Mobile Phone Dependency and Sleep Quality in College Students during COVID-19 Outbreak: The Mediating Role of Bedtime Procrastination and Fear of Missing Out

Abstract

Objective The purpose of the study was to examine the associations between mobile phone dependency and sleep quality among college students during COVID-19 outbreak. The potential mediation roles of bedtime procrastination and fear of missing out (FoMO) were investigated. Methods A total of 881 college students completed an online survey in May 2022 in Shanghai, China. Mobile Phone Involvement Questionnaire, Bedtime Procrastination Scale, Bedtime Procrastination Scale and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index were used to assess mobile phone dependency, bedtime procrastination, fear of missing out, and sleep quality, respectively. Multiple linear regression and mediation analysis were conducted. Results The correlation analyses indicated mobile phone dependency was positively associated with fear of missing out, bedtime procrastination, and sleep quality among college students. The structural equation modeling analyses revealed that mobile phone dependency had significant indirect effects on sleep quality through bedtime procrastination (indirect effect: 0.030, 95%CI: 0.022–0.041) and fear of missing out (indirect effect: 0.013, 95%CI: 0.003–0.023). Conclusion The findings indicated that bedtime procrastination and fear of missing out partially mediated on the association between mobile phone dependency and sleep quality. Bedtime procrastination and fear of missing out should be considered as potential intervention targets for reducing mobile phone dependency and improving sleep quality in college students.

Validation of the Insomnia Severity Index among University Students in Korea

“…Significant evidence suggests that addictive substance abuse (e.g., alcohol, nicotine use) among university students is associated with sleep disorders, including insomnia [16,17]. Furthermore, excessive smartphone and internet use among university students has been linked to unhealthy sleeping habits and insomnia, significantly affecting sleep quality during COVID-19 [12,18]. The transition to university and its associated stressors, along with the outbreak of the pandemic, may explain university students' predisposition to sleep problems; hence, most students are chronically sleep-deprived.…”