Psychosocial Predictors of Smartphone Addiction Among Nigerian Undergraduates

Smartphone addiction may be seen as a way of coping with underlying psychological distress but the long-term effect of excessive smartphone use is a matter of under-researched public health concern, especially among an at-risk population - university students in Nigeria. This study explored the predictive influence of psychosocial factors - shyness, loneliness, social maladjustment, gender and school-related variables on smartphone addiction among students in selected Nigerian Universities. In this cross-sectional survey, data were collected from 498 undergraduates {255 (51.2%) males and 243 (48.8%) females} with a mean age of participants at 18.30 (SD = 2.03), using psychometrically-robust measures of shyness, loneliness, social maladjustment and smartphone addiction. It was hypothesised that high scores on shyness, loneliness and social maladjustment will be associated with higher levels of smartphone addiction and that school-related variables would significantly influence smartphone addiction among university students. Results indicated a 17.1% prevalence of smartphone addiction among the participants. Results also indicated that loneliness (β = 0.20; t = 4.57; p <.05) and social maladjustment (β = 0.26; t = 5.94; p <.05) significantly independently predicted smartphones while shyness did not (β = 0.03; t = 0.69; p >.05). Jointly, the three variables had a significant prediction of smartphone addiction {F (3,491) = 22.93, adj.R2 = .12, p <.01}. It is recommended that psychologists and school counsellors should be more involved in the emotional well-being of university students. Parents and other stakeholders should help students/children by observing those showing signs of loneliness, shyness and social maladjustment, and engaging them in robust, non-evaluative social interactions with a view to minimising resorting to excessive use of smartphones.