Addictive Behaviors and Mental Disorders Among Youth and Adolescents

Introduction: In the digital age, smartphones may amplify adolescents’ developmental vulnerability, making their mental health more likely to be affected by problematic smartphone use. However, prior research has largely overlooked adolescents’ developmental characteristics and individual differences. Methods: This study employed latent profile analysis (LPA) to identify distinct severity profiles of smartphone addiction risk among 2158 Chinese adolescents (53.1% boys; mean age = 14.07 years). We further examined the associations of demographic variables with profile membership, and applied the BCH weighting method to compare differences in well-being, anxiety, and depression across profiles. Results: (1) adolescent smartphone addiction could be classified into three severity profiles: a well-adjusted use group (31%), a low-risk group (53%), and a high-risk group (16%); (2) age, grade, and social economic status were significantly associated with profile membership; (3) the three smartphone addiction profiles differed significantly in concurrently measured mental health outcomes, with higher addiction risk associated with lower well-being and higher levels of anxiety and depression. Conclusions: Adolescent smartphone addiction reflects categorized severity and the profiles show graded cross-sectional differences in mental health. Future research should consider adolescent developmental characteristics and employ longitudinal designs to validate these severity profiles. Full article

Behavioral activation refers to specific behavioral responses generated by individuals when exposed to reward stimuli in order to obtain reward satisfaction, and continuous rewarding experiences may lead to addictive tendencies. To understand the relationship between behavioral activation and mobile phone addiction tendency among Chinese college students, as well as the chain mediating roles of perceived social support and negative cognitive emotion regulation, a questionnaire survey was conducted among 648 students randomly sampled from a university in Fuzhou, Fujian Province, China, to investigate the relationships among behavioral activation, perceived social support, negative cognitive emotion regulation, and mobile phone addiction tendency. The results showed that: (1) behavioral activation negatively predicted mobile phone addiction tendency among Chinese college students (β = −0.11, t = −2.92, p < 0.001); (2) negative cognitive emotion regulation partially mediated the relationship between behavioral activation and mobile phone addiction tendency; and (3) perceived social support and negative cognitive emotion regulation played a chain mediating role between behavioral activation and mobile phone addiction tendency. These findings suggest that behavioral activation can negatively predict mobile phone addiction tendency through perceived social support and negative cognitive emotion regulation in Chinese college students. Full article

Problematic social media use (PSMU) has become a growing concern worldwide, highlighting the need for reliable and culturally valid assessment tools to examine its psychological correlates. However, comprehensive psychometric evaluations of PSMU measures in the Japanese context remain limited. The present study aimed to develop and validate the Japanese version of the Bergen Social Media Addiction Scale (BSMAS-J) among Japanese college students. A total of 314 undergraduate students completed the BSMAS-J, along with the Internet Addiction Test (IAT), the Behavioral Inhibition and Behavioral Activation Scales (BIS/BAS), and the Ten-Item Personality Inventory (TIPI-J). Of these, 257 participants completed a follow-up assessment 4 weeks later. To rigorously evaluate the factor structure, an independent split-sample cross-validation approach was employed, with exploratory factor analysis conducted on one subsample (n = 100) and confirmatory factor analysis on the other (n = 214). Results confirmed a robust unidimensional structure with good model fit, high internal consistency across waves (Cronbach’s α 0.89, McDonald’s ω 0.91), and moderate 4-week test–retest reliability (ICC = 0.65). Furthermore, evidence supported both longitudinal and multigroup sex measurement invariance. Convergent validity was established through strong positive associations with generalized internet addiction. Multiple regression analysis indicated that female sex, higher neuroticism, and elevated behavioral inhibition predicted BSMAS-J scores, highlighting potential avoidance-oriented coping mechanisms. Overall, the BSMAS-J demonstrates sound psychometric properties as a brief and reliable assessment tool, establishing a solid empirical foundation for future cross-cultural and longitudinal investigations in Japan. Full article

