A Research on Addictive Use of Smartphone by University Students

The purpose of this study is to explore the fundamental nature and meanings of the experiences of university students with regard to their smartphone usage in order to prevent smartphone addiction and provide guidelines to develop effective interventions. Nine university students who were currently enrolled in an university located in a Korean province participated in this study. In-depth interviews were conducted from June of 2012 to July of 2012, and data were analyzed using Colaizzi's phenomenological qualitative method. As a results, five theme and 40 subthemes of experiences of problematic smartphone usage were identified. Those themes include 1) a desperate try to connect with others(exposing oneself without appropriate self-protection, seeking emotional comfort, hurt and mistrust); 2) excessive use of smartphone and loss of self-control(more smartphone usage over computer/over-immersion/excessive usage/habituation, loss of self-control); 3) psychological difficulties(excessive attachment and dependence, separation anxiety, clingingness, reduced patience) ; 4) threats to daily functioning (changes in priorities, regressed independent daily functioning, irregular daily patterns, health problems, interruptions from free messenger, academic difficulties); 5) potential for recovery(conflictual feelings and doubts over smartphone usage, importance of interpersonal(face-to-face) communications, willingness to cut down the use, hope for recovery). This study provided suggestions for the prevention effort against smartphone addiction

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