Due to economic growth and educational development, China has become a popular study destination ... more Due to economic growth and educational development, China has become a popular study destination in recent years. However, little is known about this ever-expanding and diverse higher-education population in China. Rapidly adopted globally, smartphones may help international students adjust their life abroad and cope with bad feelings, while negative influence of smartphone addiction becomes a recent concern. To fill the gap, this study explores the levels of loneliness of international students in China. Integrating cultural dimensions theory and relevant research on smartphone addiction, the present study adopted online survey as main research method to examine the relationship between individualism, loneliness, smartphone use, and smartphone addiction. In total, 438 international students voluntarily participated in the survey. The participants were from 67 countries and have been studying in China for months. The results show international students in China as a high-risk population for both severe loneliness and smartphone addiction, with 5.3 percent of the participants experiencing severe loneliness and more than half of the participants exhibiting smartphone addiction symptoms. This study reveals predicting power of cultural individualism in explaining loneliness and significant mediation effects of loneliness and smartphone use. Those international students with lower degree of individualism showed higher degree of loneliness, which led to higher degree of smartphone use and smartphone addiction. Loneliness was found to be the strongest predictor for smartphone addiction. These findings should be noticed for prevention, intervention, and treatment for smartphone addiction among international students. Implications for academicians and practitioners are discussed.
In China, the emergence of various social media have dramatically changed the situation of media ... more In China, the emergence of various social media have dramatically changed the situation of media ecology and rapidly infiltrated into all kinds of traditional media. Many traditional scientific magazines or journals also regard micro-blog as a new platform to diffuse scientific information. Taking the Sina Weibo/micro-blog account of Chinese National Geography (CNG) as a case study, this research aimed to figure out the development path of popular science magazines within the era of media convergence. Content analysis was conducted based on the 6,882 posts/articles and related data collected from 22 September 2009 to 21 September 2013. Visualized software PKUVIS was used to show the transmission path, levels and effects, based on those hot CNG micro-blog posts being highly forwarded or commented. The findings showed that the patterns of CNG micro-blog posts were related to content rather than time. The CNG micro-blog posts showed declined rate of originality, stable ratio of images, and increased proportion of links. Although limited within 140 words, the content of CNG micro-blog posts still maintained its diversity and professionalism. According to the visualized analyses, when the micro-blog posts focused on scientific information, long communication chains appeared and wide communication range was formed as it being forwarded by some famous or popular verified followers (V-fans). These findings may provide insights for future development of science magazines' micro-blog.
In China, public concern continues to mount regarding the risks of excessive Internet use among a... more In China, public concern continues to mount regarding the risks of excessive Internet use among adolescents. This study investigated the factors influencing Internet addiction and adolescent risk behaviors among excessive Internet users. Proposing a conceptual model with a theoretical origin in risk behavior theory and media dependency theory, this study examined the influence of personality traits, online gaming, Internet connectedness (both the overall index and various scopes) and demographics on Internet addiction and risk behaviors (smoking, drinking, gambling, and risky sexual behaviors). Clinical data (N = 467) were retrieved from one of the earliest and largest Internet addiction clinics in China. The findings reveal that certain personality traits are significantly associated with Internet addiction and risk behaviors. Online gaming had a strong impact on both Internet addiction and risk behaviors among excessive Internet users. The study also reveals that various scopes of Internet connectedness, such as site scope, facilitate addictive Internet use and risk behaviors among adolescents. The findings can contribute to the prevention of and intervention into Internet addiction and adolescent risk behaviors.
As a case study, this article examines the development of China's online game industry and how Ch... more As a case study, this article examines the development of China's online game industry and how China responds to the forces of globalization. Based on in-depth interviews, ethnographic research, and the analysis of archive documents from the past few years, this study identifies China's evolving strategy of neo-techno-nationalism. In the Chinese context, this national strategy manipulates technology to create a version of popular nationalism that is both acceptable to and easily censored by the authorities. Therefore, cultural industries that adopt this strategy stand a good chance of prevailing in the Chinese market. This success explains why the regional competitors of Chinese online games—Korean games—are more successful in China than most of their Western counterparts. By providing a snapshot of the current ecology of China's online game industry, this article also discusses the influence of regional and global forces in a concrete context and argues that the development of China's online game industry depends more on political factors than economic factors.
With rapid adoption of smartphones globally, the negative consequences of excessive smartphone us... more With rapid adoption of smartphones globally, the negative consequences of excessive smartphone use and dependency, especially among the young, has garnered more public attention recently. This study investigated the factors influencing smartphone dependency among the young. Using the Individual Media Dependency (IMD) perspective, this study proposed an extended IMD model to examine the influencing roles of six IMD goals, three psychological traits (self-esteem, leisure boredom, and sensation seeking), and smartphone use on smartphone dependency. A survey based on stratified random sampling was used to collect data from young smartphone users at one main public university in China. Structural equation modeling was then employed to examine the fit of the data to the model. The results identified four smartphone dependency symptoms, i.e., inability to control cravings, escape, feeling anxious, and productivity loss, and revealed the mechanisms between IMD goals, psychological traits, and smartphone dependency. The results showed that different IMD goals had significant impacts on different aspects of smartphone use, while smartphone use did not have a direct effect on smartphone dependency. The study provided important information, as it was among the first few to provide valuable references for both academicians and practitioners concerning smartphone dependency, which is still rarely explored in China.
