Problematic Smartphone Usage in Singaporean University Students: An Analysis of Self-Reported Versus Objectively Measured Smartphone Usage Patterns

Introduction: Problematic smartphone usage is the excessive usage of the smartphone, leading to addiction symptoms that impair one's functional status. Self-administered surveys developed to describe the symptoms and measure the risk of problematic smartphone usage have been associated with depressive symptoms, symptoms of anxiety disorder, and perceived stress. However, self-reported smartphone usage can be unreliable, and previous studies have identified a better association between objectively measured smartphone usage and problematic smartphone usage. Methodology: A self-administered survey was used to investigate the relationships between the risk of problematic smartphone usage (SAS-SV) with depressive symptoms (PHQ-9), anxiety disorder symptoms (GAD-7), and perceived stress (PSS) in Singaporean full-time university students. Self-reported screentime and objectively measured screentime were collected to determine if there is any difference between perceived smartphone usage and objective smartphone usage. Results: There was no statistical difference between self-reported and app-measured screentime in the study population. However, there were significant positive correlations between SAS-SV with PHQ-9, GAD-7, and PSS. In the logistic regression model, PHQ-9 was found to be the sole predictor for variances in SAS-SV score in the study population. Conclusion: This study suggests that problematic smartphone usage may potentially related to depressive symptoms, symptoms of anxiety disorder, and greater perceived stress in university students.