Effect of smartphone usage profiles on addiction in a university student: a cross-sectional study

Objective: With their rich content, smartphones have become an indispensable part of today’s life. In spite of the convenience they contribute to our daily lives, one of the most important problems is smartphone addiction associated with the user losing control. Although the results of smartphone addiction are partially known, there is only a limited number of studies explaining the addictive content and smartphone usage profiles. The aim of this study was to determine the smartphone usage profiles and their intended use and to investigate the extent to which their intended use effects smartphone addiction in a group selected from university student populations. Method: The study was carried out with 1465 university students (861 female and 604 male) who had been using smartphones for the last year. Data were collected through standardized, anonymous, self-report online data surveys. All participants were administered a socio-demographic data form and the Smartphone Addiction Scale–Short Version. Results: As a result of the analysis, it was found that using the smartphone for “social media use” and “meeting new friends” increased the risk of smartphone addiction. “Use for studying/academic purpose” and “use to follow the news” decreased the risk of addiction. Male students, were found to use smartphones more for “playing games,” “to meet new friends,” and “to follow the news” than female students. Conclusion: In our study, smartphone addiction has been associated with certain smartphone usage purposes. In the study, “social media use” and “meeting new friends” on smartphones were the most powerful predictors of smartphone addiction for students while “use for studying/academic purpose” and “to follow the news” were found to be predictors of reduced risk of addiction.

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