Information communication technologies hold an ambivalent place for gender identities in cyber sp... more Information communication technologies hold an ambivalent place for gender identities in cyber space. In this sense, the ways that online game players make meaning of, respond to, and take pleasure in gaming lead to insights into how online games might serve as spaces for the enactment of new forms of gender identities. This study focuses on a bourgeoning communication phenomenon concerning MMORPG. Through a case study of World of Warcraft (WoW) guided by Uses and Gratifications theory, the paper explores gaming (dis)pleasures and expression of gender identities. Based on the data collected from virtual ethnography, which mainly included participant observation and in-depth interviews of 22 WoW players, the study takes a snapshot of the ways in which gender identities are constructed in WoW. The findings show that diverse options seem not to lead to a corresponding mobility or fluidity in terms of how gender can be performed in the game, even with "ladyboy" as an interesting phenomenon in gameplay. The paper argues that players' preferences and orientations toward gendered characters reflect their interplay with gaming rules, dominant narratives and relationships in real life, as well as the enactment in role-playing and image-based interfaces. Although some female players have to derive pleasures from a male perspective, there are some alternative consumptions of the masculine genre like WoW.
Background: In recent years, mediated-communication via smartphones has become very popular among... more Background: In recent years, mediated-communication via smartphones has become very popular among the young in China, while the society has also witnessed the growing problem of smartphone addiction. The present study investigated the uses and influences of smartphones among Chinese university students in communicating with their parents. Methods: Data were gathered from a sample of Chinese university students who studied at universities away from home. In total, 324 Chinese university-student smartphone users (98 males and 226 females; mean age = 20.94 ± 2.39) participated in the survey assessing smartphone use, smartphone addiction, parent-child relationship, quality of life, and demographic characteristics. Results: The results show that university students used smartphones to maintain long-distance parent-child relationship, and smartphone use and parent-child relationship significantly and positively affected their perception of quality of life. However, the association between smartphone use and parent-child relationship was moderated by smartphone addiction. The moderation effect of smartphone addiction between smartphone use and quality of life was also identified. Conclusions: The findings of this study reveal that in general smartphone use can have positive influences on university students’ parent-child relationship and quality of life, but excessive smartphone use to the degree of smartphone addiction may have many negative influences.
Background: With rapid adoption of smartphones globally, negative influences of excessive smartph... more Background: With rapid adoption of smartphones globally, negative influences of excessive smartphone use and smartphone addiction have caused wide public concern. Currently, smartphone penetration in China and Peru has reached 51.7% and 36.0% respectively. This study investigated smartphone use and addiction in university students in both China and Peru, since comparative research and theoretical development on risk factors is scarce. Methods: Data were collected in both China (N = 572) and Peru (N = 567). Measurement Invariance tests were run to confirm that the constructs were equivalent across both countries. Structural equation modeling was employed to examine the fit of the data to the model and compare the results of Chinese and Peruvian data. Results: The results identify four smartphone addiction symptoms in both China and Peru, i.e., inability to control craving, escape, feeling anxious, and productivity loss. In both countries, leisure boredom and sensation seeking were found to have significant and direct effects on smartphone addiction. Interpersonal communication and entertainment showed significant and positive effects on smartphone addiction in China, while only entertainment demonstrated significant and positive effects on smartphone addiction in Peru. Conclusions: This study confirmed psychological traits and goals as crucial vulnerability factors to smartphone addiction.
Background: Despite the significant impact of pharmaceutical innovations on healthcare, our under... more Background: Despite the significant impact of pharmaceutical innovations on healthcare, our understanding is still limited because previous studies explored only a few cases and largely came from a linear perspective. This study presents a detailed case of the Chinese and U.S. pharmaceutical patents and investigated advancements that the global pharmaceutical industry is experiencing. A network analysis approach was used to identify certain aspects regarding the diffusion of pharmaceutical innovations, including innovation attributes, adopter characteristics, and clustering. Methods: Based on a patent database, network analysis and visualization, this study captured the structure of patent networks for the global pharmaceutical landscape in a large set of patents. A large volume of patent data, 15,422 patent filings citing Chinese pharmaceutical patents, 28,075 citing U.S. patents, and 6064 citing both Chinese and U.S. patents during 2014–2015, were retrieved from the world patent database, Derwent Innovation Index. The networks reveal many interesting features of technological innovation, convergence trends and diffusion patterns. Results: Convergence innovations were identified, with the advantage and influence of U.S. patents shown in a variety of areas, and their Chinese counterparts were concentrated in traditional Chinese medicine. Early adopters of Chinese patents were mainly universities within the national sector, while early adopters of U.S. patents were academic institutions and large international pharmaceutical corporations of balanced quantity, contributing a higher degree of technology convergence. Technology convergence in the cancer-treatment sector is expected to have a high future development potential. Conclusion: Chinese and U.S. pharmaceutical innovations contributed differently to the growth and development of the global pharmaceutical industry. The findings of this study can provide rich knowledge about the influence, diffusion and convergence trends of Chinese and U.S. pharmaceutical innovations. In the pharmaceutical industry, the findings may provide implications for researchers, policy makers, health professionals, and the general public to help improve the overall health of society.
