A Study of Smartphone Addiction, Mental Health and Social Maturity among Secondary and Higher Secondary School Students

The present study examined smartphone addiction, mental health, and social maturity among secondary and higher secondary school students in Jalgaon district. Adolescence is a sensitive developmental stage in which technology use, emotional adjustment, and social development interact closely. With the rapid expansion of smartphone access, concerns have increased regarding excessive use and its possible impact on students’ psychological well-being and maturity. The study was conducted on a sample of 200 students, including 100 secondary school students and 100 higher secondary school students selected from Jalgaon district. A descriptive survey method was employed. Data were collected with the help of the Smartphone Addiction Scale, the Mental Health Scale, and Rao’s Social Maturity Scale. The statistical techniques used were the mean, standard deviation, independent-samples t-test, and Pearson’s correlation coefficient. The findings indicated that higher secondary school students showed significantly higher smartphone addiction than secondary school students. Secondary school students obtained significantly better mental health scores than higher secondary school students. Higher secondary school students scored significantly higher on social maturity than secondary school students. Correlation analysis further showed that smartphone addiction was negatively related to mental health and social maturity, whereas mental health and social maturity were positively associated. The study highlights the need for balanced digital habits, school-based mental health support, and structured interventions to promote responsible smartphone use among adolescents. The findings may help teachers, parents, and school counsellors understand the developmental differences between the two groups and design age-appropriate guidance programmes.