Obsessive-compulsive disorder and smartphone addiction among public sector employees in Iran

With the ever-increasing use of smartphones, the reciprocal impact of mental disorders and smartphone overuse has become a novel challenge. This study investigated the association between obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and smartphone addiction (SA) in a large sample of Iranian public sector employees.

This cross-sectional analysis was conducted based on the baseline data of the Employees' Health Cohort Study of Iran (EHCSIR). The 33-item Smartphone Addiction Scale (SAS) was administered to measure smartphone addiction. The Persian version of the Composite International Diagnostic Interview (CIDI 2.1) was used to identify lifetime OCD in the baseline assessment. Multiple regression analyses were performed to assess the association of OCD with SA and the six dimensions of SAS after adjusting for sociodemographic and job-related variables.

Of the 3,945 participants (mean age = 42.9 years, female = 64.3%), 438 subjects (11.1%) were smartphone-addicted. The prevalence of lifetime OCD was 2.5%. Lifetime OCD was significantly associated with smartphone addiction (OR = 2.27, 95% CI = 1.44-3.58). In addition, lifetime OCD was associated with five dimensions of SAS: daily life disturbance (p-value < 0.05), positive anticipation (p < .05), withdrawal (p < .01), cyberspace-oriented relationship (p < .01), and overuse (p < .01).

OCD was associated with a higher likelihood of smartphone addiction and several dimensions of problematic smartphone use. These findings highlight the relevance of psychiatric disorders in shaping digital behavior and may inform interventions targeting mental health in the workplace. Given the cross-sectional design and reliance on self-reported data, causality cannot be inferred and reporting bias may exist. Future studies incorporating objective usage measures and considering additional psychological factors (e.g., stress, impulsivity) are warranted.