Risk factors for mobile phone addiction among young people : a systematic Review

Abstract

Mobile phone addiction has become an important public health problem in recent years. As young people are more susceptible to this problem, effective interventions to tackle mobile phone addiction among youth are needed. This systematic review aims to identify the possible risk factors that contribute to mobile phone addiction and provide implications in this field. This reviewselected11 studies pertaining to the topic of mobile phone addiction among adolescent and young users published from 2003 to 2013. It combines and summarizes major risk factors that predict the occurrence of mobile phone addiction among youth. It categorizes risk factors identified in four dimensions: psychological characteristics (self-esteem, sensation seeking, leisure boredom, interpersonal anxiety, self-identity, in-group norms, the need to belong, loneliness, depression, personality traits: extraversion, neuroticism and disagreeableness);perceived maternal rearing attitudes and environmental factor such as socioeconomic background, school locations, school failure; health compromising behaviors including tobacco use, excess alcohol consumption and internet addiction; and gender difference. The discussion presents limitations of the review and the implications for policy and practices, and avenues for further research.