Risk for Smartphone Addiction among Adolescents: A Descriptive Study from Karnataka, India

Introduction: Smartphones are widely used by adolescents in their everyday life and help them in communication, learning, and entertainment. However, too much and uncontrolled smartphone use can lead to addiction, which may cause sleep problems, emotional issues, and poor academic performance. Adolescents are particularly vulnerable due to ongoing psychological and behavioural development.

Aim: To identify adolescents at risk for smartphone addiction in selected
schools in Mangalore, India.

Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted in three private English-medium high schools in Mangaluru, Karnataka, India, from January to March 2025. A total of 540 adolescents aged 13-16 years were screened using a baseline proforma and the Smartphone Addiction Scale–Short Version (SAS-SV), a 10-item standardised tool with a 6-point Likert scale. Data were analysed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 23.0, employing descriptive statistics such as frequency and percentage.

Results: The study revealed that 180 (33.3%) adolescents were addicted to smartphones, 165 (30.6%) were at high-risk and 195 (36.1%) had no risk. Although daily use was moderate 250 (46.3%) using smartphones for 1-3 hours and 240 (44.4%) for less than one hour, and 236 (43.7%) had used smartphones for more than three years. Most adolescents reported healthy habits, with 248 (45.9%) sleep between 10-11 p.m., 487 (90.2%) keeping phones away at night, only 2.8% waking to check phones, and 83.1% engaging in daily physical activity; parental use was also moderate (fathers 46.1%, mothers 45.6% up to four hours/day). Despite this, the high prevalence of addiction and risk highlights the need for early screening and preventive interventions in schools and communities.

Conclusion: The study concluded that that nearly two-thirds of adolescents were affected by smartphone addiction or were at risk, despite moderate use and generally healthy lifestyles. This suggests that long-term exposure, rather than daily duration alone, plays a key role, highlighting the need for early screening and preventive interventions in schools and communities.