Association of anxiety, depression and sleep quality with binge-watching behavior in college students – An observational study

Abstract

Abstract Background: Binge-watching is the habit of watching television or series for extended periods, often involving consecutive viewing of multiple episodes from the same series. This phenomenon is prevalent among adolescents and young adults, often likened to addiction due to its pervasive nature. It is intertwined with detrimental effects on physical health, mental well-being, social engagement, and academic performance. Neither the International Classification of Diseases, eleventh revision nor the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, fifth edition have acknowledged binge-watching as a disorder. Aim: The aim of the study was to study the association of anxiety, depression, and sleep quality with binge-watching behavior in college students. Methodology: This is a cross-sectional study conducted on students belonging to medical, dental, engineering, and arts. Sociodemographic details were taken. Binge-watching Engagement and Symptoms Questionnaire, Beck’s Anxiety Inventory (BAI), Beck’s Depression Inventory (BDI), and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) were applied. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 25.0. The Chi-square test and analysis of variance were used. Results: In our study, which included 400 students from various academic specialities, 364 (91%) displayed binge-watching behavior. A significant association was found between binge-watching and measures of anxiety (BAI, P = 0.02), depression (BDI, P = 0.01), and sleep quality (PSQI, P = 0.03). Conclusions: A large proportion of students exhibited binge-watching behaviors. These findings highlight the importance of addressing binge-watching behaviors in promoting overall well-being among students. There is a need to monitor this behavior due to its deleterious effects.