Risk Factors of Smartphone Addiction among Adolescents at Zagazig University

Abstract

Background: Smartphone became an integral part of our daily lives which used frequently among adolescents and has serious health negative effects on them. There are many risk factors can contribute of smartphone addiction as family’s current situation, which includes parenting style, parents’ current marital status and family size. Additionally, monthly income, residence, and adolescents in two-parent families and in double-income families are more likely to be addicted to smartphones.

Aim of the study: was to explore the risk factors of smartphone addiction among adolescents at Zagazig University.

Subjects and Methods: Research design: A cross-sectional descriptive research.

Setting: The study was conducted at Zagazig university, Egypt. Subjects: five hundred and forty-four students from practical and theoretical colleges were participated by stratified multistage random sampling technique.

Tools of data collection: two tools were used in this study. tool I: a structured questionnaire composed of (personal, academic and family data, and pattern of smartphone use), tool II: Smartphone Addiction Scale. Results:(57.7%) of the adolescents were smartphone addicts. The majority (91.7%) of the students preferred using social networking applications.

Conclusion that there more than half of adolescents were smartphone addict. Browse the Internet, social networking sites, listening to audio files (songs/Quran), games and smartphone using time for phone calls during the day (average) were positive strong predictors of smart phone addiction among adolescents.

Recommendations: The study recommended that organize and implement training programs for adolescents in particular the university students to raise their awareness on proper smartphone use, risk factors of smartphone addiction and its negative health effects on the students.