Psychosocial characteristics of smartphone use behaviors – comparison between urban and rural school students in India

Objective: To compare smartphone usage between urban and rural high school students in North India. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted among high school smartphone users aged 13–18 years, from urban and rural settings in North India. Demographic data were collected, and a validated 45-item tool was used to assess problematic smartphone use (PSU). Data analysis was done using Stata version 12.0. Logistic regression was used to identify independent predictors of problematic use. Results: A total of 578 students participated in the study, with a mean age of 14.8 years. PSU was identified in 38.9% of participants (urban: 43.7%; rural: 35.8%; P = 0.06). Among urban students, age emerged as a significant predictor, with older students displaying a greater likelihood of problematic use (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 3.16). In rural students, problematic use was significantly influenced by gender (higher in males, aOR = 2.80), type of school (private school students, aOR = 3.94), usage of multiple devices (aOR = 4.34), and engagement in social networking activities (aOR = 3.21). Furthermore, higher maternal education level was identified as a protective factor against problematic use among rural adolescents (aOR = 0.13). Notably, unsuccessful attempts to control or reduce smartphone use were significantly higher among rural students (42.7%) compared to urban students (32.6%) ( P = 0.02). Conclusion: PSU was comparable between urban students and rural students. Gender, maternal education, and economic access influenced smartphone use among school students in India. There is an urgent need to address the specific risk factors related to both urban and rural contexts.