A Cross-Sectional Analysis of Smartphone Addiction: The Role of Age, Self-Efficiency, and Coping
Background
The growing number of smartphone users in distinctive age groups with a wide range of purposes is known worldwide partly due to the diversity of actions enabled through internet access.
Regarding to the Smartphone/mobile phone, age ranges, the different actions performed with these devices and the time required address the importance of self-efficiency (assumption that one can successfully perform the necessary action to produce certain results). It is also worth highlighting the use of mobile/smartphone devices as a strategy to deal with stressful situations (coping) as well as the need for actions to prevent smartphone/mobile phone’s dependence.
On a national point of view is unknown the existence of different risk levels in the management of these devices, triggering and the protection factors associated to its usage.
Goals: To analyze the correlation between age, self-efficiency, smartphone management and coping strategies in the Portuguese population.
Methods : Cross-sectional, descriptive, and correlational study. Convenience sample, consisting of 388 participants. Data collection instruments: Sociodemographic questionnaire; Smartphone Addiction Scale; Brief Resilient Coping Scale; General Self-efficiency Scale.
Results: Participants with an average age of 37.37 (SD=13.76), mostly female (72.4%), married or living in a partnership (46.6%) and graduates (42.5%). 27.6% use the smartphone 40 times a day and 11.9% are dependent on the smartphone. 42% of participants have low resilience and 27.3% have strong resilience. Negative correlations with statistically significance (p=0.01) were found between age and the number of times the smartphone was consulted (r=-0.26), and smartphone dependence (r=-0.31). There are positive correlations between the number of times to consult the smartphone and its dependence (p= 0.32). Self-efficacy is related to age (p=0.17 p=0.01) and smartphone dependence (p=0.133 P=0.019).
Conclusions:
The youngest participants are the ones who are more dependent on the smartphone. Interventions performed at early ages are necessary for teaching strategies to control smartphone use behavior and to promote resilient coping. This research can help to now protective factors that must be supported.