The Impact of Smartphone Addiction on Users in an Urbanized Environment of Ibadan, Oyo-State, Nigeria

Smartphone addiction refers to an intense focus on a smartphone, often through social media, games, or other apps, causing difficulties in coping without the device. This was conducted to examine the effects of smartphone addiction on users in Ibadan, Oyo state. The study used a mixed survey research method, administering 400 structured questionnaires across the LGAs in Ibadan. The Smartphone Addiction Scale (SAS) Instrument, with six subscale factors, was used to question respondents. Correlation Analysis, specifically Spearman's rho correlation coefficient, explored the relationship between smartphone usage frequency and daily life outcomes. The analysis revealed that extended smartphone usage was positively correlated with physical issues such as neck stiffness, insomnia symptoms, blurred vision, and wrist pain. Furthermore, it was found that longer smartphone usage was negatively correlated with the ability to cope without the device and had a minimal impact on social interactions. In conclusion, the study suggests that smartphone overuse has detrimental effects on users' physical and mental well-being, and it may be helpful to reduce smartphone usage to mitigate these effects.