Smartphone Addiction: A Narrative Review
Abstract
Tiffany Field
In recent literature on smartphone addiction, the prevalence has widely varied from 26% in females from Saudi Arabia to 84% mild smartphone addiction in medical students. It has had several negative effects including related problems like nomophobia (fear of losing your phone), mind wandering, ringing in the ears, myofascial trigger points, upper extremity pain, and decreased physical activity as well as comorbidities like depression and sleep disorders. The risk factors include fear of missing out, phubbing (phone snubbing), anxiety, depression, alexithymia, extroverted/neurotic personality, lack of self-esteem, lack of social support, work conflict, burnout and negative life events. Although interventions have not appeared in this literature, a couple buffers have been suggested. They include self-control and sense of security and increased physical activity which reduces stress and, in turn, reduces smartphone addiction. The literature, however, has been primarily based on samples of university and medical students, suggesting limited generalizability of the findings.