To investigate the association between excessive earphone use among college students and the risk of developing depressive symptoms, thereby providing valuable data to inform the evaluation and management of depressive symptoms within this demographic.

Data were collected from a sample of 1186 college students through stratified whole cluster random sampling. Depressive symptoms were assessed using the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale, and data on earphone use were gathered. Multiple regression analysis and threshold effects analysis were employed to investigate the relationship between excessive earphone use and depressive symptoms, with a focus on gender differences.

Among the college students surveyed, 17.9 % exhibited depressive symptoms. Earphone users demonstrated a 50 % increased risk of depressive symptoms (OR = 1.5, 95 % CI: 1.1–2.1, P = 0.022). A later onset of earphone use in childhood was associated with a 40 % reduction in the risk of depressive symptoms during college (OR = 0.6, 95 % CI: 0.4–0.9, P = 0.011). Male students who used earphones for more than 20 min at a time experienced a 90 % increased risk of depressive symptoms for each additional minute of use (OR = 1.9, 95 % CI: 1.4–2.6, P < 0.05).

In males, early exposure to earphone use during childhood is associated with an elevated risk of developing depressive symptoms in adolescence. The likelihood of experiencing depressive symptoms may be exacerbated by prolonged and inappropriate use of earphones. Further research is warranted to develop targeted interventions.