Introduction
Prolonged use of smartphones is capable of inflicting actual harm upon individuals, influencing their attention spans, views regarding the world, and mental health. Young adults and teenagers, in particular, are more susceptible to harm stemming from problematic smartphone use. A unique combination of factors, including underdeveloped brains, an abundance of free time, and engagement in online communities, makes it more likely for them to develop heavy smartphone addiction.
In terms of age, the groups include children aged 12-18 and adults aged 18-24. These demographics will be the center of this discussion and the subsequent intervention process. Focusing on teens and young adults has the capacity to assist those who suffer most severely from PSU and improve the health of the population over time.
In the context of this discussion, smartphone use is deemed problematic when it affects a person’s mental wellness and leads to measurable changes in their ability to participate in social life and their capacity to engage in learning. In addition, the definition will also include an inability of an individual to control their engagement with their phone.
Medical professionals and psychologists have developed a relatively common understanding of PSU over the recent decade, helping to identify and discuss the condition (Busch & McCarthy, 2021). According to research, states similar to addiction are key indicators of PSU (Pivetta et al., 2019). Researchers find this issue to be significant because it has the capacity to hinder healthy human development and decrease overall wellness significantly.
Multiple factors contribute to the spread of PSU, including the isolation of the recent pandemic. More and more individuals, especially younger ones, became trapped in a continuous phone-centered feedback loop. This trend has had a negative social and societal impact on the population. First, people find it hard to connect with others on an interpersonal level and meet fewer people in the real world (Verduyn et al., 2021).
Most importantly, for a larger society, a continuous focus on one’s phone makes it more difficult for young adults and teens of school age to learn, pay attention, and retain the information they receive (Wang et al., 2022). By recognizing the dangers of excessive phone use, it may be possible to introduce measures that counteract this type of behavior and help people regain their sense of control over their smartphone experiences.
Benefits of Managing Smartphone Use
In order to remedy the issue on a larger scale, it is necessary to create an intervention capable of penetrating the target audience and helping it effectively limit the time spent using smartphones. In being able to do so, the agency overseeing the intervention will create a great benefit for the population. First, both children and teens will be able to interact and engage with others on a more frequent basis, driving community development and interpersonal communication learning. Second, individuals will gain a better grasp of their own emotions and a capacity to move into the future with a healthier outlook and self-regulation skills. Third, the creation of an intervention is conducive to improving the physical health of the nation, which is a vital factor in living long, fulfilling, and rich lives.
The process of preventing or counteracting problematic phone use contributes to the improved productivity of young people. Children will be able to devote more time to community action and studying, while adults have an opportunity to find better jobs or education. Lastly, early prevention of PSU will contribute to the economic prosperity of local communities and the nation as a whole. Individuals who grow into competent, well-adjusted members of society will require fewer resources spent on their training, education, and support, providing long-term benefits.
Multi-Level Influence on Behavior
Factors Associated with Behavior
Physical Environment
Those who spend the majority of their time behind their phone screen often suffer changes in physical attributes, which are associated with the lack of movement and strain. According to research, issues concerning one’s sleep patterns, migraines, and unhealthy eating habits all come as a result of unhealthy phone use (Brailovskaia et al., 2021). On an even more severe scale, changes in brain matter volume were also documented(Brailovskaia et al., 2021).
Eye strain and damage, in particular, were also noted as a consequence of frequent phone use (Aparna et al., 2019). Both sleep issues and pains can affect one’s daily functioning, their ability to perform necessary day-to-day tasks, engage with work and social interactions, and feel fulfilled in their life. In this way, the physical effects of problematic phone use become a catalyst for further social and psychological issues.
Psychological
Much like most other types of engagement, smartphones can have a positive or a negative effect on one’s psyche. Navigating phone interfaces and using various social media sites can improve an individual’s reading comprehension, help them improve their pattern-seeking behaviors, and positively affect their overall cognitive ability (Brailovskaia et al., 2021). At the same time, unadulterated and excessive use of smartphones leads to diametrically different outcomes.
In particular, those suffering from problematic smartphone use are reported to encounter difficulty in regulating their emotions, be more impulsive, struggling with long-term decision-making (Pivetta et al., 2019). All of these issues were primarily observed in teens and young children whose brains are not yet fully developed. These issues manifest as a significant barrier to learning new skills and attaining knowledge in school and college settings (Sunday et al., 2021). As a result of PSU, these demographics mature and enter adult life with a severe disadvantage compared to their peers.
In addition, it is possible to argue that individuals prone to depression and anxiety gravitate to online spaces. Some experts argue that smartphones can be used as a coping mechanism, enabling suffering individuals to become prone to smartphone addiction (Pourafshari et al., 2022). It is currently undetermined whether mental health issues are caused or exacerbated by phone usage, as researchers argue for both positions. Nevertheless, there is a clear connection between the two conditions, and it is important to protect vulnerable populations from further harm.
Social
As mentioned previously, the psychological effects of excessive phone use set populations back in terms of mental development and give them various physical issues. Because of this particular combination of problems, teens and later adults with PSU find themselves struggling in social situations. Cognitive emotion regulation can put a strain on friendships, family interactions, and intimate relationships, introduce tensions at work and make it difficult for individuals to make lasting connections(Brailovskaia et al., 2021).
