The relationship between smartphone using style and sleep quality and psychiatric symptoms among a foundation university students

Abstract

Objectives: We aimed to measure problematic smartphone use frequency and it’s association with sleepproblems and psychiatric symptoms in a sample of university students.Methods: The data in the study was collected by using a sociodemographic data form, the SmartphoneAddiction Scale (SAS), the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), the Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS) andthe Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI).Results: Based on the SAS median score, the participants were divided into two groups as the low-levelsmartphone use (SAS score 79) groups. In the highlevel smartphone use group, general sleep quality was lower, sleep latency was longer, scores of sleep disorderand daytime dysfunction were higher as measured by PSQI and the BSI scores were higher (p < 0.001). As aresult of the study, it was observed that, as smartphone use increased and became problematic, sleep qualitydecreased, and daytime dysfunction and psychiatric symptoms increased. SAS scores were positively correlatedwith both PSQI and ESS scores. SAS score was found as a predictor of PSQI scores in the regression analysis.Conclusions: This study shows that the relationship between problematic smartphone use and decreased sleepquality and increased psychiatric symptomatology in university students is still an important public healthissue. Responsible and mindfull use of smartphones by the students throughout the day may provide a positiveeffect on their sleep.