Smartphone Dependency, Sleep Disruption, And Emotional Regulation Among Adolescents : a descriptive correlational study

Author Name: Uma, Revathy

Volume: 03/02

Country: India

DOI NO.: 11.2023-61555522 DOI Link: https://doi-ds.org/doilink/02.2026-22838583/GIJNR

Affiliation:

1. Associate Professor, CON, Mother Theresa Post Graduate and Research Institution of Health Sciences, Puducherry.
2. Associate Professor, CON, Mother Theresa Post Graduate and Research Institution of Health Sciences, Puducherry.

ABSTRACT

Background : Mobile phones are mass-produced electronic devices that are an integral part of our lives due to its benefits . Adolescents may be particularly at risk of smartphone dependency and it affects the physical and mental health of the individual. Aims : This study aimed to investigate the impact of smartphone dependency , sleep disruption, and emotional regulation among adolescents. Methods and Materials: The study employed a descriptive correlational design involving 300 participants selected based on simple random sampling technique. Self-Structured Smartphone Addiction Scale, the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index for sleep disturbance, and the Emotional Exhaustion subscale of the Maslach Burnout Inventory–General Survey for emotional fatigue were used. Data were analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics included Pearson correlation using SPSS-27 to assess bivariate relationships between smartphone dependency with sleep disruption, and emotional regulation among adolescents. Findings: The results presented significant relationships among smartphone dependency, sleep disturbance, and emotional fatigue. Correlation analysis showed that smartphone dependency was moderately and positively associated with sleep disturbance (r = 0.43, p < .001) and emotional fatigue (r = 0.35, p < .001), while sleep disturbance demonstrated a strong positive correlation with emotional fatigue (r = 0.64, p < .001). Structural equation modeling further confirmed these associations, revealing that smartphone dependency significantly predicted sleep disturbance (β = 0.45, p < .001) and emotional fatigue (β = 0.33, p = .005). In addition, sleep disturbance had a strong and significant effect on emotional fatigue (β = 0.56, p < .001). Analysis of direct and indirect effects indicated that smartphone dependency exerted both a direct effect on emotional fatigue (β = 0.32, p = .005) and an indirect effect through sleep disturbance (β = 0.22, p < .001), resulting in a substantial total effect (β = 0.41). Overall, these findings suggest that sleep disturbance partially mediates the relationship between smartphone dependency and emotional fatigue. Conclusion: These findings emphasize the urgent need for early preventive strategies, digital literacy education, and healthy smartphone use practices among adolescents to promote better sleep hygiene and emotional well-being.

Key words: Smartphone Dependency, Emotional Fatigue, Sleep Disturbance, Smartphone Dependency, Sleep Disruption, And Emotional Regulation.