Emotional and behavioral problems related to smartphone overuse in elementary school children

OBJECTIVE: Overuse and addictive behavior related to smartphones has become a worldwide concern. However, most research has been focused on adults and adolescents. The objective of this study was to assess the characteristics of smartphone use, smartphone addiction and the related emotional and behavioral problems in elementary school children. METHOD: Children referred to a community based pediatric mental health center were screened for smartphone addiction and related problematic behavior using the Smartphone Addiction Proneness Scale and the Korean version of Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL). RESULTS: Children ranged from 6 to 12 years old and 32.6 %( n=43) owned a personal smartphone. Gender, usage time, and ownership independently correlated with the high risk group. Also, internalization symptoms such as somatization, anxiety/ depression, and withdrawal significantly correlated with the high risk group. CONCLUSION: The accessibility and personalized characteristics of smartphones likely increases the vulnerability for smartphone addiction in young children whose elfregulatory abilities have not fully matured. Therefore, children at high risk for smartphone addiction must be closely observed in the familial and academic setting. Also, increased efforts in early diagnosis and prevention of smartphone addiction are warranted.

Author dc:creator

• 백, 혜원

Contributors dc:contributor

• 신, 윤미
• 대학원 의학과
• 201224104

• 스마트폰
• 과다사용
• 중독
• 소아
• 아동
• Smartphone
• Overuse
• Addiction
• Children

Language dc:language

ko

Identifier

http://dcoll.ajou.ac.kr:9080/dcollection/jsp/common/DcLoOrgPer.jsp?sItemId=000000017371
000000017371

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:repository.ajou.ac.kr:201003/10934