Startling Figures: A quarter of all young people and Smartphone-addicted

Send E-Mails, social networks, scroll through it and make Transfers – thanks to the smartphone, all while on the go.

For many adult users of the electronic device is a daily companion, and from everyday life.

But more and more children and young people have early access to a Smartphone and have the child age, a private.

A study by the King’s College London has now found out that the most Recent have a quick addiction-like behavior.

The results of the study were published in the journal ‘BMC Psychatry’.

Can smartphone to trigger depression?

Especially in recent years, the use of Smartphones has increased in children and adolescents significantly.

At the same time an increase was noted more frequently of mental disorders in the same age group – including poor sleeping and thoughts of suicide, with serious implications for the life-long mental health.

The scientists around the author of the Study Dr. Nicola lime from the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience studied in a meta-study the relationships between smartphone use and depressive symptoms in adolescents and children.

Smartphones promote mental health problems

For the study, the researchers examined various international studies from the years 2011 to 2015, the Searches with the keywords “mobile phone”, “on”, and “young people” in left.

This time limit was specifically chosen to capture studies on the current and modern Smartphone technology. Two independent researchers reviewed the results of the search strategy and the full texts of all studies that fulfilled these criteria.

At the end of the search strategy, 41 or of appropriate studies were found, with a total of over 40,000 subjects, the connection between Smartphones and depression suspect.

Young people are prone to behavior dependencies

The study determined that smartphone users also the obtaining of acceptance with your electronic device before all communication, Social Networking, but in connection.

In addition, the study of behavior of dependencies like Internet addiction, Facebook addiction was compulsive, buying, and increased alcohol and nicotine consumption with the use of Smartphones in.

It turned out that especially the 17 – to 19 Year-olds were vulnerable to the appropriate searches.

Overall, 23 percent of young people signs of a “problematic smartphone usage” (PSU), so a problematic Smartphone usage, and showed.

Smartphone use causes mental health problems

The researchers defined a PSU as a behavior in connection with the use of Smartphones, this is dependent – for example, fear, when the phone is not available or if other activities are neglected.

The study also revealed that States it in fact, relationships between PSU and psychological problems such as anxiety, Stress, sleep disturbances, and depressive moods are.

Dr Nicola Kalk, in a communication to the study: “There is a need for public awareness of the use of Smartphones in children and young people. Parents should be aware of how much time their children spend on their cell phones.”

German study confirmed the presumption

A study of the DAK-health and the German centre for addiction issues investigated by the Social Media addiction of children and young people at the age of twelve to 17 years of age in Germany.

According to the study, 2.6 percent of children and adolescents meet the criteria for dependence.

The study shows that children spend an average of two and a half hours a day with social media, this intensive use is causing health and social problems. Lack of sleep, escapism and a dispute with the parents of the consequences.

The German government drugs Commissioner, Marlene Mortler, explains: “Social media are an indispensable part of our everyday life. The study, however, confirms what we knew already for a long time: too Much Smartphone and co. damage the health and family life.”

Sources

• BMC Psychiatry: Prevalence of problematic smartphone usage and associated mental health outcomes amongst children and young people: a systematic review, meta-analysis and GRADE of the evidence, retrieved at the 29.11.2019 https://bmcpsychiatry.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12888-019-2350-x
• DAK health: WhatsApp, Instagram and co. – so addicted to Social Media, makes retrieved on 29.11.2019 https://www.dak.de/dak/bundesthemen/onlinesucht-studie-2106298.html

Antonia Hagedorn

*The contribution of “Startling Figures: A quarter of all young people is the Smartphone-addicted” will be released by FitForFun. Contact with the executives here.