Objective screen time and smartphone addiction symptoms in defining risky smartphone use: A cross-sectional study of...

Prolonged and problematic smartphone use is an important global concern, particularly among young adults.

This study aimed to define a profile of risky smartphone use and to investigate the sociodemographic, environmental, and psychological factors associated with it.

Data were collected using a sociodemographic and clinical data form, the Smartphone Addiction Scale-Short Version (SAS-SV), the Mindful Attention Awareness Scale (MAAS), and the Insight Scale (IS). Daily screen time was obtained from participants' smartphone screen-time records. Risky use was defined as screen time ≥ 6 hours/day and/or an SAS-SV score above the cutoff.

A total of 297 university students were included. In bivariate comparisons based on both screen time and SAS-SV scores, no significant between-group differences were found in terms of sex, field of study, age at first smartphone ownership, or accuracy of estimated screen time. In contrast, the high SAS-SV group was characterized by a higher rate of dormitory living, whereas the low SAS-SV group more frequently lived with family (p = 0.020). In the multivariable model, age (p < 0.001) and total MAAS score (p < 0.001) independently and inversely predicted belonging to the risky use group. The prevalence of photo- and video-sharing applications was higher in the risky use group.

Younger age and lower mindfulness seem to be the main determinants of risky smartphone use. Rather than independently predicting risk, insight may reflect how individuals perceive and report their behavior. Future studies should use holistic models incorporating duration, psychological characteristics, and contextual factors.