Smartphone addiction and depression among health sciences students during COVID-19 pandemic

Previous studies indicate an increasing prevalence of depression among university students worldwide. Besides, university students are more likely to excessively use smartphones, making them more susceptible to smartphone addiction. Pandemic conditions can also have negative effects on mental health. Thus, this study aims to investigate the frequency of depression among university students during COVID-19 pandemic.

The study population for this mixed-method research, which includes both qualitative and quantitative components, consists of students studying health sciences at a state university in Istanbul, Türkiye. No sample was selected for the quantitative data collection; instead, it was aimed to reach the entire population. Sociodemographic characteristics, the 10-item Smartphone Addiction Scale-Short Version (SAS-SV), and the 21-item Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) were used. In the qualitative part of our study, semi-structured online interviews were conducted with 12 students. Statistical significance level was set at p < 0.05.

The study, involving 819 students, found that 25.2% had moderate depression and 5.7% had severe depression. A statistically significant relationship was found between self-perceived smartphone addiction and the presence of moderate-severe depression (p < 0.001). Participants who spent more than 4 h a day on their smartphones, those who checked their smartphones more than 30 times a day, those who perceived themselves as smartphone addicts, and those who experienced smartphone-related sleep problems obtained statistically significantly higher scores from BDI compared to others (p < 0.05). According to our qualitative results, some participants thought that smartphone use could cause a depressive mood by isolating people, while others believed it could do so through the negative effects of social media. All participants reported that the quarantine period increased their smartphone usage.

Our results suggest a potential interaction between smartphone addiction and depression. This indicates the potential benefit of assessing and addressing both conditions simultaneously.