An Analysis of the Impact of Smartphone Dependence on Academic Achievement, School Life Satisfaction, and Health Status among University Students

Smartphone dependence has increasingly become an important research topic due to its impact on academic achievement, school life satisfaction, and health among university students. This study aimed to analyze the effects of smartphone usage and dependence on academic achievement, school life satisfaction, musculoskeletal health, and overall health status among physical therapy students. A total of 189 questionnaires were distributed, and 151 were collected (response rate: 79.9%). Data were analyzed to assess average smartphone usage time, academic achievement, school life satisfaction, musculoskeletal symptoms, and overall health status using correlation analysis and analysis of variance (ANOVA). A strong positive correlation was found between smartphone dependence and musculoskeletal symptoms (r=.81, p=.000). Although no significant differences in academic achievement were observed among smartphone dependence groups (F=2.235, p=.111), school life satisfaction showed significant differences (F=4.734, p=.010), with high-risk users reporting significantly lower satisfaction (p=.010, p=.048). Furthermore, musculoskeletal symptom scores and overall health status also significantly differed among dependence groups (F=26.150, p=.000; F=5.034, p=.000). High-risk users exhibited significantly more severe musculoskeletal symptoms (p=.000, p=.000) and poorer overall health status compared to general users (p=.017). This study confirmed that smartphone dependence is closely related to academic achievement, school life satisfaction, musculoskeletal health, and overall health status. In particular, high-risk users showed lower school life satisfaction and poorer health conditions. This study provides foundational data for developing intervention strategies to promote health and manage smartphone dependence among university students.