Short-term longitudinal relationship between cumulative ecological risk and smartphone addiction in Chinese adolescents: Gratitude and impulsivity as moderators

The study used the Ecological Systems Theory as a framework to test the short-term longitudinal association between cumulative ecological risk and smartphone addiction, and the Ecological Risk/Protective Theory as a framework to test gratitude as a protective factor, and impulsivity as a risk factor, in this association. We used a two-wave longitudinal design with an interval of six months. Participants were 452 adolescents (46.7% girls, aged 12–16 years) from two middle schools in Changsha, China who completed questionnaires in their classrooms at both time points. The results of regression-based analyses indicated that cumulative ecological risk positively predicted later smartphone addiction, and this longitudinal relationship was stronger among adolescents with high gratitude and high impulsivity. The results provide a theoretical and empirical basis for the development of prevention strategies and intervention policies to reduce the likelihood of smartphone addiction in adolescents. •44.2% of adolescents experienced two or more ecological risk factors.•Cumulative ecological risk positively predicted adolescents' smartphone addiction six months later.•Cumulative ecological risk was correlated with smartphone addiction with high gratitude and impulsivity.•The cumulative risk model enriches the evidence for the Ecological Systems Theory and Ecological Risk/Protective Theory.