Background and aims: Smartphone users can engage in various activities on their phones similar to... more Background and aims: Smartphone users can engage in various activities on their phones similar to activities on personal computers, but with the advantage and convenience of compact size and mobility. However, research has shown some potential associated risk that some users become dependent or addicted to mobile phone, especially among young smartphone users. The aim of this study was to understand the use and influence of smartphone, given the rapid adoption and heavy usage patterns by users. Methods: Data were gathered by using stratified random sampling among university students in both China and Singapore. Results: A factor analysis of the sample of 572 university students in China displayed a set of mobile phone dependency (MPD) symptoms: inability to control craving and productivity loss, as well as escape and feeling anxious. Meanwhile, a factor analysis of the 562 university students in Singapore showed a similar set of MPD symptoms. MPD significantly correlated with Individual media dependency (IMD) goals and psychological traits. Regression analyses showed that IMD goals, MPD and psychological traits were significant predictors of smartphone usage. Conclusions: This study clearly identified distinct MPD symptoms among university student smartphone users. IMD goals and psychological traits such as self-esteem, leisure boredom, and sensation seeking were significantly associated to smartphone users' MPD in both China and Singapore. In varying degrees, IMD goals, psychological traits and MPD had significant impact on smartphone use behaviors. This showed that smartphone can be addictive, and people use smartphone to achieve a range of goals and may easily become addicted. Background and aims: To date, the prevalence and correlates of food addiction (FA) have been examined in a wide range of different populations, from non-clinical populations to populations with abnormal weight, namely in obesity, and in individuals with eating disorders (ED), via studies that typically employ a cross-sectional design. FA scores have been found to be associated with higher levels of negative affect and depression, higher general psychopathology, more severe eating pathology and a greater body mass index. However, a limited number of studies have addressed the question of how FA is related to therapy outcome in weight-loss seeking populations, and the few studies analyzing this concept have shown contradictory results. Methods: In this presentation, the relationship
Background and aims: As the country with the largest number of Internet users, China has witnesse... more Background and aims: As the country with the largest number of Internet users, China has witnessed an increase in the number of clinical cases in Internet addiction, especially among adolescents. This study investigated personality traits, multiple aspects of Internet use (including history, time, site, goal, intensity, and centrality), and online gaming as predictors of Internet addiction, and their relationships with other adolescent risk behaviors (smoking, drinking, gambling, and precocious sexual intercourse). Methods: To examine these interrelationships, clinical data of Internet-dependent adolescents (N = 467) were retrieved from the Chinese Youth Psychological Development Base, one of the earliest and largest Internet addiction clinics in China. In addition to demographic information, the retrieved clinical records contained measurement scales assessing personality (Eysenck Personality Questionnaire), Internet use (Internet Connectedness Index), online gaming, Internet addiction (Internet Addiction Diagnostic Questionnaire), and risk behaviors. Results: The findings showed that online gaming significantly predicted Internet addiction (DR 2 = 18%), and risk behaviors (DR 2 = 5%). Internet café patronage was significantly related to adolescents' Internet addiction and risk behaviors. The moderation effect of online gaming between Internet connectedness and Internet addiction was also identified. Extroversion was found to be a significant predictor of risk behaviors, but none of the personality traits was significantly associated with Internet addiction. Conclusions: Online gaming, as a popular online activity, was found to be a powerful predictor of Internet addiction, and significantly related to risk behaviors. Therefore, the addictive potential of gaming should be taken into consideration regarding prevention and intervention for Internet addiction.
The study takes an indirect approach towards the intercultural experience of migrants and explore... more The study takes an indirect approach towards the intercultural experience of migrants and explores how they perceive discrimination from host society and in turn stereotype it. Previous studies have highlighted how interculturality facilitates the adaptation of migrants in the host country. This study explores (i) how face-to-face (FTF) and mediated contact and perceived discrimination predict stereotyping, and (ii) how contact, perceived discrimination and stereotyping predict interculturality. A web-based survey was conducted among university students from the People’s Republic of China (n = 585) in Singapore. FTF contact reduced stereotyping better than mediated contact. Perceived discrimination increased stereotyping of the host society by migrants, whereas stereotyping negatively affected interculturality. The study calls for better contact between locals and the migrant population.
This research aims to understand the factors that lead to social
exclusion among foreign wives i... more This research aims to understand the factors that lead to social
exclusion among foreign wives in Singapore and the role that
Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) plays in
social inclusion and empowerment. There has been a rising trend
of migration through marriage in Singapore, especially between
foreign brides and Singaporean men. Present literature shows that
ICTs can be a source of social support to help migrants adapt to
life in their host country [4]. We found that, although not a direct
cause of empowerment, ICTs act as an agent to enhance social,
political and economic inclusion. Through our paper we provide a
starting point for discussion of recommendations.
Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to investigate the interrelationships between internet con... more Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to investigate the interrelationships between internet connectedness, online gaming, internet addiction symptoms, and academic performance decrement among the internet-dependent young people in China. Design/methodology/approach – A paper-based survey was conducted among the young clients in one of the earliest and largest internet addiction clinics in China. A total of 594 in-patients (mean age ¼ 17.76 y) voluntarily participated in this study. Findings – By adopting the concept of internet connectedness, this study explored the internet use patterns among the young internet addicts, for example, internet café patrons and those who use internet with more goals or higher degree of internet adhesiveness had more internet addiction symptoms. Online gaming was found to play a significant role in the development of internet addiction. As expected, the level of internet addiction is significantly linked to academic performance decrement. Consistent with previous studies, males showed higher degree of internet connectedness and online game usage than females. Noticeably, the moderation effect of online game playing and the mediating effect of internet addiction were also tested. Research limitations/implications – This research is focussed on the internet-dependent group, thus the generalizability of the results need to be interpreted with caution. Practical implications – This study provides insight for parents, educators, health professionals, and policy makers regarding treatment and intervention for internet addiction among young people in China. Originality/value – Since very little research has been done focussing on diagnosed internet-dependent group, this paper scores as a pioneering study of its kind in China.
