*BEDE CHINONYE AKPUNNE, Ph.D., & **FRANCIS CHUKWUEMEKA UZONWANNE, Ph.D.

Abstract

This study examined the predictive effect of Problematic Smartphone Use (PSU) on severities of depression, anxiety and psychological distress over and beyond the controlled possible effect of Internet Addiction among university undergraduates in Osun State, Southwestern Nigeria. A cross sectional survey design involving  a purposive sampling technique was used to select 854 university undergraduates,  made up of 342 males and 512 females, with  mean age = 20.5 years, who responded to Internet Addiction Test (IAT), Smartphone Addiction Scale – Short Version (SAS-SV), Becks Anxiety Inventory (BAI), Centre for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale (CES-D) and General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12). Frequency counts and hierarchical multiple regression analysis were used to answer the research questions. Observed patterns of the dependent variables showed 49.8% prevalence of depression with 10.8% of participants at pathological level, 50.6% prevalence of anxiety, and 47.6% prevalence of psychological distress with 16.1% and 11.8% respectively at pathological levels. Measures of PSU explained additional 3.2% of the variance in depression, 2.0% of the variance in anxiety and 3.5% of the variance in psychological distress respectively after controlling for internet addiction. There is a high prevalence of anxiety, depression and psychological distress among Nigerian university undergraduates. PSU adds incrementally to severities of depression, anxiety and psychological over and beyond Internet Addiction.

Key Words: Problematic Smartphone Use, Internet Addiction, Depression, Anxiety Psychological Distress   

^JCMR Journal of Communication and Media Research, Vol. 12, No. 2, October 2020, pp. 92-103

© Association of Media and Communication Researchers of Nigeria (AMCRON).

About the authors

*    Bede Chinonye Akpunne, Ph.D., is a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Behavioural Studies (Psychology Programme), Redeemers University, Ede, Osun State, Nigeria. He has a background in Social Work and Clinical Psychology. His research areas of interest include but are not limited to Problematic smartphone Use, Adolescent Psychotherapy, Clinical Psychopathology among varied groups.

**  Francis Chukwuemeka Uzonwanne, Ph.D. is a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Behavioural Studies (Psychology Programme), Redeemers University, Ede, Osun State. He has a background in Guidance and Counseling and Industrial/Organizational Psychology. His research areas of interest include but are not limited to Organizational Psychology Studies, Leadership Styles, Decision Making, Occupational Behaviour.

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Article Citation

Akpunne, B. C. & Uzonwanne, F. C. (2020). Problematic smartphone use as a predictor of depression, anxiety and psychological distress among undergraduate students in four selected Nigerian universities. Journal of Communication and Media Research, 12 (2): 92 – 103.