The influence of sub-factors of smartphone addiction on suicidal ideation among adolescents: focusing on the moderating effect of gender

Background: Smartphone addiction has been identified as a critical mental health issue among adolescents, potentially influencing suicidal ideation. This study investigates the influence of four sub-factors of smartphone addiction on suicidal ideation, with a particular focus on the moderating role of gender. Methods: Data were drawn from the sixth wave (2023) of the Korean Children and Youth Panel Survey, a nationally representative dataset. A total of 4425 middle and high school third-grade students were included in the analysis. Smartphone addiction was measured using the Smartphone Addiction Proneness Scale (SAPS), which comprises four sub-factors: daily life disturbance, virtual world orientation, withdrawal, and tolerance. Multiple regression analyses were conducted to assess the relationships between these sub-factors and suicidal ideation, and to examine the moderating effect of gender. Results: All four sub-factors significantly predicted suicidal ideation. Daily life disturbance, virtual world orientation, and withdrawal were positively associated with suicidal ideation, while tolerance was negatively associated. Although gender had no direct effect on suicidal ideation, it significantly moderated the relationship between tolerance and suicidal ideation. Specifically, higher levels of tolerance were linked to lower suicidal ideation in male adolescents but to higher suicidal ideation in female adolescents. Conclusions: The findings highlight the importance of gender-sensitive approaches in addressing smartphone addiction among adolescents. Tailored interventions based on gender-specific risk patterns may enhance the effectiveness of suicide prevention strategies. Nonetheless, the use of a single-item measure for suicidal ideation and the limited inclusion of control variables due to the nature of secondary data are considered important limitations of this study.