The Effect of Problematic Internet Use and Social- Appearance Anxiety on the Smartphone Addiction of Adolescents

Abstract

BACKGROUND/AIMS: According to the World Health Organization, the use of technological tools, such as the internet, computers, and smartphones, is increasing every day all over the world. The widespread use of the Internet and technological devices among children today shows the risks which children carry in terms of problematic internet use and smartphone addiction. This study examined the effects of problematic internet use and social-appearance anxiety on the smartphone addiction of adolescents. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study was designed to collect descriptive, correlational, predictive, and cross-sectional data on 700 adolescents. The data were collected using the Problematic Internet Use Scale, the Social-Appearance Anxiety Scale, and the Smartphone Addiction Scale. Numbers, percentage analysis, and correlation and regression analyses were employed to evaluate the data. RESULTS: A strong positive relationship was found between adolescents’ problematic internet use and their smartphone addiction (r=0.651, p<0.001), while a moderate positive relationship was observed between social-appearance anxiety and smartphone addiction (r=0.454, p<0.001). Of the variables identifying smartphone addiction, 48% were associated with problematic internet use and social-appearance anxiety. CONCLUSION: This study determined that adolescents with high problematic internet use and high social-appearance anxiety were more likely to have smartphone addiction. This study found that 48% of smartphone addiction was explained by problematic internet use and social- appearance anxiety.