American journal of health promotion : AJHPJun 3, 2024

Mobile Phone Dependence Linked to Lower Quality of Life in Chinese College Students, Related to Sleep Patterns and Sleep Quality

Circadian Biology Weekly Brief ↗PubMed ↗DOI ↗

Updated Mar 30, 2026

Abstract

Mobile phone dependence significantly reduces health-related quality of life (HRQoL) among Chinese college students.

Mobile phone dependence is associated with lower HRQoL scores as measured by the EQ-5D-5L index and visual analog scale.
A significant negative relationship exists between mobile phone dependence and chronotype, indicating that higher dependence correlates with less favorable chronotype scores.
Mobile phone dependence also negatively impacts sleep quality, suggesting that those with higher dependence may experience poorer sleep.
Chronotype is found to negatively predict sleep quality, indicating that less favorable chronotypes are linked to poorer sleep outcomes.
Sleep quality significantly predicts HRQoL, with lower sleep quality correlating with reduced HRQoL scores.

Simplified

PURPOSE: Presenting a chain mediation model to investigate whether mobile phone dependence results in a reduction in health-related quality of life (HRQoL) among Chinese college students, through the mediating effect of chronotype and sleep quality.

DESIGN AND SETTING: A cross-sectional survey was conducted on students from a Chinese university using a validated structured questionnaire.

SAMPLE: 2014 freshmen.

MEASURES: The study measured the students' level of mobile phone dependence using the Self-rating Questionnaire for Adolescent Problematic Mobile Phone Use. Chronotype and sleep quality were measured by the Chinese version of the Morningness-Eveningness Questionnaire (MEQ) and the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), respectively. HRQoL was evaluated using the five-level EuroQol five-dimensional questionnaire (EQ-5D-5L), including a descriptive system and a visual analog scale (VAS).

ANALYSIS: Descriptive statistical analysis, correlation analysis, and mediation analysis.

RESULTS: Mobile phone dependence had a significant negative effect on HRQoL as indicated by both the EQ-5D-5L index score and EQ-VAS score (< .001 for both). Additionally, it was found to significantly predict chronotype (MEQ score) (= -.546,< .001) and sleep quality (PSQI score) (= .163,< .001). Chronotype negatively predict sleep quality (= -.058,< .001), and sleep quality was a significant negative predictor of HRQoL (EQ-5D-5L index score,= -.008,< .001; EQ-VAS score,= -1.576,< .001). P β P β P β P β P β P

CONCLUSION: Mobile phone dependence negatively impacts students' HRQoL through chronotype and sleep quality, and there is a chain mediating effect. Students should consider making lifestyle changes to improve their HRQoL and promote health.

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Mobile Phone Dependence Linked to Lower Quality of Life in Chinese College Students, Related to Sleep Patterns and Sleep Quality

Abstract

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