The association between smartphone addiction and creativity in Chinese college students: the chain mediating effects of depression and executive function.

BACKGROUND: Smartphone addiction has emerged as a widespread public health concern, especially among college students. This study examines the association between smartphone addiction and creativity among Chinese college students, as well as the underlying psychological mechanisms involved. A serial mediation model framework was conducted to explore the effect of smartphone addiction on creativity, taking into consideration the mediating roles of depression and executive function. METHODS: In this study, a sample of 691 Chinese college students was surveyed using the Mobile Phone Addiction Index, the Centre for Epidemiologic Studies - Depression Scale, the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function - Adult Version, and the University Students' Creativity Scale to examine the impact mechanism of smartphone addiction on creativity. Correlation and mediation model analyses were performed respectively using SPSS 22.0 and PROCESS 3.1. RESULTS: Correlation analysis showed that smartphone addiction was positively correlated with depression (r = 0.298, P < 0.001) and executive function impairment (r = 0.677, P < 0.001), while it was negatively associated with creativity (r = -0.209, P < 0.001). Additionally, depression was positively correlated with executive function impairment (r = 0.376, P < 0.001). Furthermore, creativity was negatively associated with depression (r =-0.143, P < 0.001) and executive function impairment (r = -0.291, P < 0.001). The mediation analysis indicated that smartphone addiction directly negatively predicted creativity, and also indirectly predicted creativity through the serial mediating role of depression and executive function impairment. CONCLUSION: Smartphone addiction not only directly affected creativity, but also indirectly influenced it through both the independent mediating role of executive function, as well as their serial mediation pathway.