The Association Between Adolescent Smartphone Use and Well-being

- Focusing on Usage Time, Simultaneous Use, and Smartphone Dependency"

Abstract

Numerous quantitative studies have reported an association between smartphone use and declines in well-being. Many previous studies have primarily focused on smartphone usage time, pointing to a negative correlation between longer usage and well-being. However, when analyzing data based on specific applications and actual usage logs rather than self-reported usage time, different results have been observed. Smartphone use involves various types of usage, behaviors, and psychological tendencies, yet research on the relationship between smartphone use and well-being has often overlooked these factors. This has led to excessive generalizations suggesting that smartphone use itself is inherently harmful, raising concerns about its use.

To gain a more precise understanding of the relationship between smartphone use and well-being, this study conducted a questionnaire survey of 549 first- and second-year high school students. In addition to overall smartphone usage time, usage time for LINE and major social media platforms (X [formerly Twitter], Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok) was measured using actual usage log data, which students verified before reporting. Similarly, the number of unlocks, indicating screen activation frequency, was recorded and analyzed. Other variables, including simultaneous smartphone use during study, smartphone dependency, sleep and exercise time, and well-being scores, were also examined.

The analysis found no significant correlation between total smartphone usage time and well-being. A very weak positive correlation was observed between well-being and SNS or LINE usage time. While examining subfactors of well-being, no significant correlation with smartphone usage time was found. Smartphone dependency showed no correlation with well-being overall, but a very weak negative correlation with the disappointment factor. Path analysis suggested that SNS and LINE usage time were directly related to well-being and indirectly related through smartphone dependency, sleep time, and well-being. These findings highlight the importance of considering usage content and intermediary factors rather than treating smartphone use as a singular entity when investigating its relationship with well-being.