The relationship between smartphone addiction and depression among university students in Karachi: a cross-sectional study

Authors

  • Ubaidullah Abid Department of Bioscience, Shaheed Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto Institute of Science and Technology- SZABIST University, Karachi, Pakistan
  • Tooba Jawed Khan Centre of Excellence in Women and Child Health, The Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan
  • Asif Sheikh Center of Excellence for Women and Child Health, The Aga Khan University, Karachi,
  • Saud Saleem Department of Bioscience, Shaheed Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto Institute of Science and Technology- SZABIST University, Karachi, Pakistan
  • Hammad Afzal Kayani Department of Bioscience, Shaheed Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto Institute of Science and Technology- SZABIST University, Karachi, Pakistan
  • Muhammad Atif Habib Centre of Excellence in Women and Child Health, The Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.18203/2394-6040.ijcmph20203909

Keywords:

BDI-II, Depression, Karachi, SAS-SV, Smartphone-addiction, University-students

Abstract

Background: Pakistan demographic and health survey (PDHS) estimated extensive ownership of cell phones in Pakistan with 94.7% in the urban population. Pakistan Advertiser Company reported 77 % of cell phone users aged between 21-30 years. Although, no research was conducted with university population for addiction and depression, so this study aims to find the link between Smartphone addiction and depression in SZABIST University students of Karachi, Pakistan.

Methods: Cross-sectional study was conducted with self-assessment tools, comprised of three sections: socio-demographic information, smartphone addiction scale-short version (SAS-SV) and Beck’s depression inventory-II (BDI-II). Responses for SAS-SV were rated on a 6-point Likert scale and BDI-II was summated on range 0-60. Percentages mean score was commuted for SAS-SV; the mean score was computed and categorized for BDI-II. Descriptive statistics and regression analysis were used for data analysis. Statistical significance was set at p<0.01.

Results: Total participants were N=225, of which 140 (62.2%) were males and 85 (35.8%) were females. The mean±SD of their ages were 20.9±2.9. Age was found insignificant with depression after applying multiple linear regressions. Mean score of SAS-SV was 54.8±17.2, and BDI-II was13.4±9.6, which showed a significant positive association (OR, 0.241; 95% CI, 0.2 to 0.3; p<0.001). Prior adjusting coefficient, males were speculated having a higher level of depression.

Conclusions: A significant positive correlation was found between Smartphone addiction and depression, among University Students of SZABIST. Control smartphones usage is advised for undergraduate students as they are more prone to depression compared to postgraduate students.

References

Gutiérrez JDS, de Fonseca FR, Rubio G. Cell-phone addiction: a review. Frontiers Psychiatr. 2016;7.

Harwood J, Dooley J, Scott A, Joiner R. Constantly connected- the effects of smart-devices on mental health. Comp Hum Behav. 2014;34:267-72.

Van Deursen AJ, Bolle CL, Hegner SM, Kommers PA. Modeling habitual and addictive Smartphone behavior: The role of Smartphone usage types, emotional intelligence, social stress, self-regulation, age, and gender. Comp Hum Behav. 2015;45:411-20.

World Health Organization. Depression and other common mental disorders: global health estimates. World Health Organization; 2017. Available at: https://www.who.int/mental_health/management/depression/prevalence_global_health_estimates/en/.

Greden JF. The burden of recurrent depression: causes, consequences, and future prospects. J Clin Psychiatr. 2001;62:5-9.

Kim SE, Kim JW, Jee YS. Relationship between smartphone addiction and physical activity in Chinese international students in Korea. J Behav Addict. 2015;4(3):200-5.

Lee H, Kim JW, Choi TY. Risk factors for Smartphone addiction in Korean adolescents: Smartphone use patterns. J Korean Med Sci. 2017;32(10):1674-9.

Frangos CC, Fragkos KC, Kiohos A. Internet addiction among Greek university students: demographic associations with the phenomenon, using the Greek version of Young's Internet Addiction Test. Int J Econ Sci Appl Res. 2010;3(1):49-74.

Thomée S, Härenstam A, Hagberg M. Mobile phone use and stress, sleep disturbances, and symptoms of depression among young adults-a prospective cohort study. BMC Public Health. 2011;11(1):66.