Background: Problematic Social Media Use (PSMU) and Internet Gaming Disorder (IGD) are online behaviors associated with adverse psychosocial outcomes in young adults. However, person, affective, cognitive, and executive correlates of these behaviors remain insufficiently examined. This study examined I-PACE (Interaction of Person–Affect–Cognition–Execution) model dimensions associated with PSMU and IGD, and their co-occurrence in young adults from dimensional and categorical perspectives. Methods: A total of 1586 students (68.9% female; M = 20.42 years, SD = 2.41) completed self-report measures assessing PSMU, IGD, personality traits, emotion regulation difficulties, decision-making styles, and executive functioning. Results: Overall, 17.97% screened positive for PSMU, 16.02% for IGD, and 10.65% for both behaviors. In the entire sample, PSMU and IGD were both related to lower conscientiousness, difficulties in goal-directed behavior, non-acceptance of negative emotions, and emotional and executive control deficits. PSMU was additionally related to extraversion, limited access to effective emotion regulation strategies, and dependent decision-making style, whereas agreeableness, impulse control difficulties, and social behavior control deficits were related to IGD. From a categorical perspective, executive deficits were associated with higher PSMU symptomatology, whereas lower agreeableness and conscientiousness, greater difficulties in goal-directed behavior, and a lower tendency to use an intuitive decision-making style were related to higher IGD symptomatology. Among participants with co-occurring PSMU and IGD, lower agreeableness, lower openness to experience, and greater difficulties in goal-directed behavior were associated with higher PSMU and IGD symptoms. Dependent decision-making was additionally associated with higher PSMU symptoms. Furthermore, mean comparisons revealed that the PSMU and IGD co-occurring group showed higher levels of neuroticism, emotion dysregulation, spontaneous/avoidant decision-making styles, and executive, emotional, and social behavior control deficits than single-behavior groups. Conclusions: The findings suggest partially distinct patterns of association between person, affective, cognitive, and executive dimensions, depending on whether problematic online behaviors were considered from a dimensional or categorical perspective. These exploratory results require longitudinal replication and validation in clinical samples and in samples from other cultures, or from different developmental stages. Full article

Smartphone addiction (SA) has become a widespread issue and is consistently linked to a range of internalizing problems, including anxiety, depression, and sleep disorders. Previous studies have primarily focused on the overall association between SA and internalizing problems; however, differences in symptom patterns and potential intervention targets across SA risk groups remain unclear. This study recruited 1411 adults (M_age = 28.87 years, 45.64% female) who completed the survey. Data analysis was conducted using latent profile analysis and network analysis with simulation-based techniques. Latent profile analysis identified low-, moderate-, and high-SA groups. “Anxiety and panic” was the primary central node in low- and moderate-SA groups, whereas “Sleep disturbances” was the most central node in the high-SA group. Central bridge symptoms varied by SA severity: the “Depressed mood index” in the moderate- and high-SA groups and the “Somatic symptoms index” in the low-SA group. Simulation analyses identified specific anxiety and sleep nodes as candidate intervention targets, whose modeled changes were associated with variations in overall internalizing problems. Optimal targets differed by SA severity, generating hypotheses for future prospective research. These findings highlight the potential value of severity-sensitive, symptom-focused intervention strategies for preventing and alleviating internalizing problems across varying levels of SA. Full article

Problematic smartphone use in adolescence has been linked cross-sectionally to poorer academic and emotional functioning, but the longitudinal mechanisms remain unclear. Using three waves of the Panel Study on Korean Children (W14–W16; ages 14–16), this study tested whether problematic smartphone use at age 14 predicts four developmental outcomes at age 16—school adjustment, self-regulated learning, ego resilience, and subjective happiness—through four age-15 mediators: gaming, video-watching, self-study hours, and academic stress. Hierarchical regressions with autoregressive controls, bootstrap a-paths, and 16 indirect effects tested with 20,000-draw Monte Carlo confidence intervals were estimated. Problematic smartphone use predicted three outcomes but not subjective happiness, for which the association was indirect only. Seven indirect effects were significant, and six survived Benjamini–Hochberg false discovery rate correction. The findings indicated two pathways: a time-displacement pathway (gaming and reduced self-study) specific to self-regulated learning and an academic-stress pathway linked to school adjustment, ego resilience, and happiness. Crucially, in baseline-controlled sensitivity analyses, the time-use pathways remained significant, whereas the stress pathway was fully attenuated, indicating a concurrent rather than a prospective association. Results were robust across path-model SEM, full-information maximum likelihood, and inverse-probability weighting, supporting a dual-pathway account of adolescent digital development. Full article

