Mobile Phone Dependence, Social Support and Impulsivity in Chinese University Students

Abstract

This study examined the frequency of mobile phone dependence in Chinese university students and explored its association with social support and impulsivity. Altogether, 909 university students were consecutively recruited from a large university in China. Mobile phone use, mobile phone dependence, impulsivity, and social support were measured with standardized instruments. The frequency of possible mobile phone use and mobile phone dependence was 78.3% and 7.4%, respectively. Multinomial logistic regression analyses revealed that compared with no mobile phone dependence, possible mobile phone dependence was significantly associated with being male (p = 0.04, OR = 0.7, 95% CI: 0.4-0.98), excessive mobile phone use (p < 0.001, OR = 1.2, 95% CI: 1.09-1.2), and impulsivity (p < 0.001, OR = 1.05, 95% CI: 1.03-1.06), while mobile phone dependence was associated with length of weekly phone use (p = 0.01, OR = 2.5, 95% CI: 1.2-5.0), excessive mobile phone use (p < 0.001, OR = 1.3, 95% CI: 1.2-1.4), and impulsivity (p < 0.001, OR = 1.08, 95% CI: 1.05-1.1). The frequency of possible mobile phone dependence and mobile phone dependence was high in this sample of Chinese university students. A significant positive association with impulsivity was found, but not with social support.