PsychGuides.com. Signs and Symptoms of Cell Phone Addiction. PsychGuides.com.2020 Available at: https://www.psychguides.com/behavioral-disorders/cell-phone-addiction/signs-and-symptoms/. Accessed 20 March 2020.

Lee EB. Too much information: heavy smartphone and facebook utilization by African American young adults. J Black Stud. 2015;46(1):44-61.

Zhang KZ, Chen C, Lee MK. Understanding the role of motives in smartphone addiction. InPACIS. 2014:131.

Cha SS, Seo BK. Smartphone use and smartphone addiction in middle school students in Korea: prevalence, social networking service, and game use. Health Psychol Open. 2018;5(1):2055102918755046.

Van den Bulck J. Text messaging as a cause of sleep interruption in adolescents, evidence from a cross‐sectional study. J Sleep Res. 2003;12(3):263.

Demirci K, Akgönül M, Akpinar A. Relationship of Smartphone use severity with sleep quality, depression, and anxiety in university students. J Behav Addict. 2015;4(2):85-92.

Yoo SA, You S, Yoon HJ, Kim DH, Kim HS, Lee K, et al. A novel pathogenic role of the ER chaperone GRP78/BiP in rheumatoid arthritis. J Exp Med. 2012;209(4):871-86.

Song HK, Jeong MH, Sung DJ, Jung JK, Choi JS, Jang YL, et al. Internet addiction in adolescents and its relation to sleep and depression. Sleep Med Psychophysiol. 2010;17(2):100-8.

Chakraborty S. Mobile phone usage patterns amongst university students: A comparative study between India and the USA. 2006.

Itu.int. Study of mobile phone usage among teenagers and youth in Mumbai. Macro. 2019 Available at: https://www.itu.int/osg/spu/ni/ futuremobile/socialaspects/IndiaMacroMobileYouthStudy04.pdf. Accessed 20 March 2020.

Sameen FY, Mehammed-Ameen OH, Hasan NN. Smartphone addiction among nursing college students in Kirkuk University. Kufa J Nurs Sci. 2018;8(2):1-7.

Cao H, Sun Y, Wan Y, Hao J, Tao F. Problematic internet use in Chinese adolescents and its relation to psychosomatic symptoms and life satisfaction. BMC Public Health. 2011;11(1):802.

Zisman-Ilani Y, Hasson-Ohayon I, Levy-Frank I, Tuval-Mashiach R, Roe D. Self-stigma, insight, and family burden among Israeli mothers of people with serious mental illness: ethnonational considerations. Transcult Psychiatr. 2017;54(3):423-41.

Elhai JD, Dvorak RD, Levine JC, Hall BJ. Problematic Smartphone use: a conceptual overview and systematic review of relations with anxiety and depression psychopathology. J Affect Disord. 2017;207:251-9.

Augner C, Hacker GW. Associations between problematic mobile phone use and psychological parameters in young adults. Int J Public Health. 2012;57(2):437-41.

Sarkar U, Gourley GI, Lyles CR, Tieu L, Clarity C, Newmark L, et al. Usability of commercially available mobile applications for diverse patients. J Gen Intern Med. 2016;31(12):1417-26.

Lin YH, Chiang CL, Lin PH, Chang LR, Ko CH, Lee YH, et al. Proposed diagnostic criteria for Smartphone addiction. PloS One. 2016;11(11):e0163010.

Coutinho L, Scazufca M, Menezes PR. Methods for estimating prevalence ratios in cross-sectional studies. Revista de Saude Publica. 2008;42(6):992-8.

Alhassan AA, Alqadhib EM, Taha NW, Alahmari RA, Salam M, Almutairi AF. The relationship between addiction to Smartphone usage and depression among adults: a cross-sectional study. BMC Psychiatr. 2018;18(1):148.

Downloads

Published

2020-08-28

How to Cite

Abid, U., Khan, T. J., Sheikh, A., Saleem, S., Kayani, H. A., & Habib, M. A. (2020). The relationship between smartphone addiction and depression among university students in Karachi: a cross-sectional study. International Journal Of Community Medicine And Public Health, 7(9), 3472–3479. https://doi.org/10.18203/2394-6040.ijcmph20203909

Issue

Section

Original Research Articles