Behavior ProblemNCT03260296
Smartphones Addiction in Assiut University Students
An observational study of Behavior Problem and Addiction, run by Assiut University at 1 site in Egypt.
Trial summary
Smartphones have become a part of our daily life, the number of people using smartphones is increasing day after day. Easy access to internet is the main advantage of smartphones in comparison to traditional mobile phones, so they are considered as handheld convenient substitutes to computers. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 17 to 23 years
- Conditions the study is for
- Behavior Problem, Addiction
- What is being tested?
- self-administered structured questionnaire
- How many people
- 693 participants
- Where
- 1 siteEgypt
- Study dates
- Oct 2018to Oct 2019
- Phase
- Observational
- Are there results?
- None posted in the registry
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 17 to 23 years
- All sexes
- No healthy volunteers
- Child, Adult
Study population: Egyptian Students of Assiut University will be the target population Target students will be selected randomly by using a multistage stratified cluster sampling technique. At the first stage, Faculties within Assiut University will be stratified into 3 strata; Practical , Theoretical and Medical then faculties will be chosen randomly from each stratum to end up with 4 faculties (2 theoretical, 1 practical and 1 medical). In the second stage, cluster sample will be chosen from one academic year within each faculty (practical sections or small classes). The clusters will be chosen through simple random sample.
Who may be able to join
- -Egyptian students
- Students in one selected academic year
- Students have smartphones
Who cannot join
- -Non-Egyptian students
- Students in academic years other than the selected one
- Students having traditional mobile phones or not having mobile phones at all
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country.
About this study
Official title: Smartphones Addiction and Its Correlations Among Assiut University Students
Smartphones have become a part of our daily life, the number of people using smartphones is increasing day after day. Easy access to internet is the main advantage of smartphones in comparison to traditional mobile phones, so they are considered as handheld convenient substitutes to computers. People use smartphones for many different purposes such as communication, entertainment, browsing for information, education or business facilitation. Unfortunately the excessive use of smartphones makes people 'addicted' to that type of technology. Past research has shown that older people have less positive attitudes towards a variety of technologies and they are less likely than younger people to embrace new technology, so It seems that the problem of smartphones addiction is most likely to affect young people who are fascinated with new technologies.
Read the detailed description
What is smartphones addiction? The concept of smartphones addiction is not proposed yet for inclusion in the fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) as non-substance-related disorder but it can be considered one type of technological addictions which were operationally defined by Griffiths as non-chemical (behavioral) addictions which involve human-machine interaction and usually contain inducing and reinforcing features which may contribute to the promotion of addictive tendencies.
Furthermore, Recent work by Lin, et al identified the criteria for diagnosis smartphones addiction as following:
- Behavioral criteria (3 or more should be present):
- Preoccupation with smartphone use, and hence keeping smartphone available all day
- Recurrent failure to resist the impulse to use the smartphone
- Tolerance: a markedly increase in the duration of smartphone use is needed to achieve satisfaction
- Withdrawal: as manifested by a dysphoric mood, anxiety and/or irritability after a period without smartphone use
- Smartphone use for a period longer than intended
- Persistent desire and/or unsuccessful attempts to cut down or reduce smartphone use
- Excessive smartphone use and/or time spent on leaving the use
- Continued excessive smartphone use despite knowledge of having a persistent or recurrent physical or psychological problems caused by smartphone use
- Functional impairment criteria (2 or more criteria should be present):
- Excessive use resulting in persistent or recurrent physical or psychological problems
- Use in a physically hazardous situations (such as while driving or crossing the street) or situations that have other negative impacts on daily life
- Use that impairs social relationships or performance at school or work
- Use that is very time-consuming or causes significant distress C. Exclusion criteria Addictive behavior is not associated with obsessive-compulsive disorder or bipolar disorder
Factors associated with smartphones addiction:
- There are many psychological factors related to smartphones addiction such as anxiety, stress, poor social and family relationship, depression, loneliness, shyness, degree of self-esteem and satisfaction with life.
- Studies have also shown the adverse effects of smartphones addiction on quality of sleep, physical activity and academic performance.
- Smartphones addiction also have harmful physical consequences like headache, blurred vision, neck and shoulder pain and impairment of hand function.
Size of problem:
Prevalence of smartphones addiction in young people varies among countries as shown by studies: 29.6% in Saudi Arabia, 44.6% in Lebanon,16.9% in Switzerland, 21.3% in China and 31.33% in India.
