Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39085034›Full record

ArticleBMJ mental health2024

'There's more to life than staring at a small screen': a mixed methods cohort study of problematic smartphone use and the relationship to anxiety, depression and sleep in students aged 13-16 years old in the UK.

Ben Carter, Najma Ahmed, Olivia Cassidy, Oliver Pearson, Marilia Calcia, Clare Mackie, Nicola Jayne Kalk

Abstract read
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In one paragraph

Article in BMJ mental health, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 12 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
12citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

12 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors.

Ben CarterDepartment of Biostatistics and Health Informatics, Institute of Psychiatary, Psychology and Neuroscence, King's College London, London, UK.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-0318-8865
Najma AhmedDepartment of Biostatistics and Health Informatics, Institute of Psychiatary, Psychology and Neuroscence, King's College London, London, UK.
Olivia CassidyDepartment of Biostatistics and Health Informatics, Institute of Psychiatary, Psychology and Neuroscence, King's College London, London, UK.
Oliver PearsonDepartment of Biostatistics and Health Informatics, Institute of Psychiatary, Psychology and Neuroscence, King's College London, London, UK.
Marilia CalciaDepartment of Addictions, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK.
Clare MackieDepartment of Addictions, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK.
Nicola Jayne KalkDepartment of Addictions, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK nicola.kalk@kcl.ac.uk.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundDepression and anxiety are common in adolescents and have increased over the last decade. During that period, smartphone usage has become ubiquitous.

objectivesThe study aim was to assess the association between problematic smartphone usage (PSU) and anxiety.

methodsUsing a prospective mixed methods cohort study design, students aged 13-16 year old from two schools were enrolled regarding their smartphone use, mood and sleep via a semistructured questionnaire at baseline and week 4. The primary outcome was symptoms of anxiety (Generalised Anxiety Disorder Questionnaire, GAD-7) and exposure was PSU (Smartphone Addiction Scale Short Version). A linear regression was fitted to assess the change in anxiety. Thematic analysis of free-text responses was conducted.

findingsThe sample included 69 participants that were enrolled and followed up between 28 March and 3 June 2022. Of those with PSU, 44.4% exhibited symptoms of moderate to severe anxiety compared with 26.4% of those without PSU. There was a linear association between change in symptoms of anxiety and PSU β=0.18 (95% CI 0.04 to 0.32, p=0.013). Several themes were found: both positive and negative effects of smartphones on relationships; negative effects on school performance and productivity; mixed effects on mood; a desire to reduce the amount of time spent on smartphones.

conclusionsIncreased anxiety, depression and inability to sleep were seen in participants as their PSU score increased over time. Participants reported both positive and negative effects of smartphones and almost all used strategies to reduce use. CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: Interventions need to be developed and evaluated for those seeking support.

Indexed as

AnxietyDepressionSmartphoneStudentsAdolescentCohort StudiesFemaleHumansInternet Addiction DisorderMaleProspective StudiesSleepSurveys and QuestionnairesUnited KingdomAnxiety disordersChild & adolescent psychiatryDepression

Identifiers

PMID39085034
PMCPMC11293406

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY-NC
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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.