Children's use of mobile devices, smartphone addiction and parental mediation in Taiwan

• Published in: Computers in human behavior 2019-04, Vol.93, p.25-32
• Main Authors: Chang, Fong-Ching, Chiu, Chiung-Hui, Chen, Ping-Hung, Chiang, Jeng-Tung, Miao, Nae-Fang, Chuang, Hung-Yi, Liu, Shumei
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Addictions; Children; Children & youth; Electronic devices; Instant messaging systems; Internet; Mediation; Multivariate analysis; Parental mediation; Parents; Risk perception; Smartphone addiction; Smartphones; Students; Tablet computers
• ISSN: 0747-5632; 1873-7692
• DOI: 10.1016/j.chb.2018.11.048

This study assessed the prevalence of smartphone addiction among children in Taiwan and examined the related factors. A total of 2621 fifth-grade students and 2468 parents from 30 primary schools in Taipei, Taiwan completed self-administered questionnaires in 2016. The results showed that fifth-grade students spent 11 h per week using either smartphones or tablets. The prevalence of smartphone addiction among fifth-grade students was 15.2%. Multivariate analysis results showed that parents who had high levels of risk perception and mediation efficacy were more likely to implement restrictive mediation of their children's use of the Internet and mobile devices. In addition, multivariate analysis results showed that children who had poor academic performance, depression, owned smartphones, frequently played smartphone/tablet gaming, and regularly used SNSs and instant messaging, had low levels of parental restrictive mediation, and had lower levels of self-reported Internet safety literacy were more likely to experience smartphone addiction. •About 15% of fifth-grade students in Taipei, Taiwan had a smartphone addiction.•Risk perception and efficacy predicted parental mediation implementation.•Smartphone gaming and use of SNSs increased smartphone addiction risks.•Parental restrictive mediation decreased smartphone addiction risks.