)	0.96 (0.86-1.08)
6-9	Reference	Reference	Reference	Reference	Reference	Reference
9-12	1.17 (1.05-1.30)	1.15 (1.03-1.29)	1.14 (1.02-1.27)	1.13 (1.03-1.24)	1.11 (1.01-1.23)	1.10 (1.01-1.21)
≥ 12	1.34 (1.17-1.53)	1.29 (1.12-1.48)	1.26 (1.10-1.45)	1.35 (1.20-1.52)	1.30 (1.15-1.47)	1.29 (1.14-1.46)
Mobile phone addiction
No	Reference	Reference	Reference	Reference	Reference	Reference
Yes	3.92 (3.61-4.25)	3.72 (3.43 4.04)	3.53 (3.25-3.84)	4.05 (3.76-4.36)	3.84 (3.56 4.13)	3.73 (3.46-4.03)
MPATS score, per 5 score	1.41 (1.39-1.44)	1.39 (1.37 1.42)	1.38 (1.35-1.40)	1.43 (1.41-1.46)	1.41 (1.39 1.43)	1.40 (1.38-1.43)
MPATS- salience, per 1 score	1.27 (1.26-1.29)	1.26 (1.25 1.28)	1.25 (1.24-1.27)	1.26 (1.24-1.27)	1.24 (1.23 1.26)	1.24 (1.22-1.25)
MPATS-withdrawal symptoms, per 1 score	1.16 (1.15-1.17)	1.15 (1.14 1.16)	1.14 (1.13 1.15)	1.17 (1.16-1.18)	1.16 (1.15 1.17)	1.16 (1.15-1.17)
MPATS-social comfort, per 1 score	1.26 (1.24-1.27)	1.25 (1.23 1.26)	1.24 (1.22-1.26)	1.25 (1.24-1.27)	1.24 (1.23 1.26)	1.24 (1.22-1.26)
MPATS-mood changes, per 1 score	1.32 (1.30-1.34)	1.30 (1.28 1.32)	1.29 (1.27-1.31)	1.35 (1.33-1.37)	1.33 (1.31 1.35)	1.32 (1.30-1.34)

Model 1 was adjusted for demographic information (gender, grade, race, registered permanent residence, siblings, and parental educational attainment). Model 2 was further adjusted for negative life events (family disasters, hospitalization experiences, failed exams, and failed relationships). Model 3 was further adjusted for health-related lifestyles (current smoking, current drinking, physical activity, and rational diet). MPATS: Mobile Phone Addiction Tendency Scale; OR: Odds ratio; CI: Confidence interval.

Full Size Table

Table 3 Gender-specific associations of objectively measured mobile phone use time and mobile phone addiction with depressive and anxiety symptoms

Smartphone use	Depressive symptoms, OR (95%CI)		P for interaction	Anxiety symptoms, OR (95%CI)		P for interaction
Smartphone use	Male	Female	P for interaction	Male	Female	P for interaction
Mobile phone use time (hours/day), per 3 hours/day	0.98 (0.98-1.00)	1.02 (1.01-1.03)	< 0.001	1.01 (0.99-1.02)	1.03 (1.02-1.04)	0.017
Mobile phone use time (hours/day)			0.043			0.301
0-3	1.24 (1.02-1.52)	1.14 (0.98-1.33)		0.99 (0.83-1.19)	0.94 (0.82-1.08)
3-6	1.00 (0.81-1.25)	0.91 (0.77-1.07)		0.99 (0.82-1.20)	0.95 (0.83-1.10)
6-9	Reference	Reference		Reference	Reference
9-12	1.06 (0.87-1.30)	1.17 (1.02-1.34)		1.02 (0.85-1.21)	1.14 (1.01-1.28)
≥ 12	1.03 (0.79-1.34)	1.36 (1.16-1.61)		1.18 (1.94-1.48)	1.35 (1.16-1.56)
Mobile phone addiction			0.893			0.280
No	Reference	Reference		Reference	Reference
Yes	3.49 (3.02-4.04)	3.53 (3.19-3.91)		3.52 (3.08-4.02)	3.84 (3.50-4.22)
MPATS score, per 5 score	1.33 (1.29-1.37)	1.41 (1.37-1.44)	0.003	1.35 (1.32-1.39)	1.44 (1.41-1.47)	< 0.001
MPATS-salience, per 1 score	1.23 (1.20-1.25)	1.27 (1.25-1.29)	0.026	1.22 (1.19-1.24)	1.25 (1.23-1.27)	0.034
MPATS-withdrawal symptoms, per 1 score	1.13 (1.11-1.15)	1.15 (1.13-1.16)	0.057	1.15 (1.13-1.16)	1.17 (1.16-1.18)	0.017
MPATS-social comfort, per 1 score	1.23 (1.20-1.26)	1.24 (1.22-1.27)	0.621	1.24 (1.22-1.27)	1.24 (1.22-1.26)	0.729
MPATS-mood changes, per 1 score	1.27 (1.24-1.31)	1.29 (1.27-1.32)	0.281	1.30 (1.27-1.33)	1.34 (1.31-1.36)	0.047

All results were adjusted for grade, race, registered permanent residence, siblings, parental educational attainment, family disasters, hospitalization experiences, failed exams, and failed relationships, current smoking, current drinking, physical activity, and rational diet. MPATS: Mobile Phone Addiction Tendency Scale; OR: Odds ratio; CI: Confidence interval.

Full Size Table

Citation: Wang WH, Wu MY, Zhang XK, Wang X, Yuan XX, Ma L, Li L, Zhang L. Correlation of objective mobile phone use time and mobile phone addiction with depressive and anxiety symptoms in young adults. World J Psychiatry 2026; 16(5): 117104
URL: https://www.wjgnet.com/2220-3206/full/v16/i5/117104.htm
DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.5498/wjp.v16.i5.117104

Wang WH, Wu MY, Zhang XK, Wang X, Yuan XX, Ma L, Li L, Zhang L. Correlation of objective mobile phone use time and mobile phone addiction with depressive and anxiety symptoms in young adults. World J Psychiatry 2026; 16(5): 117104 [DOI: 10.5498/wjp.v16.i5.117104]

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