Sleep patterns and smartphone use among left-behind children: a latent class analysis and its association with depressive symptoms
BackgroundLeft-behind children in China face challenges in sleep patterns, technology use, and mental health. This study uses an individual-centered approach to derive behavioral profiles associated with depressive symptoms.MethodsData from 131,586 left-behind children aged 8 to 18 years from the Ch...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Frontiers Media S.A.
2025-02-01
|
| Series: | Frontiers in Psychiatry |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2024.1500238/full |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1832548279368286208 |
|---|---|
| author | Xue Han Cheng-Han Li Heng Miao Su Xu Wen-Jing Yan Juan Chen Juan Chen |
| author_facet | Xue Han Cheng-Han Li Heng Miao Su Xu Wen-Jing Yan Juan Chen Juan Chen |
| author_sort | Xue Han |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | BackgroundLeft-behind children in China face challenges in sleep patterns, technology use, and mental health. This study uses an individual-centered approach to derive behavioral profiles associated with depressive symptoms.MethodsData from 131,586 left-behind children aged 8 to 18 years from the Chinese Psychological Health Guard for Children and Adolescents Project were analyzed. Participants were recruited from 569 centers across schools, community institutes, orphanages, and children’s hospitals throughout China. Latent class analysis was conducted using weekday and weekend sleep duration and smartphone use as indicators. Depressive symptoms were assessed using the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D).ResultsFour distinct classes emerged: Sufficient Sleep Low Users (23.6%), Moderate Sleep Medium Users (25.2%), Limited Sleep High Users (22.1%), and Healthy Sleep Low Users (29.2%). Significant differences in CES-D scores were found between classes (F(3, 131579) = 4929, p <.001, η² = 0.101). The Limited Sleep High Users class reported the highest levels of depressive symptoms (M = 11.60, SE = 0.0658), while the Sufficient Sleep Low Users class reported the lowest (M = 3.67, SE = 0.0346). A linear relationship between sleep duration and depressive symptoms was observed. Significant weekday-weekend differences in smartphone use were noted in the unhealthy categories.ConclusionsThis study reveals complex associations between sleep patterns, smartphone use, and depressive symptoms among left-behind children. The identified behavioral profiles provide insights into population heterogeneity and inform targeted intervention strategies. Findings emphasize the importance of addressing both sleep and technology use in mental health initiatives for this vulnerable population. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-9713160862d143629f2e9bda94ec7d5e |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1664-0640 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-02-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Psychiatry |
| spelling | doaj-art-9713160862d143629f2e9bda94ec7d5e2025-02-03T06:33:25ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Psychiatry1664-06402025-02-011510.3389/fpsyt.2024.15002381500238Sleep patterns and smartphone use among left-behind children: a latent class analysis and its association with depressive symptomsXue Han0Cheng-Han Li1Heng Miao2Su Xu3Wen-Jing Yan4Juan Chen5Juan Chen6Prevention and Control Department, Wenzhou Seventh People’s Hospital, Wenzhou, ChinaEmergency Department, Third Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, ChinaSchool of Mental Health, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, ChinaSchool of Mental Health, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, ChinaSchool of Mental Health, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, ChinaEarly Intervention 2, Xi’an Mental Health Center, Xi’an, ChinaXi’an Institute of Mental Health, Xi’an, ChinaBackgroundLeft-behind children in China face challenges in sleep patterns, technology use, and mental health. This study uses an individual-centered approach to derive behavioral profiles associated with depressive symptoms.MethodsData from 131,586 left-behind children aged 8 to 18 years from the Chinese Psychological Health Guard for Children and Adolescents Project were analyzed. Participants were recruited from 569 centers across schools, community institutes, orphanages, and children’s hospitals throughout China. Latent class analysis was conducted using weekday and weekend sleep duration and smartphone use as indicators. Depressive symptoms were assessed using the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D).ResultsFour distinct classes emerged: Sufficient Sleep Low Users (23.6%), Moderate Sleep Medium Users (25.2%), Limited Sleep High Users (22.1%), and Healthy Sleep Low Users (29.2%). Significant differences in CES-D scores were found between classes (F(3, 131579) = 4929, p <.001, η² = 0.101). The Limited Sleep High Users class reported the highest levels of depressive symptoms (M = 11.60, SE = 0.0658), while the Sufficient Sleep Low Users class reported the lowest (M = 3.67, SE = 0.0346). A linear relationship between sleep duration and depressive symptoms was observed. Significant weekday-weekend differences in smartphone use were noted in the unhealthy categories.ConclusionsThis study reveals complex associations between sleep patterns, smartphone use, and depressive symptoms among left-behind children. The identified behavioral profiles provide insights into population heterogeneity and inform targeted intervention strategies. Findings emphasize the importance of addressing both sleep and technology use in mental health initiatives for this vulnerable population.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2024.1500238/fullsleep patternssmartphone usedepressive symptomslatent class analysisleft-behind children |
| spellingShingle | Xue Han Cheng-Han Li Heng Miao Su Xu Wen-Jing Yan Juan Chen Juan Chen Sleep patterns and smartphone use among left-behind children: a latent class analysis and its association with depressive symptoms Frontiers in Psychiatry sleep patterns smartphone use depressive symptoms latent class analysis left-behind children |
| title | Sleep patterns and smartphone use among left-behind children: a latent class analysis and its association with depressive symptoms |
| title_full | Sleep patterns and smartphone use among left-behind children: a latent class analysis and its association with depressive symptoms |
| title_fullStr | Sleep patterns and smartphone use among left-behind children: a latent class analysis and its association with depressive symptoms |
| title_full_unstemmed | Sleep patterns and smartphone use among left-behind children: a latent class analysis and its association with depressive symptoms |
| title_short | Sleep patterns and smartphone use among left-behind children: a latent class analysis and its association with depressive symptoms |
| title_sort | sleep patterns and smartphone use among left behind children a latent class analysis and its association with depressive symptoms |
| topic | sleep patterns smartphone use depressive symptoms latent class analysis left-behind children |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2024.1500238/full |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT xuehan sleeppatternsandsmartphoneuseamongleftbehindchildrenalatentclassanalysisanditsassociationwithdepressivesymptoms AT chenghanli sleeppatternsandsmartphoneuseamongleftbehindchildrenalatentclassanalysisanditsassociationwithdepressivesymptoms AT hengmiao sleeppatternsandsmartphoneuseamongleftbehindchildrenalatentclassanalysisanditsassociationwithdepressivesymptoms AT suxu sleeppatternsandsmartphoneuseamongleftbehindchildrenalatentclassanalysisanditsassociationwithdepressivesymptoms AT wenjingyan sleeppatternsandsmartphoneuseamongleftbehindchildrenalatentclassanalysisanditsassociationwithdepressivesymptoms AT juanchen sleeppatternsandsmartphoneuseamongleftbehindchildrenalatentclassanalysisanditsassociationwithdepressivesymptoms AT juanchen sleeppatternsandsmartphoneuseamongleftbehindchildrenalatentclassanalysisanditsassociationwithdepressivesymptoms |