This exploratory study explores the predictive power of lifestyle orientations, evaluation of nar... more This exploratory study explores the predictive power of lifestyle orientations, evaluation of narrative strategies, gratification-soughts from viewing of imported TV dramas, and demographics on viewing preference and viewing frequency of American and Korean TV dramas among Chinese young adults. Data were gathered using a snowballing method by releasing an online questionnaire in online forums and sending via email. 470 questionnaires were collected and 455 were used in analyses. Among them, 70.1% preferred American TV dramas, and 29.9% preferred Korean ones. Exploratory factor analyses identified six lifestyles out of eight VALS types in urban China and four gratification-soughts from viewing of imported TV dramas. Evaluation of narrative strategies of imported TV dramas emerged in exploratory factor analysis is also used as a predictor. The findings show that evaluation of narrative strategies and demographics are strong predictors for viewing preference and frequency of American a...
ABSTRACT Purpose – This paper aims to investigate the interrelationships between Internet connect... more ABSTRACT Purpose – This paper aims to investigate the interrelationships between Internet connectedness, online gaming, Internet addiction symptoms and academic performance decrement among the Internet-dependent young people in China. Design/methodology/approach – A paper-based survey was conducted among the young clients in one of the earliest and largest Internet addiction clinics in China. A total of 594 in-patients (mean age = 17.76 y) voluntarily participated in this study. Findings –By adopting the concept of Internet connectedness, this study explored the Internet use patterns among the young Internet addicts, for example, Internet café patrons and those who use Internet with more goals or higher degree of Internet adhesiveness had more Internet addiction symptoms. Online gaming was found to play a significant role in the development of Internet addiction. As expected, the level of Internet addiction is significantly linked to academic performance decrement. Consistent with previous studies, males showed higher degree of Internet connectedness and online game usage than females. Noticeably, the moderation effect of online game playing and the mediating effect of Internet addiction were also tested. Research limitations/implications – This research is focused on the Internet-dependent group, thus the generalizability of the results need to be interpreted with caution. Practical implications – This study provides insight for parents, educators, health professionals and policy makers regarding treatment and intervention for Internet addiction among young people in China. Originality/Value – Since very little research has been done focusing on diagnosed Internet-dependent group, this paper scores as a pioneering study of its kind in China.
Due to economic growth and educational development, China has become a popular study destination ... more Due to economic growth and educational development, China has become a popular study destination in recent years. However, little is known about this ever-expanding and diverse higher-education population in China. Rapidly adopted globally, smartphones may help international students adjust their life abroad and cope with bad feelings, while negative influence of smartphone addiction becomes a recent concern. To fill the gap, this study explores the levels of loneliness of international students in China. Integrating cultural dimensions theory and relevant research on smartphone addiction, the present study adopted online survey as main research method to examine the relationship between individualism, loneliness, smartphone use, and smartphone addiction. In total, 438 international students voluntarily participated in the survey. The participants were from 67 countries and have been studying in China for months. The results show international students in China as a high-risk population for both severe loneliness and smartphone addiction, with 5.3 percent of the participants experiencing severe loneliness and more than half of the participants exhibiting smartphone addiction symptoms. This study reveals predicting power of cultural individualism in explaining loneliness and significant mediation effects of loneliness and smartphone use. Those international students with lower degree of individualism showed higher degree of loneliness, which led to higher degree of smartphone use and smartphone addiction. Loneliness was found to be the strongest predictor for smartphone addiction. These findings should be noticed for prevention, intervention, and treatment for smartphone addiction among international students. Implications for academicians and practitioners are discussed.
In China, the emergence of various social media have dramatically changed the situation of media ... more In China, the emergence of various social media have dramatically changed the situation of media ecology and rapidly infiltrated into all kinds of traditional media. Many traditional scientific magazines or journals also regard micro-blog as a new platform to diffuse scientific information. Taking the Sina Weibo/micro-blog account of Chinese National Geography (CNG) as a case study, this research aimed to figure out the development path of popular science magazines within the era of media convergence. Content analysis was conducted based on the 6,882 posts/articles and related data collected from 22 September 2009 to 21 September 2013. Visualized software PKUVIS was used to show the transmission path, levels and effects, based on those hot CNG micro-blog posts being highly forwarded or commented. The findings showed that the patterns of CNG micro-blog posts were related to content rather than time. The CNG micro-blog posts showed declined rate of originality, stable ratio of images, and increased proportion of links. Although limited within 140 words, the content of CNG micro-blog posts still maintained its diversity and professionalism. According to the visualized analyses, when the micro-blog posts focused on scientific information, long communication chains appeared and wide communication range was formed as it being forwarded by some famous or popular verified followers (V-fans). These findings may provide insights for future development of science magazines' micro-blog.
In China, public concern continues to mount regarding the risks of excessive Internet use among a... more In China, public concern continues to mount regarding the risks of excessive Internet use among adolescents. This study investigated the factors influencing Internet addiction and adolescent risk behaviors among excessive Internet users. Proposing a conceptual model with a theoretical origin in risk behavior theory and media dependency theory, this study examined the influence of personality traits, online gaming, Internet connectedness (both the overall index and various scopes) and demographics on Internet addiction and risk behaviors (smoking, drinking, gambling, and risky sexual behaviors). Clinical data (N = 467) were retrieved from one of the earliest and largest Internet addiction clinics in China. The findings reveal that certain personality traits are significantly associated with Internet addiction and risk behaviors. Online gaming had a strong impact on both Internet addiction and risk behaviors among excessive Internet users. The study also reveals that various scopes of Internet connectedness, such as site scope, facilitate addictive Internet use and risk behaviors among adolescents. The findings can contribute to the prevention of and intervention into Internet addiction and adolescent risk behaviors.