-there is no available data about the size of this of this problem in Egypt so investigators need to conduct this study to determine the prevalence of smartphones addiction among young people and it adverse effect on different aspects.
- Conditions
- Behavior Problem, Addiction
- Being tested
- self-administered structured questionnaire
- Keywords
- smartphones addiction
- Medical subject headings
- Mental Disorders, Behavior, Addictive
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
self-administered structured questionnaireOther
Data will be collected by self-administered structured questionnaire. The aim of the study and the way of filling the questionnaire will be explained to the students, and then he/she fills the questionnaire by him/her self.
The questionnaire will assess smartphones addiction and some of its associated factors and its health consequences
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| University students | university students who use smartphones Receives: Other: self-administered structured questionnaire |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Smartphones addiction scale (SAS)
Prevalence of smartphones addiction and its adverse effects will be evaluated by a self-administered questionnaire guided by smartphones addiction scale developed by Kwon et al.
Measured: 6 months
Secondary outcomes (1)
Factors associated with smartphones addiction questionnaire
the study will assess some associated factors that may be risk factors to smartphones addiction as depression and loneliness
Measured: 6 months
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted24 Aug 2017
- Study startOct 2018 (estimated)
- Primary completionMay 2019 (estimated)
- Study completionOct 2019 (estimated)
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Publications (9)Papers the sponsor has linked to this study.
- Other trials for Behavior ProblemStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- More trials run by Assiut UniversityThe sponsor's other registered studies.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Observational
- Observational model
- Other
- Time perspective
- Cross-sectional
- Enrolment
- 693 participants (estimated)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Assiut University
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, Mariam Gamal, Assiut University
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT03260296
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- 7990
- Status last verified
- Aug 2017
- First submitted
- 20 Aug 2017
- Last updated
- 24 Aug 2017
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- Undecided
Publications
Lin YH, Lin YC, Lee YH, Lin PH, Lin SH, Chang LR, Tseng HW, Yen LY, Yang CC, Kuo TB. Time distortion associated with smartphone addiction: Identifying smartphone addiction via a mobile application (App). J Psychiatr Res. 2015 Jun;65:139-45. doi: 10.1016/j.jpsychires.2015.04.003. Epub 2015 Apr 10.
PubMed 25935253Griffiths M. Gambling on the internet: A brief note. J Gambl Stud. 1996 Dec;12(4):471-3. doi: 10.1007/BF01539190. No abstract available.
PubMed 24234164Demirci K, Akgonul M, Akpinar A. Relationship of smartphone use severity with sleep quality, depression, and anxiety in university students. J Behav Addict. 2015 Jun;4(2):85-92. doi: 10.1556/2006.4.2015.010.
PubMed 26132913Kim SE, Kim JW, Jee YS. Relationship between smartphone addiction and physical activity in Chinese international students in Korea. J Behav Addict. 2015 Sep;4(3):200-5. doi: 10.1556/2006.4.2015.028.
PubMed 26551911Kim HJ; DH; Kim JS. The relationship between smartphone use and subjective musculoskeletal symptoms and university students. J Phys Ther Sci. 2015 Mar;27(3):575-9. doi: 10.1589/jpts.27.575. Epub 2015 Mar 31.
PubMed 25931684Haug S, Castro RP, Kwon M, Filler A, Kowatsch T, Schaub MP. Smartphone use and smartphone addiction among young people in Switzerland. J Behav Addict. 2015 Dec;4(4):299-307. doi: 10.1556/2006.4.2015.037.
PubMed 26690625Nikhita CS, Jadhav PR, Ajinkya SA. Prevalence of Mobile Phone Dependence in Secondary School Adolescents. J Clin Diagn Res. 2015 Nov;9(11):VC06-VC09. doi: 10.7860/JCDR/2015/14396.6803. Epub 2015 Nov 1.
PubMed 26672469Long J, Liu TQ, Liao YH, Qi C, He HY, Chen SB, Billieux J. Prevalence and correlates of problematic smartphone use in a large random sample of Chinese undergraduates. BMC Psychiatry. 2016 Nov 17;16(1):408. doi: 10.1186/s12888-016-1083-3.
PubMed 27855666Kwon M, Lee JY, Won WY, Park JW, Min JA, Hahn C, Gu X, Choi JH, Kim DJ. Development and validation of a smartphone addiction scale (SAS). PLoS One. 2013;8(2):e56936. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0056936. Epub 2013 Feb 27.
