A Study to Determine the Effect of Smartphone Addiction on Academic Performance and Mental Wellbeing of College Students in the Post COVID-19 Scenario

Manju Somu, Bachelor’s of Science, Department of Psychology, Andaman College, Pondicherry University, Port Blair

ABSTRACT 

Smartphone addiction is a one type of condition in which a person may have a compulsive desire to use mobile phone extensively. Academic performance is a measure that determines how well a student performs within the educational setting, and mental well-being is a state that describes how well an individual feel, thinks and cope with their stress positively. The usage of smartphones expanded significantly after the COVID-19 epidemic, particularly among students, who were much more reliant on technology for educational purposes. The purpose of this study is to determine whether smartphone addiction influences students' academic performance and mental well-being. A total number of 42 university students participated in this study. Standardized scales were used to assess the smartphone addiction, academic performance, and mental well-being. Furthermore, the findings revealed that smartphone addiction is positively correlated with academic performance and mental well-being. However, there was no significant correlation found between academic performance and mental well-being. Hence, we may conclude that smartphone addiction has a beneficial effect on academic performance and mental well-being in the post-COVID-19 situation, because students now learn how to utilize their smartphone effectively for study and self-development purposes. This research additionally suggests that students must be advised on how to use their mobile phones more appropriately for themselves, as smartphone addiction can be a serious threat to their social lives. Click to preview and download full paper