Abstract:

Objectives: This study aims to investigate the relationship between smartphone addiction, depression, and anxiety in medical school students. Study Design:A total of 297 students (female n = 200, male n = 97) between the ages of 18-25, studying at the medical faculty, participated in our study. Smartphone addiction was evaluated with the Smartphone Addiction Scale (SAS), depression level with the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), and anxiety level with the Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI). Also, all participants were asked to fill in the sociodemographic information form. The data collection process with relevant scales was carried out through the online system. Independent groups t-test, Pearson's correlation test, and mediatedregressionanalysis were used in the statistical method. P<0.05 level was considered statistically significant. Results:A significant and positive correlation was found between the daily duration of smartphone use, smartphone addiction level, depression, and anxiety scale scores. Mediatedregression analysis results showed that smartphone addiction fully mediates the relationship between depression and duration of phone use. Also, it was observed that smartphone addiction increased with the increase in the level of depression, and this relationship remained significant even when the duration of phone use was controlled. Additionally, compared to men, the daily phone use duration, smartphone addiction level, depression, and anxiety scale scores were found to be significantly higher in women. Conclusion: Our findings show that there is a strong relationship between smartphone addiction, depression, and anxiety and that women are in a higher risk group for mood disorders.

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