Problematic Smartphone Use in Iran

Background: Smartphones have greatly facilitated today's human life. However, problematic smartphone use (PSU) negatively impacts mental health. Findings from people in Western countries and Eastern Asia have indicated that individuals with Psychopathological symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress are more likely to use smartphones problematically. Aim: This study investigated whether depression, anxiety, and stress were predictors of PSU among the Iranian population. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted in 2020 using a web-based questionnaire promoted through social media. All participants (n = 2569) completed the Smartphone Addiction Scale (SAS) as well as the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale-21 Items (DASS-21). A linear multivariate regression model was created to investigate the role of psychopathological symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress in PSU. Results: We found that for every one-unit increase in subscales of stress, depression and anxiety, the scores of SAS increased by β1 = 0.24 (95%CI: [0.18, 0.29]), β2 = 0.13 (95%CI: [0.09, 0.18]), and β3 = 0.14 (95% CI: [0.09, 0.18]), respectively. Statistical significance was set at P < 0.05.Conclusions: This study suggested the importance of psychopathological symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress in problematic smartphone use among the Iranian population.