Does depression drive technology overuse or vice-versa? a cross-lagged panel analysis of bidirectional relationships among Chinese university students

These findings reveal complex, pattern-specific bidirectional relationships between technology use and depression, with important temporal precedence differences. The results suggest that certain technology use contexts may contribute more strongly to depression development, while depression may drive other specific usage patterns. These findings have implications for targeted intervention approaches addressing both depression and problematic technology use among university students.