Smartphone use addiction and academic burnout represent prevalent phenomena, and existing research indicates a strong positive association between them. However, the longitudinal associations and potential explanatory mechanisms underlying this association remain insufficiently examined. This research explored the reciprocal influences between academic burnout and smartphone use addiction across time, while also examining whether fear of missing out (FoMO) functions as a central mediating mechanism. This research utilized a two-wave longitudinal design, with data collected from participants at two time points separated by a six-month interval. The sample consisted of 893 students from a university in South China. Measures included the Adolescent Student Burnout Inventory, the Fear of Missing Out Scale, and the Mobile Phone Addiction Scale. This research employed an analytical method of cross-lagged panel models with mediating effects. The results demonstrated that smartphone use addiction and academic burnout positively predicted each other over time. Furthermore, FoMO significantly mediated these bidirectional longitudinal associations. These results provide preliminary evidence for bidirectional temporal associations between academic burnout and smartphone use addiction and identify FoMO as one potential mechanism linking the two phenomena over time. These findings offer practical insights for developing targeted intervention strategies to address these interrelated issues among university students. Full article

Using a sample of Chinese junior high school students (N = 1133), this study examined the latent heterogeneity and structural characteristics of mobile phone addiction risk. Latent profile analysis was conducted to identify subgroups with varying levels of risk. Network analysis was then used to model the relationships among smartphone addiction, materialism, and childhood neglect and compare structural differences across subgroups. Finally, five machine learning models were applied to model smartphone addiction scores and compare model performance across different combinations of variables. Results revealed three distinct risk groups of smartphone addiction. Network analysis indicated that loneliness-related nodes exhibited the highest expected influence in the overall network. Across latent profiles, childhood neglect-related nodes consistently occupied central positions, whereas materialism-related nodes showed relatively stable centrality. Network comparison tests further demonstrated significant structural differences across risk groups. In addition, incorporating latent profile information and centrality indices improved model performance, suggesting that these features capture individual differences in smartphone addiction. These findings provide structural evidence for the heterogeneity of mobile phone addiction risk and offer implications for subgroup-specific intervention strategies. Full article

Based on the cognitive-behavioral model of pathological internet use (PIU), this study examined the longitudinal impact of parenting styles on college students’ PIU and the roles played by rumination and environmental sensitivity. A total of 652 freshmen were tracked three times over one year by means of Parenting Style Questionnaire, the Pathological Internet Use Scale, the Rumination Thinking Scale and the High Sensitivity Personality Questionnaire. T1 positive parenting significantly negatively predicted T3 PIU, while T1 negative parenting significantly positively predicted T3 PIU; T2 rumination partially mediated the longitudinal relationship between T1 parenting styles and T3 PIU; environmental sensitivity plays a moderating role in both the direct pathway and the first half pathway of the mediating effect of parental rearing styles on pathological Internet use through rumination thinking, and the results of the moderating effect support the differential susceptibility model. We found that the indirect effect of parenting styles on PIU among college students through rumination was moderated by environmental sensitivity. Specifically, environmental sensitivity strengthened the pathway from parenting styles and rumination to PIU. Full article

Background: Youth and young adults with early psychosis frequently use cannabis, yet the reliability of self-reported use is uncertain in clinical practice. We examined the concordance between self-reported cannabis use and urine toxicology among patients enrolled in an Early Psychosis Intervention (EPI) program in Southeast Ontario, Canada. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional chart review of 116 EPI patients (2016–2019). Demographics, self-reported cannabis use (yes/no), concurrent substance use, and urine toxicology results from the initial clinical assessment were extracted. Diagnostic indices (sensitivity, specificity, positive/negative predictive values, and accuracy) were calculated using urine toxicology as the reference. The clinical panel used a 50 ng/mL threshold for THC-COOH; the specific assay platform (immunoassay vs. confirmatory GC-/LC-MS) was not specified in records and is noted as a limitation. Results: Overall, 82.8% (96/116) self-reported cannabis use. Self-report showed high sensitivity (88.4%) but very low specificity (20.3%), with PPV 39.2%, NPV 75.0%, and accuracy 45.30%, indicating limited concordance with urine toxicology. Self-reported cannabis use was significantly associated with self-reported cocaine and MDMA use, while associations with methamphetamine, opioids, and benzodiazepines were not significant. Conclusions: In this EPI cohort, self-reports overestimated cannabis use relative to urine toxicology (high sensitivity, low specificity, and accuracy <50%). These findings support cautious clinical interpretation of self-report and the complementary value of biological verification, especially when use is infrequent or the testing window/threshold may miss exposure. Future work should incorporate use frequency, potency, and timing relative to testing, and clearly specify toxicology assay methods. Full article

