What makes Chinese adolescents glued to their smartphones? Using network analysis and three-wave longitudinal analysis to assess how adverse childhood experiences influence smartphone addiction

Research has identified a robust connection between adverse childhood experiences and smartphone addiction. However, few studies have explored the close links between various smartphone application addictions and their co-occurrence. To bridge this gap, the current study used one pilot study and two formal studies to explore the co-occurrence of different smartphone application addictions, as well as their potential risk factors and internal mechanisms. In the pilot study (N = 118), adolescents with smartphone addictions were interviewed to determine their regularly-used applications and content type. In Study 1 (N = 1962), network analysis was used to assess six application preferences within the broader umbrella of smartphone addiction, and the potential relationship effect between adverse childhood experiences and smartphone addiction. In Study 2 (N = 835), the causal relationship was further verified through a longitudinal study which also found that alexithymia and social sensitivity played mediating roles in smartphone application addition. The application addiction with the highest centrality was for short videos, followed by games and then social media applications. In addition, a range of social experiences associated with violence (e.g., neglect and bullying) were found to be key determinants of smartphone addiction, in that these experiences hinder adolescents' socialization by increasing their alexithymia and social sensitivity, leading them to become glued to their smartphones. The findings of this study contribute to a better understanding of how adverse childhood experiences increase adolescents’ risk of smartphone addiction, while also providing new insights into the co-occurrence of addictions to various common smartphone applications.