COVID-19 anxiety symptoms associated with problematic smartphone use severity in Chinese adults

• Published in: Journal of affective disorders Vol. 274; pp. 576 - 582
• Main Authors: Elhai, Jon D., Yang, Haibo, McKay, Dean, Asmundson, Gordon J.G.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Netherlands Elsevier B.V 01.09.2020
• Subjects: Adult; Anxiety; Anxiety Disorders - epidemiology; Anxiety Disorders - psychology; Behavior, Addictive - epidemiology; Behavior, Addictive - psychology; Betacoronavirus; Causality; China - epidemiology; Comorbidity; Coronavirus Infections - epidemiology; Coronavirus Infections - psychology; COVID-19; Cross-Sectional Studies; Depression; Female; Humans; Male; Pandemics; Pneumonia, Viral - epidemiology; Pneumonia, Viral - psychology; SARS-CoV-2; Severity of Illness Index; Smartphone - statistics & numerical data; Smartphone addiction; Surveys and Questionnaires; China; COVID-19; Depression; Anxiety; Pandemics; Smartphone addiction
• ISSN: 0165-0327; 1573-2517
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2020.05.080

•General anxiety predicted COVID-19 anxiety severity.•COVID-19 anxiety was associated with problematic smartphone use (PSU) severity.•COVID-19 anxiety mediated relations between general anxiety and PSU severity.•Controlling for anxiety/depression, COVID-19 anxiety did not predict PSU severity. COVID-19 is fast-spreading and potentially fatal, introducing home quarantine, social distancing, and increased internet usage globally. We investigated COVID-19 anxiety, general anxiety and depression symptoms, and their impact on problematic smartphone use (PSU) severity Participants were 908 residents of a large Eastern Chinese city, surveyed from late-February to mid-March, 2020. We administered online measures including the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale-21, Smartphone Addiction Scale-Short Version, and items querying COVID-19-related news exposure and threat of death. Additionally, participants rated anxiety using the Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale-7 with reference to COVID-19. COVID-19 anxiety correlated with severity of PSU, depression and anxiety. Using established cut-off scores, 12% of participants were identified with at least moderate depression, and 24% with moderate anxiety. Using structural equation modeling, COVID-19 anxiety related to PSU severity, mediating relations between general anxiety and PSU severity. However, controlling PSU for general anxiety and depression severity, COVID-19 anxiety no longer predicted PSU severity. Limitations include the cross-sectional research design and reliance on data from only one country. Results are discussed in context of the I-PACE model of excessive internet use. While COVID-19 anxiety is likely a global anxiety-provoking event, other everyday worries and anxiety are additionally clinically important in driving excessive internet use.