Background Smartphone addiction, as with other behavioral addictions, is associated with social, physical, and mental health issues. In this article, we investigated the prevalence of smartphone addiction among postgraduate students and evaluated its correlation with social demographics, depression, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and nicotine dependence. Objectives The objective of this study was to investigate the prevalence of smartphone addiction among Middle Eastern postgraduate students, determine the factors associated with smartphone addiction, and estimate the incidence rate of major depressive disorder (MDD), ADHD, insomnia, and nicotine addiction among postgraduate students with smartphone addiction. Methods As part of a cross-sectional online survey, participants were given a self-questionnaire divided into six sections: Socio-demographics, Smartphone Addiction Scale (SAS), Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ9) for Depression, Athens Insomnia Scale (AIS), the Fagerström Test for Cigarette Dependence Questionnaire (FTCd), and the adult ADHD Self-Report Scale (ASRS-v1.1). Results Of the 506 patients, 51.0% of the participants demonstrated smartphone addiction. A significant association was also observed between extensive smartphone use and MDD (P = 0.001). Of the smokers in this study, 41.5% were addicted to smartphones (P = 0.039). Smartphone addicts had approximately two times the chance of having insomnia (OR = 2.113) (P = 0.013). In addition, they showcased more ADHD symptoms (OR = 2.712) (P < 0.001). Conclusions We found a positive association among insomnia, depression, adult ADHD, and smartphone addiction, which confirms the findings reported in the previous studies. Therefore, we encourage the scientific community to further study the impacts of smartphone addiction on the mental health of postgraduate students.

This study aims to assess the prevalence of illicit use of stimulants and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) among a sample of medical students at the main universities in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia and their motivation for use. We examine the association between the use of stimulants and the students' academic performance. We also look into the possible adverse consequences of illicit stimulant use among students. The competitive nature of medical school might place the students at a higher risk of using stimulant drugs illicitly. Acquiring these stimulants illegally has become easier since the diagnosis and treatment of ADHD have risen. We are unaware of any other study exploring the prevalence of and motivation for illicit use of stimulants among medical students in Riyadh. A cross-sectional web-based survey was the study design we chose as we were targeting medical students in three governmental medical colleges in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The total sample population of 1,177 participants was divided into the three following groups: no previous use of stimulant drugs (Group 1), illicit use (Group 2), and medical use (Group 3). Of the 1,177 medical students, 29 (2.46%) were found to be using stimulants illicitly; 39 (3.31%) were using the stimulants medically as they had been diagnosed with ADHD. The ability to prolong study time was reported as the most common motive for illicit use by many students. The present study contributes to the literature by casting light on this serious issue in Riyadh. More educational effort is needed to promote awareness about the adverse effects of ADHD drugs and their illicit use among students.

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Research problemAdvances in technology have ensured its inevitable integration in our life. Children, being at a vulnerable age period of development, are spending more time on electronic devices. Some studies reported negative effects on sleep, physical health such as obesity and vision problems, and behavioral changes such as aggressive behavior with exposure to violent media content. Research significanceWe will study the effect of using electronic devices on communication skills in children in Saudi Arabia. Our findings can be used to raise awareness on this matter. Research objectivesThe aim of our study is to examine the association between screen time and social communication skills among children of four years to six years of age in Saudi Arabia. Research methodologyA cross-sectional study was conducted to investigate the relationship between social skills development and screen time by using a validated Arabic version of the Social Communication Questionnaire (SCQ). The sample in this study consists of 308 children from four to six years of age. Research resultsThe results showed that the hours spent using the electronic device were significantly associated with having an SCQ score ≥ 15 (P < 0.05). A high SCQ score was prevalent in 19.7% (n = 31) of children who spent >3 hours using an electronic device compared to 10.2% (n = 5) and 7.84% (n = 8) of children who spent an hour or <2 hours using electronic devices, respectively. ConclusionOur study highlighted a significant association between the daily hours spent on devices and having an SCQ score above 15, which suggests a deficit in social skill development and having autism spectrum disorderlike symptoms.