Self-Reported Smartphone Addiction Among Brazilian Adolescents in the COVID-19 Pandemic Context: a Mixed-Method Study

Abstract

This study intended to (1) estimate the prevalence of Self-Reported Smartphone Addiction among adolescents and (2) know the adolescents’ perspective on smartphone addiction in the COVID-19 pandemic context. The research is a sequential explanatory mixed-method study conducted with adolescents aged from 15 to 18 years old. In the first phase, a cross-sectional study was carried out with 479 adolescents and, in the second, an exploratory research with a qualitative approach was conducted with 16 participants, who were in the Focus Groups sessions. The estimated prevalence of self-reported smartphone addiction was 56.37%. The most prevalent symptoms were those related to the tolerance. Sequentially, from the qualitative analysis, two categories were identified that reveal how adolescents perceive smartphone addiction in the COVID-19 pandemic context, as well as how they unveil the elements that characterize this addiction. It can be concluded that most adolescents were classified as smartphone addicted and this is admitted by most of them during the sessions. The addictive relationship established with the device was intensified by the consequences of the pandemic. Thus, health professionals must implement actions aimed at an adaptive behavior towards smartphones and that promote mental health in adolescence.