Childhood trauma may fuel teen smartphone addiction

Childhood abuse may leave teenagers more vulnerable to smartphone addiction by eroding self-esteem and deepening depression, according to a Korean study that suggests excessive phone use can reflect trauma rather than a lack of self-control. Adolescents who reported higher levels of physical, verbal or emotional abuse by parents or caregivers also tended to show stronger signs of smartphone addiction, the study found. Lower self-esteem and more severe depressive symptoms were each associated wit