An analysis of smartphone addiction among MBBS students

Abstract

Smartphones have become an integral part of our everyday life due to its varied and advanced functionality and easy availability. The nearly universal availability of smartphones and the close association of this with humans has led to various concerns about it becoming a part of behavioral addiction. In this study, smartphone addiction was assessed by using the short version of smartphone addiction scale (SAS-SV) and an attempt has been made to analyse the behavioral component associated with addiction.Semi-structured questionnaire containing socio-demographic variables were given to 200 students. SAS-SV scale was used to assess smartphone addiction among the study sample.Results showed 26.9% male and 28% of female participants were addicted to smartphones according to SAS-SV scores. 43% male and 19% female participants spend > 5 hrs using smartphones per day and 8% of female participants and 6.4% of males spend > 5 hrs on social media. Withdrawal, conflict, tolerance and salience were the psychological features observed in our study sample. In conclusion, smartphone addiction was found to be around 26.9% and 28% among the male and female respondents by using the SAS-SV scale. In our study 8% of girls and 6.4% of boys agreed that they spend more than 5 hours on social media every day. Instagram, WhatsApp and Facebook were the commonly used social media sites used by them. The findings in our study did correlate with Brown’s well established framework for behavioral addiction especially behavior like withdrawal, conflict, tolerance and salience.

Smartphone addiction among dental students in university of sumatera utara during covid-19

“…Furthermore, most respondents (30.4%) agreed if they had difficulty concentrating in class, while doing assignments or working caused by smartphone use. The results of this study are also similar to Baleharo et al 19 in 2020, claiming that 3.9% of individuals had difficulty concentrating. Baleharo et al 19 stated that smartphones have become an important part of everyday life.…”

“…The results of this study are also similar to Baleharo et al 19 in 2020, claiming that 3.9% of individuals had difficulty concentrating. Baleharo et al 19 stated that smartphones have become an important part of everyday life. With so much personal and professional data being transferred into them, it is only natural, from the perception of users, to let smartphones dominate their minds.…”

“…With so much personal and professional data being transferred into them, it is only natural, from the perception of users, to let smartphones dominate their minds. 19 About 20% of respondents denied that they had any discomfort, such as pain in their wrists or on the back of their neck, while using a smartphone. This finding is not in line with a study by Toh et al in 2019, stating that adjusting the number of hours a day spent on a smartphone was associated with an increased risk of neck/shoulder, upper back, arm, and wrist discomfort.…”