Smartphone addiction and its implications on psychosocial well-being in Saudi school-age children

Abstract

Background: Despite smartphones' compelling qualities and their use to access the online world, it has become an integral part of our lives eventually leading to smartphone addiction in its users, especially children. This study focuses on elaborating on the association between smartphone addiction and sleeping, school performance, and poor psycho-social well-being among Saudi school-age children. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted enrolling a total of 363 subjects through an online survey conducted in different malls in Riyadh city. A cross-section study using a self-administered questionnaire contains specific questions related to smartphone addiction in children. The smartphone addiction proneness scale (SPAP) is used to measure the possibility of being addicted to smartphones. Data analysis was achieved by using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences version 26. Results: This study found strong correlations between smartphone usage and poor school performance (p < 0.010) and between less sleep and low academic achievement (p < 0.001). Male children had significantly higher scores for smartphone addiction (SPAP) than females (p = 0.023), suggesting males struggle more with planned activities due to smartphone use. Aggressive behavior and poor communication were associated with smartphone usage, but there was no significant difference between genders in this aspect (p = 0.153). Conclusion: There was evidence that a usage time of smartphones 2> hours a day was linked to poor psychosocial well-being, with no association between smartphone addiction effects and specific gender, more awareness should be raised the parents to limit the excessive usage of smartphones among their children.