A Study on Mobile Addiction among College Students

Abstract

Mobile phones have become an essential part of students’ daily lives and academic routines. While smartphones provide benefits such as online learning, communication, and access to information, their excessive use has created a growing concern of mobile addiction among youth. This research paper examines the extent, causes, and impact of mobile addiction among college students. The study uses a descriptive research design and primary data collected through a structured Google Form questionnaire from 120 college students. Data was analyzed using frequency tables, charts, and percentage analysis. The findings reveal that a majority of the students use mobile phones for 5–7 hours a day, primarily for social media apps like Instagram, WhatsApp, YouTube, OTT platforms, and online gaming. The study highlights several negative effects of mobile addiction such as disturbed sleep patterns, reduced concentration, lower productivity, procrastination, and a decline in academic performance. Students who spend more hours on mobile phones tend to score fewer marks due to lack of focus and increased distractions. The study concludes that mobile addiction is a serious behavioural issue among college students, affecting both their academic and personal lives. The research recommends awareness programs, digital detox habits, time-management techniques, and controlled usage to manage mobile addiction effectively.

Introduction

Mobile phones have evolved into multi-functional tools, but excessive usage among college students has led to mobile addiction, driven by social media, FOMO, online gaming, and entertainment. This dependency affects students’ daily routines, mental health, sleep, social interactions, and academic performance. Studies show that high screen time leads to reduced concentration, increased anxiety, disrupted sleep, and lower academic productivity.

This research examines the level, patterns, causes, and effects of mobile addiction among college students through a descriptive survey of 120 participants. Findings reveal that most students use their phones 3–5 hours daily, experience moderate academic disruption, engage in compulsive behaviors like late-night use and social media scrolling, and face psychological effects such as stress and anxiety when disconnected. The study emphasizes the need for awareness and strategies to promote healthy and responsible mobile usage among students.

Conclusion

The study concludes that mobile addiction is a significant and growing concern among college students. Most respondents demonstrated high levels of mobile engagement, with a considerable portion experiencing academic, psychological, and behavioural impacts. The findings highlight that mobile addiction is not merely a technological issue but a behavioural challenge that demands immediate attention. Moderate to severe levels of academic impact were observed, reflecting reduced concentration, procrastination, sleep disturbances, and poor academic performance. The study emphasizes the need for digital literacy, healthy usage habits, and institutional interventions to mitigate the adverse effects of mobile addiction. Promoting awareness and responsible use can help students strike a balance between the benefits of mobile technology and the need for academic focus and personal well-being.

References

[1] Karaahmeto?lu, G. U., & Arabac?, Z. (2024). University students’ problematic mobile phone use. Journal of Higher Education and Science, 14(2), 177–185. [2] Wu, (2023). A correlational study on mobile phone addiction among university students: Prevalence, student characteristics, mobile phone use purposes, and situations. European Journal of Psychology and Education Research, 6(3), 131–145. [3] Boumosleh, J., & Jaalouk, D. (2020). Smartphone addiction among university students and its relationship with academic performance. Global Journal of Health Science, 10(1), 48–57. [4] Arockia Doss, A., & Manickam, P. S. (2024). A study of technology addiction and health impacts among college students. ShodhKosh: Journal of Visual and Performing Arts, 5(2), 272–280. [5] Al-Barashdi, H. S., Bouazza, A., & Jabur, N. (2015). Smartphone addiction among university undergraduates: A literature review. Journal of Scientific Research and Reports, 4(3), 210–225.

Copyright

Copyright © 2025 Dr. Manishkumar Jaiswal, Lt Col (Dr.) Veena Pathak. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.