A Survey of Smartphone Addiction and its Relationship with Academic Performance among Saudi Undergraduate Dental Students

Abstract

Background: The relationship between smartphone use and academic attainment is generally contradictory and hence it is imperative  for more research on this subject matter. 

Aim: The aim of this present study is to assess smartphone use, the prevalence of smartphone  addiction, factors related to its addiction, and determine the relationship of smartphone addiction on academic accomplishment among male dental students in King Khalid University (KKU) Abha, Saudi Arabia. 

Methods: A Cross-sectional study was conducted among male  dental students at KKU, Abha, Saudi Arabia. A validated Smartphone Addiction Scale Short-version (SAS-SV) questionnaire was adopted  for this research. Statistical significance level for all tests set at P value < 0.05 at 95% confidence interval. Pearson’s correlation was used  to examine the strength of the relationship between academic performance and smartphone addiction, Multiple logistic regression analysis to determine the association and predictors of smartphone addiction with GPA among the study population. 

Results: One  hundred and sixty‑eight (168) respondents participated in the study. Social networking (35.7%) was the main purpose for smartphone  usage. Also, 9.5% of respondents used smartphones for educational purposes. The prevalence of students who were addicted was 78.0%. Pearson’s correlation showed a significantly negative weak correlation (df = 166, r = −0.35, P = 0.0001*). The age of first use of  smartphones was statistically significantly weak and correlated negatively to smartphone addiction (df = 166, r = −0.19, P = 0.014*).   

Conclusion: The study revealed a high prevalence of smartphone addiction among the study population and the use of smartphones for  educational purposes was found to be low. Furthermore, the study shows a statistically significant negative association between  smartphone addiction and GPA.