Prevalence and Distinct Correlates of Smartphone Addiction, Depressive Symptoms, and Their Comorbidity in College Students

Objective: This study aimed to assess the prevalence of comorbid of smartphone addiction and depressive symptoms and identify their common and distinct risk factors among college students. Methods: A total of 8,347 Chinese college students participated in the study by completing questionnaires that assessed individual, family, school, and peer factors, as well as smartphone addiction and depressive symptoms. Multivariate logistic regression was conducted to explore the risk of smartphone addiction only, depressive symptoms only, and their comorbidity. Results: The prevalence rates of smartphone addiction only, depressive symptoms only, and their comorbidity were 30.5%, 8.9%, and 25.3%, respectively. Higher frequency of mobile phone use in lessons and lower level of school belonging were associated with the increased risk of all three disease outcomes. There was a dose-response relationship between the number of risk exposures and the three disease outcomes. Conclusion: The more risk factors of college students were exposed to, the more likely they were to develop smartphone addiction only, depressive symptoms only, and their comorbidity. Targeted preventive measures and solutions should be implemented to reduce the occurrence of smartphone addiction and depressive symptoms.