Negative life events, depression, and mobile phone dependency among left-behind adolescents in rural China: An interpersonal perspective

Background: The popularization of mobile phones has largely facilitated the connection between migrant workers in cities and their left-behind children in rural China; but it also triggered a public concern about the mobile phone dependency (MPD) of these children. Aims: The present study aimed to examine the mediating role of depression and the moderating roles of interpersonal relationships in the association between negative life events and MPD, in order to clarify the factors that intensify or abate MPD. Methods: We investigated 1505 left-behind adolescents from 11 junior middle schools in rural China, by using self-report questionnaires; The moderating mediation model and multi-group comparison were conducted by using SPSS 20.0 and Amos 17.0 software. Results: Negative life events had an indirect positive relation with MPD via depression; parent-child relationships group buffer the relation of negative life events with depression; peer relationships played a unique moderation role, as well as an interactive moderation role together with parent-child relationships in the relation between negative life events and MPD. Conclusions: Adverse experiences and emotions are risk factors for MPD in left-behind children; parent-child and peer relationships showed a reinforcement mode in buffering the negative associations between adverse experiences, emotions, and MPD.