The Effect of Smartphones on the Mental Health and General Well-Being of College Students

Title

The Effect of Smartphones on the Mental Health and General Well-Being of College Students

Authors

Presenter(s)

William P. White

Files

Description

In the last decade or so smart phones have undoubtedly assumed a prominent role in the lives of average Americans. Whether or not smartphone users are aware of the potential for lasting negative side effects on their mental health on account of their addictive habits is unknown and largely unstudied. It is time that as a society we begin to self-examine and identify systemic issues, especially the glaringly obvious ones like the ones screened media present. An angle that consistently presents the most profound statistics is from the victims themselves. Gathering data from the people and for the people and promptly presenting an effective solution is the job and duty of a researcher. This research does exactly this. Through a comprehensive survey dispersed across the University of Dayton’s undergraduate population, personal phone usage data was gathered. The results were staggering to some extent, yet not totally out of the realm of believability. 58 percent of respondents self-reported an addiction to their smartphones. A figure like this for a substance like alcohol or tobacco would raise serious concern across the nation. The consequences of long-term exposure to screens include but are not limited to anxiety, depression, poor sleep quality, hypertension, attention deficit disorder, and vision disorders. Public exposure to these serious and lasting symptoms of an abusive relationship with smartphones is the next step. Another idea that deserves consideration is that these symptoms are only the physiological consequences of smartphone addiction, leaving out the entire realm of social consequences that coincide with an addictive screen relationship.

Publication Date

4-22-2021

Project Designation

Capstone Project

Primary Advisor

Laura M. Leming

Primary Advisor's Department

Sociology, Anthropology, and Social Work

Keywords

Stander Symposium project, College of Arts and Sciences

United Nations Sustainable Development Goals

Good Health and Well-Being

The Effect of Smartphones on the Mental Health and General Well-Being of College Students

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