Testing the Bidirectional Associations of Mobile Phone Addiction Behaviors With Mental Distress, Sleep Disturbances, and Sleep Patterns: A One-Year Prospective Study Among Chinese College Students

Background Mobile phone addiction behaviors (MPAB) are extensively associated with several mental and sleep problems. Only a limited number of bidirectional longitudinal papers have focused on this field. This study aimed to examine the bidirectional associations of MPAB with mental distress, sleep disturbances, and sleep patterns. Methods A total of 940 and 902 (response rate: 95.9%) students participated at baseline and one-year follow-up, respectively. Self-reported severity of mobile phone addiction was measured using Mobile Phone Involvement Questionnaire (MPIQ). Mental distress was evaluated by using Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) and Zung Self-Rating Anxiety Scale (SAS). Sleep disturbances were assessed by using Insomnia Severity Index (ISI), Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), and Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS). Sleep patterns were evaluated by using reduced Morningness-Eveningness Questionnaire (rMEQ), weekday sleep duration, and weekend sleep duration. Results Cross-lagged analyses revealed a higher total score of BDI, SAS, and ISI predicted a greater likelihood of subsequent MPAB, but not vice versa. We found the bidirectional longitudinal relationships between MPAB and the total score of PSQI and ESS. Besides, a higher score of MPIQ at baseline predicts a subsequent lower total score of rMEQ and shorter weekday sleep duration. Conclusions The current study expands our understanding of causal relationships of MPAB with mental distress, sleep disturbances, and sleep patterns.