Gender Differences in Problematic Mobile Phone Use Among Hong Kong Adolescents

Mobile technology has reshaped our interaction, with concerns rising about its potential for addiction, especially among adolescents. This study aims to investigate the problematic issues of mobile phone use among the adolescents in Hong Kong. Grounded in historical understanding of how research addresses addictions related to technology, the study put an emphasis on gender as a pivotal axis and it comes to our attention that females appear more susceptible to mobile phone addiction, contrary to earlier findings on internet addiction favoring males. The unique technological landscape of Hong Kong, characterized by high smartphone penetration and the consequences of such usage, serves as the basis for the investigation. Ever since the COVID-19 pandemic, introducing a new paradigm of reliance on technology and electronic devices, further highlights the need for this study. This chapter has two objectives; primarily, to estimate the prevalence of mobile phone use in a problematic manner, and secondarily, to explore gender-specific patterns before the pandemic's onset. This research offers insights to inform potential interventions and prevention strategies. © 2026 by Apple Academic Press, Inc. All rights reserved.