Scroll Locked: Why Rural Teens in China Struggle to Disconnect

China’s rural students are increasingly at risk of mobile phone addiction and depression, according to a recent survey by the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS). Researchers cite the absence of parental support and limited access to mental health services as key contributing factors.

Released last month, the study surveyed nearly 14,000 students aged 8 to 20 across the country’s 20 poorest counties. The researchers found that 46.1% of respondents said they couldn’t stand being without their phones, while 43.8% said they often thought about their phones even when not using them — both figures higher than the national average among youth.

The CAS study also found that addiction levels rose steadily during junior high school, and girls were more likely than boys to show signs of dependency.

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