Smartphone addiction and its associated factors among public university students in Malaysia: a cross-sectional study

Smartphone use has become deeply embedded in daily life, particularly among university students, who may adopt it as a coping mechanism for psychological distress. Excessive or maladaptive use may lead to smartphone addiction, a growing public health concern linked to adverse mental health outcomes. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of smartphone addiction and examine its association with depression, anxiety, and loneliness among public university students in Malaysia.

A cross-sectional online survey was conducted between July 2022 and January 2024 among 7,278 students from 20 Malaysian public universities. Data were collected using validated instruments, including the Smartphone Addiction Scale-Short Version (SAS-SV), Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7), and the De Jong Gierveld Loneliness Scale (DJGLS-6). Descriptive statistics were used to estimate prevalence, and multivariable logistic regression was performed to identify associated factors of smartphone addiction.

The prevalence of smartphone addiction was 30.1%. Depression (42.6%), anxiety (41.9%), and loneliness (83.8%) were also highly prevalent. After adjustment, factors associated with smartphone addiction included female gender (AOR 1.148; 95% CI 1.021-1.291), Bumiputera Sabah or Sarawak ethnicity (AOR 1.235; 95% CI 1.031-1.479), higher academic year, and daily smartphone use exceeding 10 h (AOR 5.277; 95% CI 3.514-7.925). Depression (AOR 1.968; 95% CI 1.745-2.218), anxiety (AOR 2.060; 95% CI 1.789-2.372), and loneliness (AOR 1.438; 95% CI 1.207-1.714) were independently associated with smartphone addiction.

Smartphone addiction is common among Malaysian university students and is strongly associated with demographic factors, psychological distress, and excessive smartphone use. Interventions addressing mental well-being and promoting healthier digital behaviors are essential to reduce addiction risk in this population.