Similarly, continuous smartphone use has been shown to contribute to diminished happiness when interacting with people directly (Kushlev et al., 2019). It should also be noted that PSU is associated with low self-esteem. Low self-esteem, combined with an inability to fit in and a general sense of aimlessness provided by social media, is a straight road to experiencing mental illness (Wacks & Weinstein, 2021). This assertion can be supported by existing statistics stating that problematic phone use strongly correlates with cases of depression, anxiety, and other depressive disorders.
Behavioural
Certain behavioral changes are also to be expected in people using smartphones actively. The development of the so-called smartphone addiction is traditionally regarded as one of the core side effects of integrating smartphones into people’s everyday routines (Wang et al., 2019). Studies also illustrate that the propensity to overuse smartphones and include interactions with the specified devices in one’s daily routine leads to the development of sleep pattern disruption and the resulting decline in sleep quality (Wang et al., 2019).
Consequently, behavioral issues such as irritability, low proactiveness levels, and reduced motivation can be observed in people who actively engage in smartphone usage (Wang et al., 2019). The described issues, while producing seemingly mild effects on one’s health, will likely lead to significant mental and physical health concerns. Indeed, physiologically, without a sufficient amount of sleep, one is likely to experience notable adverse changes on a physiological level.
Financial Environment
In turn, the financial factors affecting one’s use of smartphones are primarily restricted to the negative effects that the urge to purchase the latest device as a status item produces on its owner. As the infamous “smartphone addiction” phenomenon forces people to buy the latest version of the device, their financial choices become less sensible, and their financial situation deteriorates (Chopdar et al., 2022). The specified effects also contribute to problems with mental health due to an increase in anxiety, as well as reduced access to health options (Chopdar et al., 2022). Therefore, while the financial environment may restrict people’s choices due to high prices, buyers tend to aggravate their financial conditions.
Policy Environment
In turn, the current policy environment exacerbates changes in smartphone user behavior. Specifically, the recent changes in the policies regarding smartphone use in the workplace have invited several restrictions for employees (Garrett et al., 2021). Intended to encourage greater workplace productivity, limitations regarding the use of smartphones are unlikely to yield positive effects unless employees recognize the need to abstain from pointless engagement with smartphones (Garrett et al., 2021). In turn, given the lack of clarifications incorporating policies, smartphone users are likely to develop an increased urge to spend time browsing on their smartphones when actively prevented from it (Garrett et al., 2021). Thus, more efficient policies aimed at educating smartphone users about the harms of increased investment in the process are needed.
Societal
Among the core societal factors encouraging smartphone users to participate in the specified activity even more actively, one should mention the increasing obsession with social media. Due to the popularization of digital culture, smartphones have become a crucial part of people’s daily routines (Mustafaoglu et al., 2021). Thus, the current social environment encourages people to abandon reality and engage in the virtual context of smartphone use to an even greater extent.
Cultural
Finally, the cultural underpinnings of the current smartphone obsession need to be investigated closely. The active emphasis on consumption and the enhancement of the power of consumerism as a part of popular culture have contributed to the popularization of smartphone usage extensively (Yang et al., 2019). Admittedly, one should point out that there has been an evident propensity toward criticizing the obsession with digital gadgets and especially the social status that they are used to attain. The backlash directed at people obsessed with smartphones, both from the perspective of it being a status symbol and representing a refuge from reality are criticized quite heavily (Yang et al., 2019).
Representing a counterculture to the current consumerism trend, the specified point of view has been contributing to a drop in dependency on smartphones (Yang et al., 2019). However, the outlined factor is not enough to stop the culture of smartphone obsession, and its use as a tool to substitute reality is not enough. Present-day culture reinforces the significance of smartphones as comparatively affordable ways of entering the realm of social media and maintaining close connections with others.
Phone Use and the Social Environment
There is a variety of social, economic, political, and societal factors that lead individuals to develop PSU. The social circles that teenagers and young adults occupy use smartphones to communicate, facilitate various types of interaction, and participate in teen culture. In this way, a smartphone becomes an indispensable tool for many. It is practically impossible to escape the sight of smartphones in modern social settings, making smartphones use a class signifier.
In order to fit in and interact with others in their age range, individuals often have no choice but to spend prolonged time on their phones, leading to addiction. Smartphone use is unregulated, mainly outside of one’s own family or educational environment, enabling the demographic to expose themselves to this behavior freely. In addition, the economic conditions of individuals directly affect their likelihood of developing PSU. Those who come from low-income backgrounds, especially single children, are more susceptible to smartphone addiction(Lee et al., 2021). Bad economic conditions lead to a higher likelihood of depression, which has been shown to contribute to unhealthy phone use (Pourafshari et al., 2022). This combination of factors makes it necessary to engage with children in their typical social habitat and create methods of interaction that can decrease the prevalence of phone use. In order to more effectively consider counter-measures to PSU, it is necessary to discuss its effects on the population further using available evidence.