PubMed 23468893
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 24 Aug 2017. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Smartphones Addiction and Its Correlations Among Assiut University Students
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT03260296
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- 7990
- Conditions
- Behavior Problem, Addiction
- Keywords
- smartphones addiction
- Study type
- Observational
- Recruitment status
- Unknown status
- Enrolment
- 693 participants (estimated)
- Lead sponsor
- Assiut UniversityUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- Oct 2018 (estimated)
- Primary completion
- May 2019 (estimated)
- Study completion
- Oct 2019 (estimated)
- First posted
- 24 Aug 2017 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
Smartphones have become a part of our daily life, the number of people using smartphones is increasing day after day. Easy access to internet is the main advantage of smartphones in comparison to traditional mobile phones, so they are considered as handheld convenient substitutes to computers. People use smartphones for many different purposes such as communication, entertainment, browsing for information, education or business facilitation. Unfortunately the excessive use of smartphones makes people 'addicted' to that type of technology. Past research has shown that older people have less positive attitudes towards a variety of technologies and they are less likely than younger people to embrace new technology, so It seems that the problem of smartphones addiction is most likely to affect young people who are fascinated with new technologies.
Detailed description
What is smartphones addiction? The concept of smartphones addiction is not proposed yet for inclusion in the fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) as non-substance-related disorder but it can be considered one type of technological addictions which were operationally defined by Griffiths as non-chemical (behavioral) addictions which involve human-machine interaction and usually contain inducing and reinforcing features which may contribute to the promotion of addictive tendencies.
Furthermore, Recent work by Lin, et al identified the criteria for diagnosis smartphones addiction as following:
- Behavioral criteria (3 or more should be present):
- Preoccupation with smartphone use, and hence keeping smartphone available all day
- Recurrent failure to resist the impulse to use the smartphone
- Tolerance: a markedly increase in the duration of smartphone use is needed to achieve satisfaction
- Withdrawal: as manifested by a dysphoric mood, anxiety and/or irritability after a period without smartphone use
- Smartphone use for a period longer than intended
- Persistent desire and/or unsuccessful attempts to cut down or reduce smartphone use
- Excessive smartphone use and/or time spent on leaving the use
- Continued excessive smartphone use despite knowledge of having a persistent or recurrent physical or psychological problems caused by smartphone use
- Functional impairment criteria (2 or more criteria should be present):
- Excessive use resulting in persistent or recurrent physical or psychological problems
- Use in a physically hazardous situations (such as while driving or crossing the street) or situations that have other negative impacts on daily life
- Use that impairs social relationships or performance at school or work
- Use that is very time-consuming or causes significant distress C. Exclusion criteria Addictive behavior is not associated with obsessive-compulsive disorder or bipolar disorder
Factors associated with smartphones addiction:
- There are many psychological factors related to smartphones addiction such as anxiety, stress, poor social and family relationship, depression, loneliness, shyness, degree of self-esteem and satisfaction with life.
- Studies have also shown the adverse effects of smartphones addiction on quality of sleep, physical activity and academic performance.
- Smartphones addiction also have harmful physical consequences like headache, blurred vision, neck and shoulder pain and impairment of hand function.
Size of problem:
Prevalence of smartphones addiction in young people varies among countries as shown by studies: 29.6% in Saudi Arabia, 44.6% in Lebanon,16.9% in Switzerland, 21.3% in China and 31.33% in India.
-there is no available data about the size of this of this problem in Egypt so investigators need to conduct this study to determine the prevalence of smartphones addiction among young people and it adverse effect on different aspects.
Study design
- Observational model
- Other
- Time perspective
- Cross-sectional
- Number of arms
- 1
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| University students | – | Other: self-administered structured questionnaireuniversity students who use smartphones |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 17 to 23 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Not accepted
- Age groups
- Child, Adult
- Study population
- Egyptian Students of Assiut University will be the target population Target students will be selected randomly by using a multistage stratified cluster sampling technique. At the first stage, Faculties within Assiut University will be stratified into 3 strata; Practical , Theoretical and Medical then faculties will be chosen randomly from each stratum to end up with 4 faculties (2 theoretical, 1 practical and 1 medical). In the second stage, cluster sample will be chosen from one academic year within each faculty (practical sections or small classes). The clusters will be chosen through simple random sample.