As a case study, this article examines the development of China's online game industry and how Ch... more As a case study, this article examines the development of China's online game industry and how China responds to the forces of globalization. Based on in-depth interviews, ethnographic research, and the analysis of archive documents from the past few years, this study identifies China's evolving strategy of neo-techno-nationalism. In the Chinese context, this national strategy manipulates technology to create a version of popular nationalism that is both acceptable to and easily censored by the authorities. Therefore, cultural industries that adopt this strategy stand a good chance of prevailing in the Chinese market. This success explains why the regional competitors of Chinese online games—Korean games—are more successful in China than most of their Western counterparts. By providing a snapshot of the current ecology of China's online game industry, this article also discusses the influence of regional and global forces in a concrete context and argues that the development of China's online game industry depends more on political factors than economic factors.
With rapid adoption of smartphones globally, the negative consequences of excessive smartphone us... more With rapid adoption of smartphones globally, the negative consequences of excessive smartphone use and dependency, especially among the young, has garnered more public attention recently. This study investigated the factors influencing smartphone dependency among the young. Using the Individual Media Dependency (IMD) perspective, this study proposed an extended IMD model to examine the influencing roles of six IMD goals, three psychological traits (self-esteem, leisure boredom, and sensation seeking), and smartphone use on smartphone dependency. A survey based on stratified random sampling was used to collect data from young smartphone users at one main public university in China. Structural equation modeling was then employed to examine the fit of the data to the model. The results identified four smartphone dependency symptoms, i.e., inability to control cravings, escape, feeling anxious, and productivity loss, and revealed the mechanisms between IMD goals, psychological traits, and smartphone dependency. The results showed that different IMD goals had significant impacts on different aspects of smartphone use, while smartphone use did not have a direct effect on smartphone dependency. The study provided important information, as it was among the first few to provide valuable references for both academicians and practitioners concerning smartphone dependency, which is still rarely explored in China.
Information communication technologies hold an ambivalent place for gender identities in cyber sp... more Information communication technologies hold an ambivalent place for gender identities in cyber space. In this sense, the ways that online game players make meaning of, respond to, and take pleasure in gaming lead to insights into how online games might serve as spaces for the enactment of new forms of gender identities. This study focuses on a bourgeoning communication phenomenon concerning MMORPG. Through a case study of World of Warcraft (WoW) guided by Uses and Gratifications theory, the paper explores gaming (dis)pleasures and expression of gender identities. Based on the data collected from virtual ethnography, which mainly included participant observation and in-depth interviews of 22 WoW players, the study takes a snapshot of the ways in which gender identities are constructed in WoW. The findings show that diverse options seem not to lead to a corresponding mobility or fluidity in terms of how gender can be performed in the game, even with "ladyboy" as an interesting phenomenon in gameplay. The paper argues that players' preferences and orientations toward gendered characters reflect their interplay with gaming rules, dominant narratives and relationships in real life, as well as the enactment in role-playing and image-based interfaces. Although some female players have to derive pleasures from a male perspective, there are some alternative consumptions of the masculine genre like WoW.
Background: In recent years, mediated-communication via smartphones has become very popular among... more Background: In recent years, mediated-communication via smartphones has become very popular among the young in China, while the society has also witnessed the growing problem of smartphone addiction. The present study investigated the uses and influences of smartphones among Chinese university students in communicating with their parents. Methods: Data were gathered from a sample of Chinese university students who studied at universities away from home. In total, 324 Chinese university-student smartphone users (98 males and 226 females; mean age = 20.94 ± 2.39) participated in the survey assessing smartphone use, smartphone addiction, parent-child relationship, quality of life, and demographic characteristics. Results: The results show that university students used smartphones to maintain long-distance parent-child relationship, and smartphone use and parent-child relationship significantly and positively affected their perception of quality of life. However, the association between smartphone use and parent-child relationship was moderated by smartphone addiction. The moderation effect of smartphone addiction between smartphone use and quality of life was also identified. Conclusions: The findings of this study reveal that in general smartphone use can have positive influences on university students’ parent-child relationship and quality of life, but excessive smartphone use to the degree of smartphone addiction may have many negative influences.
Background: With rapid adoption of smartphones globally, negative influences of excessive smartph... more Background: With rapid adoption of smartphones globally, negative influences of excessive smartphone use and smartphone addiction have caused wide public concern. Currently, smartphone penetration in China and Peru has reached 51.7% and 36.0% respectively. This study investigated smartphone use and addiction in university students in both China and Peru, since comparative research and theoretical development on risk factors is scarce. Methods: Data were collected in both China (N = 572) and Peru (N = 567). Measurement Invariance tests were run to confirm that the constructs were equivalent across both countries. Structural equation modeling was employed to examine the fit of the data to the model and compare the results of Chinese and Peruvian data. Results: The results identify four smartphone addiction symptoms in both China and Peru, i.e., inability to control craving, escape, feeling anxious, and productivity loss. In both countries, leisure boredom and sensation seeking were found to have significant and direct effects on smartphone addiction. Interpersonal communication and entertainment showed significant and positive effects on smartphone addiction in China, while only entertainment demonstrated significant and positive effects on smartphone addiction in Peru. Conclusions: This study confirmed psychological traits and goals as crucial vulnerability factors to smartphone addiction.
