The association between smartphone addiction and creativity in Chinese college students: the chain mediating effects of depression and executive function.

IF 3.4 2区医学 Q2 PSYCHIATRY

BMC Psychiatry Pub Date : 2025-09-30 DOI:10.1186/s12888-025-07378-y

Wenfu Li, Jinmei Liu, Xia Liu, Yao Ge, Yan Wang, Aoxue Zhang

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Abstract

Background: Smartphone addiction has emerged as a widespread public health concern, especially among college students. This study examines the association between smartphone addiction and creativity among Chinese college students, as well as the underlying psychological mechanisms involved. A serial mediation model framework was conducted to explore the effect of smartphone addiction on creativity, taking into consideration the mediating roles of depression and executive function.

Methods: In this study, a sample of 691 Chinese college students was surveyed using the Mobile Phone Addiction Index, the Centre for Epidemiologic Studies - Depression Scale, the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function - Adult Version, and the University Students' Creativity Scale to examine the impact mechanism of smartphone addiction on creativity. Correlation and mediation model analyses were performed respectively using SPSS 22.0 and PROCESS 3.1.

Results: Correlation analysis showed that smartphone addiction was positively correlated with depression (r = 0.298, P < 0.001) and executive function impairment (r = 0.677, P < 0.001), while it was negatively associated with creativity (r = -0.209, P < 0.001). Additionally, depression was positively correlated with executive function impairment (r = 0.376, P < 0.001). Furthermore, creativity was negatively associated with depression (r =-0.143, P < 0.001) and executive function impairment (r = -0.291, P < 0.001). The mediation analysis indicated that smartphone addiction directly negatively predicted creativity, and also indirectly predicted creativity through the serial mediating role of depression and executive function impairment.

Conclusion: Smartphone addiction not only directly affected creativity, but also indirectly influenced it through both the independent mediating role of executive function, as well as their serial mediation pathway.

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中国大学生智能手机成瘾与创造力的关系：抑郁和执行功能的连锁中介效应。

背景：智能手机成瘾已经成为一个普遍的公共健康问题，尤其是在大学生中。本研究探讨了中国大学生智能手机成瘾与创造力之间的关系，以及所涉及的潜在心理机制。在考虑抑郁和执行功能的中介作用下，采用系列中介模型框架探讨智能手机成瘾对创造力的影响。方法：采用手机成瘾指数、美国流行病学研究中心抑郁量表、成人版执行功能行为评定量表和大学生创造力量表对691名中国大学生进行问卷调查，探讨智能手机成瘾对创造力的影响机制。采用SPSS 22.0和PROCESS 3.1分别进行相关性分析和中介模型分析。结果：相关分析显示，智能手机成瘾与抑郁（r = 0.298, P < 0.001）、执行功能障碍（r = 0.677, P < 0.001）呈正相关，与创造力（r = -0.209, P < 0.001）呈负相关。此外，抑郁症与执行功能障碍呈正相关（r = 0.376, P < 0.001）。此外，创造力与抑郁（r =-0.143, P < 0.001）和执行功能障碍（r = -0.291, P < 0.001）呈负相关。中介分析表明，智能手机成瘾直接负向预测创造力，并通过抑郁和执行功能障碍的串行中介作用间接预测创造力。结论：智能手机成瘾不仅直接影响创造力，而且通过执行功能的独立中介作用及其串行中介通路间接影响创造力。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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来源期刊

BMC Psychiatry 医学-精神病学

CiteScore

5.90

自引率

4.50%

发文量

716

审稿时长

3-6 weeks

期刊介绍： BMC Psychiatry is an open access, peer-reviewed journal that considers articles on all aspects of the prevention, diagnosis and management of psychiatric disorders, as well as related molecular genetics, pathophysiology, and epidemiology.