Key inclusion criteria (3 listed)
- -Egyptian students
- Students in one selected academic year
- Students have smartphones
Key exclusion criteria (3 listed)
- -Non-Egyptian students
- Students in academic years other than the selected one
- Students having traditional mobile phones or not having mobile phones at all
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| self-administered structured questionnaireData will be collected by self-administered structured questionnaire. The aim of the study and the way of filling the questionnaire will be explained to the students, and then he/she fills the questionnaire by him/her self. The questionnaire will assess smartphones addiction and some of its associated factors and its health consequences | Other | University students |
Primary outcome
Smartphones addiction scale (SAS)
Time frame: 6 months
Prevalence of smartphones addiction and its adverse effects will be evaluated by a self-administered questionnaire guided by smartphones addiction scale developed by Kwon et al.
1 secondary outcome
Factors associated with smartphones addiction questionnaire
Time frame: 6 months
Results and safety
Results are not available in the source record.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 24 Aug 2017.
- Results publication: PubMed 25935253Lin YH, Lin YC, Lee YH, Lin PH, Lin SH, Chang LR, Tseng HW, Yen LY, Yang CC, Kuo TB. Time distortion associated with smartphone addiction: Identifying smartphone addiction via a mobile application (App). J Psychiatr Res. 2015 Jun;65:139-45. doi: 10.1016/j.jpsychires.2015.04.003. Epub 2015 Apr 10.
- Results publication: PubMed 24234164Griffiths M. Gambling on the internet: A brief note. J Gambl Stud. 1996 Dec;12(4):471-3. doi: 10.1007/BF01539190. No abstract available.
- Results publication: PubMed 26132913Demirci K, Akgonul M, Akpinar A. Relationship of smartphone use severity with sleep quality, depression, and anxiety in university students. J Behav Addict. 2015 Jun;4(2):85-92. doi: 10.1556/2006.4.2015.010.
- Results publication: PubMed 26551911Kim SE, Kim JW, Jee YS. Relationship between smartphone addiction and physical activity in Chinese international students in Korea. J Behav Addict. 2015 Sep;4(3):200-5. doi: 10.1556/2006.4.2015.028.
- Results publication: PubMed 25931684Kim HJ; DH; Kim JS. The relationship between smartphone use and subjective musculoskeletal symptoms and university students. J Phys Ther Sci. 2015 Mar;27(3):575-9. doi: 10.1589/jpts.27.575. Epub 2015 Mar 31.
- Results publication: PubMed 26690625Haug S, Castro RP, Kwon M, Filler A, Kowatsch T, Schaub MP. Smartphone use and smartphone addiction among young people in Switzerland. J Behav Addict. 2015 Dec;4(4):299-307. doi: 10.1556/2006.4.2015.037.
- Results publication: PubMed 26672469Nikhita CS, Jadhav PR, Ajinkya SA. Prevalence of Mobile Phone Dependence in Secondary School Adolescents. J Clin Diagn Res. 2015 Nov;9(11):VC06-VC09. doi: 10.7860/JCDR/2015/14396.6803. Epub 2015 Nov 1.
- Results publication: PubMed 27855666Long J, Liu TQ, Liao YH, Qi C, He HY, Chen SB, Billieux J. Prevalence and correlates of problematic smartphone use in a large random sample of Chinese undergraduates. BMC Psychiatry. 2016 Nov 17;16(1):408. doi: 10.1186/s12888-016-1083-3.
- Results publication: PubMed 23468893Kwon M, Lee JY, Won WY, Park JW, Min JA, Hahn C, Gu X, Choi JH, Kim DJ. Development and validation of a smartphone addiction scale (SAS). PLoS One. 2013;8(2):e56936. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0056936. Epub 2013 Feb 27.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: Undecided
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Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part. This study is not recruiting at the moment.
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
An observational study of Behavior Problem and Addiction, run by Assiut University at 1 site in Egypt.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 3 inclusion and 3 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: status not confirmed, as of the sponsor's last update on 24 Aug 2017. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 1 site in Egypt. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
Results are not available in the source record.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
Contact Hosnia Said, MD (+201062170293, hosniasa@yahoo.com), or a site near the patient. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Smartphones addiction scale (SAS) (time frame: 6 months). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
On the ClinicalTrials.gov record for NCT03260296, which also lists 9 linked publications.
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 24 Aug 2017.