Background: Despite the significant impact of pharmaceutical innovations on healthcare, our under... more Background: Despite the significant impact of pharmaceutical innovations on healthcare, our understanding is still limited because previous studies explored only a few cases and largely came from a linear perspective. This study presents a detailed case of the Chinese and U.S. pharmaceutical patents and investigated advancements that the global pharmaceutical industry is experiencing. A network analysis approach was used to identify certain aspects regarding the diffusion of pharmaceutical innovations, including innovation attributes, adopter characteristics, and clustering. Methods: Based on a patent database, network analysis and visualization, this study captured the structure of patent networks for the global pharmaceutical landscape in a large set of patents. A large volume of patent data, 15,422 patent filings citing Chinese pharmaceutical patents, 28,075 citing U.S. patents, and 6064 citing both Chinese and U.S. patents during 2014–2015, were retrieved from the world patent database, Derwent Innovation Index. The networks reveal many interesting features of technological innovation, convergence trends and diffusion patterns. Results: Convergence innovations were identified, with the advantage and influence of U.S. patents shown in a variety of areas, and their Chinese counterparts were concentrated in traditional Chinese medicine. Early adopters of Chinese patents were mainly universities within the national sector, while early adopters of U.S. patents were academic institutions and large international pharmaceutical corporations of balanced quantity, contributing a higher degree of technology convergence. Technology convergence in the cancer-treatment sector is expected to have a high future development potential. Conclusion: Chinese and U.S. pharmaceutical innovations contributed differently to the growth and development of the global pharmaceutical industry. The findings of this study can provide rich knowledge about the influence, diffusion and convergence trends of Chinese and U.S. pharmaceutical innovations. In the pharmaceutical industry, the findings may provide implications for researchers, policy makers, health professionals, and the general public to help improve the overall health of society.
Background and aims: Smartphone users can engage in various activities on their phones similar to... more Background and aims: Smartphone users can engage in various activities on their phones similar to activities on personal computers, but with the advantage and convenience of compact size and mobility. However, research has shown some potential associated risk that some users become dependent or addicted to mobile phone, especially among young smartphone users. The aim of this study was to understand the use and influence of smartphone, given the rapid adoption and heavy usage patterns by users. Methods: Data were gathered by using stratified random sampling among university students in both China and Singapore. Results: A factor analysis of the sample of 572 university students in China displayed a set of mobile phone dependency (MPD) symptoms: inability to control craving and productivity loss, as well as escape and feeling anxious. Meanwhile, a factor analysis of the 562 university students in Singapore showed a similar set of MPD symptoms. MPD significantly correlated with Individual media dependency (IMD) goals and psychological traits. Regression analyses showed that IMD goals, MPD and psychological traits were significant predictors of smartphone usage. Conclusions: This study clearly identified distinct MPD symptoms among university student smartphone users. IMD goals and psychological traits such as self-esteem, leisure boredom, and sensation seeking were significantly associated to smartphone users' MPD in both China and Singapore. In varying degrees, IMD goals, psychological traits and MPD had significant impact on smartphone use behaviors. This showed that smartphone can be addictive, and people use smartphone to achieve a range of goals and may easily become addicted. Background and aims: To date, the prevalence and correlates of food addiction (FA) have been examined in a wide range of different populations, from non-clinical populations to populations with abnormal weight, namely in obesity, and in individuals with eating disorders (ED), via studies that typically employ a cross-sectional design. FA scores have been found to be associated with higher levels of negative affect and depression, higher general psychopathology, more severe eating pathology and a greater body mass index. However, a limited number of studies have addressed the question of how FA is related to therapy outcome in weight-loss seeking populations, and the few studies analyzing this concept have shown contradictory results. Methods: In this presentation, the relationship
Background and aims: As the country with the largest number of Internet users, China has witnesse... more Background and aims: As the country with the largest number of Internet users, China has witnessed an increase in the number of clinical cases in Internet addiction, especially among adolescents. This study investigated personality traits, multiple aspects of Internet use (including history, time, site, goal, intensity, and centrality), and online gaming as predictors of Internet addiction, and their relationships with other adolescent risk behaviors (smoking, drinking, gambling, and precocious sexual intercourse). Methods: To examine these interrelationships, clinical data of Internet-dependent adolescents (N = 467) were retrieved from the Chinese Youth Psychological Development Base, one of the earliest and largest Internet addiction clinics in China. In addition to demographic information, the retrieved clinical records contained measurement scales assessing personality (Eysenck Personality Questionnaire), Internet use (Internet Connectedness Index), online gaming, Internet addiction (Internet Addiction Diagnostic Questionnaire), and risk behaviors. Results: The findings showed that online gaming significantly predicted Internet addiction (DR 2 = 18%), and risk behaviors (DR 2 = 5%). Internet café patronage was significantly related to adolescents' Internet addiction and risk behaviors. The moderation effect of online gaming between Internet connectedness and Internet addiction was also identified. Extroversion was found to be a significant predictor of risk behaviors, but none of the personality traits was significantly associated with Internet addiction. Conclusions: Online gaming, as a popular online activity, was found to be a powerful predictor of Internet addiction, and significantly related to risk behaviors. Therefore, the addictive potential of gaming should be taken into consideration regarding prevention and intervention for Internet addiction.