Behavioral Aspects of Smartphone Addiction
Similarly to other types of addiction, the propensity to misuse digital tools, particularly smartphones, manifests itself in a variety of unique ways. However, certain homogeneity can still be observed in the behaviors and attitudes of people who abuse the opportunities smartphones provide. For instance, a study by Malinauskas and Malinauskiene (2019) has confirmed that the propensity toward neglecting one’s family members and friends and preferring to spend time using smartphones is one of the clear signs of developing addiction.
Additionally, studies confirm that behavioral changes in people addicted to their smartphones lead to major mental health issues. For instance, the development of anxiety when being unable to respond to notifications on one’s smartphone can be seen as similar to those in patients with an obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Specifically, the study by Yu and Sussman(2020) mentions the development of compulsive behaviors as one of the core attributes of smartphone addiction.
Therefore, behavioral changes in people misusing smartphones align with the tendencies observed in people with OCD and the associated mental health issues (Yu & Sussman, 2020). For this reason, behavior changes in people with smartphone dependency can be regarded as dangerous for their mental health and emotional well-being. The described alterations in behaviors also indicate a strong need for the introduction of a cognitive behavior therapy approach aimed at shifting patients’ perspectives and their perception of their smartphones.
Creating an Intervention
Reach and Spreading Awareness
As mentioned previously, the intervention is primarily focused on teens and young adults – demographics that are most susceptible to problematic smartphone use. They are seen as participants who will be most in need of outside intervention. Further, this population is less able to regulate its own behavioral patterns due to age. In order to expose the population to this intervention, it will be necessary to use institutions that frequently come into contact with both teens and young adults. Schools, colleges, universities, and other educational facilities are among the first on the list, capable of interacting with the demographic for prolonged periods of time and distributing the required information to them.
Measuring Efficacy
Expected Outcomes and Their Evaluation
In order to create a measurable benefit from the intervention, it is necessary to set goals that are both attainable and measurable. In this case, the primary goal will be to document self-reported phone use or utilize phone use tracking software in order to collect more accurate data. The primary goal of the intervention will be to reduce the severity and frequency of phone use and improve the perceptions of participants regarding their levels of phone usage and self-perception.
This outcome will be measured by weekly questionnaires, as well as continuous feedback-based surveying of participants. The central goal of the process is an improvement in self-image formation of more interpersonal connections. The assessment of the intervention will be done by the same individuals who administer the intervention. The assessment process will be completed partially throughout the duration of the intervention as a way to continuously utilize the collected feedback. By the end of the intervention, the results will be aggregated and applied to measure the effectiveness of the intervention.
Adopting the Intervention
As mentioned previously, schools, community centers, and other educational institutions will become the central hub for the intervention. All of these facilities provide easy and convenient access to participants and usually comprise their day-to-day routine. In addition, educational facilities often come equipped with the tools that may be necessary to administer an intervention – space, chairs and tables, writing utensils, and various types of entertainment.
Naturally, both schools and community centers will see the benefits of using their grounds to administer an intervention. An application of a smartphone use intervention program has the capacity to enhance student learning and improve children’s ability to retain and receive information (Wang et al., 2022). Educational institutions make the distribution of knowledge their central goal, focusing on teaching children the skills and competencies necessary for future life.
Challenges
The choice of intervention site can present challenges in reaching parts of the desired demographic. As mentioned previously, programs held in schools will be unable to reach children that are home-schooled, while interventions in higher education institutions are similarly unable to engage working adults. In order to remedy this issue, the list of intervention locations also includes community centers, which are accessible and open to both groups. The only challenge, in this case, would be to spread awareness and inform the population about the program.
Implementation of an Intervention and Methods
The function of the intervention is to limit or reduce the number of time teens, and young adults spend on their smartphones and on social media. Further, the aim is to also encourage the uninhibited use of traditional social interactions and community building among participants. The main objective of the intervention is to create a measurable benefit to the community and combat the widespread issue of PSU.
In order to achieve these goals, a number of behavioral change techniques will be utilized. First, all individuals will be provided with accurate and up-to-date information regarding PSU and its effect on their lives. This will be done to create awareness and a sense of involvement in the process. Information will be distributed in a group setting, where interventionists will be able to answer all pressing questions and encourage discussion.
After creating the desired environment, it will be necessary to facilitate environmental restructuring, which has been noted as an effective tool for combatting other types of addiction (Rodda et al., 2020). The inclusion of various applications to monitor and limit smartphone use has been found to be useful in preventing phone addiction (Schmuck, 2020). Community events such as game nights, trips to local attractions, and other types of interaction will be facilitated to help children create a better network of social activities.
Conclusion
It is expected that individuals’ ability to limit phone use will be retained over time, facilitated by the creation of social bonds and renewed interests in activities outside of the online sphere. In cases where individuals will be unable to build lasting connections or create a more stable relationship with other participants, deterioration and relapse are expected. Participants will be invited to the intervention location, and the interventionist will ask about their current smartphone habits. Questionnaires will also be distributed in order to record the time spent using smartphones and the former participants’ mental state.
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