Smartphone Addiction and Perceived Loneliness, Differences in Gender and Academic Year among College Students

The substantial advancement of technology has benefited many people, especially those involved in education. One of the most important technological advances of the twenty-first century has been the development of smartphones, Internet-enabled devices that are integrated with computer software and applications. Teenage smartphone addiction among Indian kids degrades social skills and causes significant health risks in addition to having an impact on their psychological well-being. The current study’s goal is to comprehend smartphone addiction among various college student groups. In Kolkata, 200 college students provided the information needed for this project. The chosen sample was given a basic information schedule, a Smartphone Addiction Scale, a Perceived Loneliness Scale, and both at the same time. The results demonstrated that there is a considerable mean difference between the two academic years, with the first academic year students’ mean being greater than that of third-year students. Additionally, it was discovered that there was a considerable mean difference between male and female students, with the mean score for male students being greater than the mean score for female students. There was a substantial difference between the smartphone addicted group and the non-smartphone addicted group of students, and it was also shown that the mean of perceived loneliness of smartphone addicted students was higher than that of non-addicted students. Although it can be argued that this generation of college students use their smartphones frequently, they must do it in a positive way to improve their social interaction.