Problematic smartphone use associated with greater alcohol consumption, mental health issues, poorer academic performance, and impulsivity
Grant JE, Lust K, Chamberlain SR
Journal of behavioral addictions · 110 citations
Review labels
Neutral facts our review recorded about how this study was done. They describe method, never whether we like the result.
How it was studied
- Design
- Cross-sectional study (classified by our AI screen)
- Studied in
- People
- Main outcome
- Health markers and function
Who paid for it
- Funding
- Independent funding
- Nonprofit
- Wellcome Trust
- Authors
- At least one author declares a financial tie to industry
- Grants
- Wellcome Trust (110,049/Z/15/Z); Wellcome Trust (110049)
Based on 1 listed funder(s) and full-text disclosure statement.
Publication
- Published
- 2019-06-01 · J Behav Addict · vol. 8 · issue 2 · pp. 335–342
- Publisher
- Akadémiai Kiadó
- Cited
- 202 citations · more than 100% of similar papers · 48.1× the field average
- Impact
- Top 10% most cited in its field
- References
- 38 works
- Access
- Open access (journal) · CC-BY-NC
- Research areas
- Impact of Technology on Adolescents · Child Development and Digital Technology · Sexuality, Behavior, and Technology
- Keywords
- smartphone addiction, university students, alcohol use disorder symptoms, academic performance, impulsivity, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety, depression, sexual risk behavior, substance use, mental health
- MeSH
- humans, risk factors, alcohol drinking, impulsive behavior, behavior, addictive, risk-taking, mental disorders, comorbidity, unsafe sex, students, universities, adult, midwestern united states, female, male, young adult, smartphone, academic performance
3 authors
From US, GB
- Jon Edgar Grant · correspondingUniversity of Chicago
- Katherine A. LustUniversity of Minnesota
- Samuel Robin ChamberlainUniversity of Cambridge; Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust
Abstract
Background
This study sought to examine the occurrence of the problematic use of smartphones in a university sample and associated physical and mental health correlates, including potential relationships with risky sexual practices.
Methods
A 156-item anonymous online survey was distributed via e-mail to a sample of 9,449 university students. In addition to problematic smartphone usage, current use of alcohol and drugs, psychological and physical status, and academic performance were assessed.
Results
A total of 31,425 participants were included in the analysis, of whom 20.1% reported problematic smartphone use. Problematic use of smartphones was associated with lower grade point averages and with alcohol use disorder symptoms. It was also significantly associated with impulsivity (Barratt scale and ADHD) and elevated occurrence of PTSD, anxiety, and depression. Finally, those with current problems with smartphone use were significantly more sexually active.
Conclusions
Problematic use of smartphones is common and has public health importance due to these demonstrable associations with alcohol use, certain mental health diagnoses (especially ADHD, anxiety, depression, and PTSD), and worse scholastic performance. Clinicians should enquire about excessive smartphone use as it may be associated with a range of mental health issues. Research is needed to address longitudinal associations.
Abstract via Europe PMC. Copyright remains with the authors or publisher (CC BY-NC).
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