Smartphone Dependency Among Young Learners: A Growing Concern

Abstract

This comparative quantitative study examined smartphone addiction rates among children using a modified Smartphone Addiction Questionnaire, focusing on differences between preschool and primary school students to inform prevention and health promotion strategies. For preschool participants, parents completed the questionnaire, whereas for primary school children, both parents and children provided responses. The assessment tool demonstrated robust psychometric properties, with validity established through rigorous evaluation and high internal consistency for both the children’s and parents’ scales, as indicated by Cronbach’s alpha coefficients. The study cohort comprised 832 participants, including 104 preschool-aged children, 336 parents of primary school-aged children, and 392 primary school students. The prevalence of smartphone addiction differed significantly across groups, with primary school students exhibiting higher rates than preschool-aged children (p < 0.05). This disparity was consistent across both parent- and child-reported measures. Nevertheless, 3.8% of preschool-aged children were classified as high risk for smartphone addiction, with an additional 1% at very high risk, necessitating parental vigilance. Among primary school students, the prevalence was higher, with 7.4%–9.8% at high risk and 0.8%–2.1% at very high risk