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. 2022 Jun 30;11(2):577-587.
doi: 10.1556/2006.2022.00047. Print 2022 Jul 13.

Trajectory of problematic smartphone use among adolescents aged 10-18 years: The roles of childhood family environment and concurrent parent-child relationships

Xiaoxiong Lai  1 , Shunsen Huang  1 , Chang Nie  2 , Jia Julia Yan  3   4 , Yajun Li  5 , Yun Wang  1   2 , Yuhan Luo  1   2
Affiliations

Trajectory of problematic smartphone use among adolescents aged 10-18 years: The roles of childhood family environment and concurrent parent-child relationships

Xiaoxiong Lai et al. J Behav Addict. .

Abstract

Background and aims: Adolescence is a period of high incidence of problematic smartphone use. Understanding the developmental trajectory of problematic smartphone use in adolescence and its influencing factors could guide the choice of timing for prevention and intervention. This study fitted the growth trajectory of problematic smartphone use among adolescents and examined its associations with the childhood family environment and concurrent parent-child relationships.

Methods: Using a cohort sequential design, we investigated 2,548 Chinese adolescents and their parents three times in three years. Multiple group multiple cohort growth models were used to fit the growth trajectory.

Results: The quadratic growth trajectory of problematic smartphone use in adolescents aged 10-18 years showed a clear increasing trend, with a possible decreasing trend in late adolescence or early adulthood. Early life socioeconomic status, childhood family unpredictability, and the concurrent parent-child relationship had unique impacts on the development of problematic smartphone use during adolescence.

Discussion and conclusions: Early adolescence is a favorable time for problematic smartphone use prevention and intervention. A supportive family environment should be maintained throughout the different developmental stages of children and adolescents.

Keywords: childhood family environment; developmental trajectory; parent–child relationship; problematic smartphone use.

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Conflict of interest statement

None.

Figures

Fig. 1.
Fig. 1.
Growth model with time-invariant and time-varying covariates Note. ELSES = Early life SES; CUNP = Childhood unpredictability; PCR = Parent–child relationship; W1 = Wave 1; W2 = Wave 2; W3 = Wave 3
Fig. 2.
Fig. 2.
PSU and parent–child relationship by age Note. Error bars represent standard deviations
Fig. 3.
Fig. 3.
Linear and quadratic growth trajectories of PSU Note. Trajectories after age 18 predicted by the models are presented with dashed lines
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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