The study takes an indirect approach towards the intercultural experience of migrants and explore... more The study takes an indirect approach towards the intercultural experience of migrants and explores how they perceive discrimination from host society and in turn stereotype it. Previous studies have highlighted how interculturality facilitates the adaptation of migrants in the host country. This study explores (i) how face-to-face (FTF) and mediated contact and perceived discrimination predict stereotyping, and (ii) how contact, perceived discrimination and stereotyping predict interculturality. A web-based survey was conducted among university students from the People’s Republic of China (n = 585) in Singapore. FTF contact reduced stereotyping better than mediated contact. Perceived discrimination increased stereotyping of the host society by migrants, whereas stereotyping negatively affected interculturality. The study calls for better contact between locals and the migrant population.
This research aims to understand the factors that lead to social
exclusion among foreign wives i... more This research aims to understand the factors that lead to social
exclusion among foreign wives in Singapore and the role that
Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) plays in
social inclusion and empowerment. There has been a rising trend
of migration through marriage in Singapore, especially between
foreign brides and Singaporean men. Present literature shows that
ICTs can be a source of social support to help migrants adapt to
life in their host country [4]. We found that, although not a direct
cause of empowerment, ICTs act as an agent to enhance social,
political and economic inclusion. Through our paper we provide a
starting point for discussion of recommendations.
Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to investigate the interrelationships between internet con... more Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to investigate the interrelationships between internet connectedness, online gaming, internet addiction symptoms, and academic performance decrement among the internet-dependent young people in China. Design/methodology/approach – A paper-based survey was conducted among the young clients in one of the earliest and largest internet addiction clinics in China. A total of 594 in-patients (mean age ¼ 17.76 y) voluntarily participated in this study. Findings – By adopting the concept of internet connectedness, this study explored the internet use patterns among the young internet addicts, for example, internet café patrons and those who use internet with more goals or higher degree of internet adhesiveness had more internet addiction symptoms. Online gaming was found to play a significant role in the development of internet addiction. As expected, the level of internet addiction is significantly linked to academic performance decrement. Consistent with previous studies, males showed higher degree of internet connectedness and online game usage than females. Noticeably, the moderation effect of online game playing and the mediating effect of internet addiction were also tested. Research limitations/implications – This research is focussed on the internet-dependent group, thus the generalizability of the results need to be interpreted with caution. Practical implications – This study provides insight for parents, educators, health professionals, and policy makers regarding treatment and intervention for internet addiction among young people in China. Originality/value – Since very little research has been done focussing on diagnosed internet-dependent group, this paper scores as a pioneering study of its kind in China.
This exploratory study explores the predictive power of lifestyle orientations, evaluation of nar... more This exploratory study explores the predictive power of lifestyle orientations, evaluation of narrative strategies, gratification-soughts from viewing of imported TV dramas, and demographics on viewing preference and viewing frequency of American and Korean TV dramas among Chinese young adults. Data were gathered using a snowballing method by releasing an online questionnaire in online forums and sending via email. 470 questionnaires were collected and 455 were used in analyses. Among them, 70.1% preferred American TV dramas, and 29.9% preferred Korean ones. Exploratory factor analyses identified six lifestyles out of eight VALS types in urban China and four gratification-soughts from viewing of imported TV dramas. Evaluation of narrative strategies of imported TV dramas emerged in exploratory factor analysis is also used as a predictor. The findings show that evaluation of narrative strategies and demographics are strong predictors for viewing preference and frequency of American a...
ABSTRACT Purpose – This paper aims to investigate the interrelationships between Internet connect... more ABSTRACT Purpose – This paper aims to investigate the interrelationships between Internet connectedness, online gaming, Internet addiction symptoms and academic performance decrement among the Internet-dependent young people in China. Design/methodology/approach – A paper-based survey was conducted among the young clients in one of the earliest and largest Internet addiction clinics in China. A total of 594 in-patients (mean age = 17.76 y) voluntarily participated in this study. Findings –By adopting the concept of Internet connectedness, this study explored the Internet use patterns among the young Internet addicts, for example, Internet café patrons and those who use Internet with more goals or higher degree of Internet adhesiveness had more Internet addiction symptoms. Online gaming was found to play a significant role in the development of Internet addiction. As expected, the level of Internet addiction is significantly linked to academic performance decrement. Consistent with previous studies, males showed higher degree of Internet connectedness and online game usage than females. Noticeably, the moderation effect of online game playing and the mediating effect of Internet addiction were also tested. Research limitations/implications – This research is focused on the Internet-dependent group, thus the generalizability of the results need to be interpreted with caution. Practical implications – This study provides insight for parents, educators, health professionals and policy makers regarding treatment and intervention for Internet addiction among young people in China. Originality/Value – Since very little research has been done focusing on diagnosed Internet-dependent group, this paper scores as a pioneering study of its kind in China.