This study explores how parenting practices influence access to mental health and substance use (MHSU) care among African immigrant and refugee youth in Nova Scotia. Based on qualitative interviews and focus groups with youth aged 18–25 who had accessed or attempted to access MHSU services, this study centers youth narratives on parental roles in navigating culturally unfamiliar health systems. Data were analyzed thematically by the research team, with input from advisory committee members of African descent, using a collaborative and manual approach grounded in Afrocentric and Ubuntu principles of relationality, collective meaning-making, and respect for participant voice. Despite stigma, and acculturative stress, findings reveal that African parents often act as vigilant protectors, cultural anchors, and decisive actors in recognizing and responding to youth substance use. Participants described their parents as watchful, strict, and deeply invested in their well-being, sometimes even “saving” them by initiating care when peers or institutions failed to do so. Parental nudging, family-based intervention, and cultural values of collective responsibility were central to accessing MHSU services. This study emphasizes the need for culturally responsive and family-inclusive healthcare delivery by highlighting gaps in care systems where parental involvement was excluded or where African family dynamics that shape help-seeking and support were misunderstood. Full article

In school settings, nomophobia—a newly identified form of problematic mobile phone use characterized by anxiety and discomfort experienced when an individual is unable to use or access their smartphone—poses significant challenges to students’ learning and daily life. Prior research on nomophobia has predominantly adopted a variable-centered perspective. However, if nomophobia is heterogeneous across subgroups, acknowledging this heterogeneity may inform the advancement of more tailored and productive therapeutic methods. Latent profile analysis (LPA) was conducted separately among high school students (N = 446) and college students (N = 667) to identify potential subgroup heterogeneity in nomophobia. To examine cross-group similarities in nomophobia profiles, a multi-group LPA was employed. Based on multiple model fit criteria, a three-profile solution—high nomophobia, moderate nomophobia, and low nomophobia—was identified for both groups. However, the multi-group LPA provided only partial support for the similarity of nomophobia profiles across educational stages, specifically in terms of configural and dispersion similarity. While similar nomophobia profiles emerged across groups, the partial equivalence suggests that intervention strategies for nomophobia may not be universally applicable across different educational levels. Additional studies should investigate the mechanisms underlying students’ nomophobia profiles and to inform differentiated interventions for educators, institutions, and policymakers. Full article

Background: Non-medical use of prescription stimulants is increasing among college students worldwide. While intended for ADHD treatment, many students use these substances to improve their concentration and academic performance. Despite global research, little is known about the psychological and attitudinal factors influencing such use in the Israeli academic context. Objectives: We wished to examine the relationship between self-efficacy, attitudes toward stimulant use, and actual use among Israeli college students, aiming to uncover the mechanisms behind non-medical stimulant consumption. Methods: A cross-sectional online survey was conducted among 598 students from two Israeli academic institutions. The participants completed validated questionnaires assessing their demographic characteristics, stimulant use patterns, self-efficacy, and attitudes. Results: A total of 22% of students reported using stimulants, 17% of them without a prescription. Positive attitudes significantly increased the likelihood of use (Exp(B) = 3.31, p < 0.001), while higher self-efficacy reduced it (Exp(B) = 0.69, p < 0.01). A negative correlation was found between self-efficacy and favorable attitudes (r = −0.17, p < 0.001). The mediation analysis revealed that self-efficacy influences stimulant use entirely through its effect on attitudes toward stimulants. Additionally, stimulant use was significantly more common among Jewish students (25%) compared to non-Jewish students (11%; p < 0.05) and among smokers (36%) compared to non-smokers (20%; p < 0.001). Conclusions: Positive attitudes and low self-efficacy are key risk factors for stimulant misuse. These findings underscore the need for educational interventions aimed at strengthening self-efficacy and promoting healthier coping strategies in academic settings. Full article