South Korean Study Links Childhood Abuse to Teen Smartphone Addiction

A 2023 study of 1,269 South Korean middle‑school students found that experiences of physical, verbal or emotional abuse in childhood are associated with higher levels of smartphone addiction in adolescence. The research showed that abuse lowers self‑esteem and raises depression, both of which independently increase the risk of excessive smartphone use. Statistical analysis confirmed a direct link between abuse and addiction, as well as an indirect pathway: abuse → reduced self‑esteem → heightened depression → greater smartphone dependence.

The authors recommend that prevention and intervention programs move beyond simple screen‑time limits. They call for integrated risk‑assessment systems in schools and community services that screen for trauma, family conflict and emotional difficulties, and for care approaches that address the underlying trauma driving digital overuse.