Background and aims: With the use of smartphone increasing rapidly among young people in recent y... more Background and aims: With the use of smartphone increasing rapidly among young people in recent years, smartphone has become an important part of their daily life. Many young people use smartphone constantly, making or receiving calls, as well as using various applications via mobile Internet. The mobility, high availability and easy accessibility make excessive smartphone use or smartphone addiction become a public concern. However, smartphone addiction, its association with smartphone use, and its predictors have not yet been well studied in Mainland China. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the relationships between smartphone use, smartphone addiction, demographic characteristics, and psychological traits in Chinese high school students. Methods: In total, three hundred thirty four Chinese high school smartphone users (152 males and 182 females; mean age = 16.18 ± 0.45) participated in a survey assessing smartphone use, smartphone addiction, psychological traits, and demographic characteristics. The Smartphone Addiction Scale, the Rosenberg Self-esteem Scale, and the brief Sensation Seeking Scale were implemented. The data were analyzed using multiple linear regression analyses. Results: The findings revealed that those older high school students with lower degree of self-esteem and higher degree of sensation seeking, showed higher degree of smartphone addiction. In addition, smartphone addiction, together with psychological traits, were significant predictors of smartphone use. Conclusions: This study provided insights into smartphone use, smartphone addiction, and predictors of smartphone addiction in Chinese high school students, which should be extended in further studies. The results indicated that compared to demographic characteristics, psychological traits provided a better account for smartphone addiction among Chinese high school students. High school students with high sensation-seeking scores should be paid more attention to their smartphone use. The findings can be useful for the screening, prevention and treatment of smartphone addiction.
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Papers by Qiaolei Jiang
among Chinese university students in communicating with their parents. Methods: Data were gathered from a sample of Chinese university students who studied at universities away from home. In total, 324 Chinese university-student smartphone users (98 males
and 226 females; mean age = 20.94 ± 2.39) participated in the survey assessing smartphone use, smartphone addiction, parent-child relationship, quality of life, and demographic characteristics. Results: The results show that university students used smartphones to maintain
long-distance parent-child relationship, and smartphone use and parent-child relationship significantly and positively affected their perception of quality of life. However, the association between smartphone use and parent-child relationship was moderated by smartphone
addiction. The moderation effect of smartphone addiction between smartphone use and quality of life was also identified. Conclusions: The findings of this study reveal that in general smartphone use can have positive influences on university students’ parent-child relationship
and quality of life, but excessive smartphone use to the degree of smartphone addiction may have many negative influences.
investigated smartphone use and addiction in university students in both China and Peru, since comparative research and theoretical development on risk factors is scarce. Methods: Data were collected in both China (N = 572) and Peru (N = 567). Measurement Invariance
tests were run to confirm that the constructs were equivalent across both countries. Structural
equation modeling was employed to examine the fit of the data to the model and compare the results of Chinese and Peruvian data. Results: The results identify four smartphone addiction symptoms in both China and Peru, i.e., inability to control craving, escape, feeling anxious,
and productivity loss. In both countries, leisure boredom and sensation seeking were found to have significant and direct effects on smartphone addiction. Interpersonal communication and entertainment showed significant and positive effects on smartphone addiction in China,
while only entertainment demonstrated significant and positive effects on smartphone addiction in Peru. Conclusions: This study confirmed psychological traits and goals as crucial vulnerability factors to smartphone addiction.
exclusion among foreign wives in Singapore and the role that
Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) plays in
social inclusion and empowerment. There has been a rising trend
of migration through marriage in Singapore, especially between
foreign brides and Singaporean men. Present literature shows that
ICTs can be a source of social support to help migrants adapt to
life in their host country [4]. We found that, although not a direct
cause of empowerment, ICTs act as an agent to enhance social,
political and economic inclusion. Through our paper we provide a
starting point for discussion of recommendations.
among Chinese university students in communicating with their parents. Methods: Data were gathered from a sample of Chinese university students who studied at universities away from home. In total, 324 Chinese university-student smartphone users (98 males
and 226 females; mean age = 20.94 ± 2.39) participated in the survey assessing smartphone use, smartphone addiction, parent-child relationship, quality of life, and demographic characteristics. Results: The results show that university students used smartphones to maintain
long-distance parent-child relationship, and smartphone use and parent-child relationship significantly and positively affected their perception of quality of life. However, the association between smartphone use and parent-child relationship was moderated by smartphone
addiction. The moderation effect of smartphone addiction between smartphone use and quality of life was also identified. Conclusions: The findings of this study reveal that in general smartphone use can have positive influences on university students’ parent-child relationship
and quality of life, but excessive smartphone use to the degree of smartphone addiction may have many negative influences.
investigated smartphone use and addiction in university students in both China and Peru, since comparative research and theoretical development on risk factors is scarce. Methods: Data were collected in both China (N = 572) and Peru (N = 567). Measurement Invariance
tests were run to confirm that the constructs were equivalent across both countries. Structural
equation modeling was employed to examine the fit of the data to the model and compare the results of Chinese and Peruvian data. Results: The results identify four smartphone addiction symptoms in both China and Peru, i.e., inability to control craving, escape, feeling anxious,
and productivity loss. In both countries, leisure boredom and sensation seeking were found to have significant and direct effects on smartphone addiction. Interpersonal communication and entertainment showed significant and positive effects on smartphone addiction in China,
while only entertainment demonstrated significant and positive effects on smartphone addiction in Peru. Conclusions: This study confirmed psychological traits and goals as crucial vulnerability factors to smartphone addiction.
exclusion among foreign wives in Singapore and the role that
Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) plays in
social inclusion and empowerment. There has been a rising trend
of migration through marriage in Singapore, especially between
foreign brides and Singaporean men. Present literature shows that
ICTs can be a source of social support to help migrants adapt to
life in their host country [4]. We found that, although not a direct
cause of empowerment, ICTs act as an agent to enhance social,
political and economic inclusion. Through our paper we provide a
starting point for discussion of recommendations.