The Impact of Smartphones on Students’ Psychology, Emotions, Physical Health, Management, Social Life, and Academic Performance
(1) Department of Elementary Teacher Education, Faculty of Teacher Training and Education, Universitas Pattimura, Indonesia
(2) Department of Physical Education, Health and Recreation, Universitas Pattimura, Indonesia
(3) School of Research and Evaluation, Faculty of Education, Thaksin University, Thailand
(4) Department of Public Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Pattimura, Indonesia
(5) Department of Physics Education, Faculty of Teacher Training and Education, Universitas Pattimura, Indonesia
Abstract
This study aims to analyze the impact of smartphone usage on students’ psychological, emotional, physical, social, and academic aspects at Pattimura University. A quantitative approach was employed using a voluntary survey method involving 546 students aged 18–24 years. Data were collected through a Likert-scale questionnaire and analyzed using percentage techniques. The findings indicate that excessive smartphone use has a significant multidimensional impact on students. Approximately 57.96% of respondents reported intensive social media usage patterns that interfere with concentration, while 65.69% showed notable psychological and emotional effects, including anxiety and mood disturbances. Regarding physical health, respondents reported sleep disturbances, eye strain, and reduced physical activity. Some also acknowledged that smartphone use affects social relationships and productivity, including increased procrastination and decreased academic focus. Despite these negative impacts, students demonstrated awareness of the importance of managing smartphone usage through strategies such as time limitation and digital detox. It can be concluded that uncontrolled smartphone use contributes to decreased academic performance and well-being, although adaptive skills and self-regulation may mitigate these effects.
Keywords
Full Text:
PDFReferences
Ahmed, N. (2019). Generation Z’s Smartphone and Social Media Usage: A Survey. Journalism and Mass Communication, 9(3), 101–122.
Ahmed, R. R., Salman, F., Malik, S. A., Streimikiene, D., Soomro, R. H., & Pahi, M. H. (2020). Smartphone Use and Academic Performance of University Students: A Mediation and Moderation Analysis. Sustainability, 12(1), 1–28.
Al-Abyadh, M. H. A., Alatawi, M. A., Emara, E. A. M., Almasoud, S. A., Alsetoohy, O., & Ali, A. R. M. (2024). Do Smartphone Addiction and Self-Regulation Failures Affect Students’ Academic Life Satisfaction? The Role of Students’ Mind Wandering and Cognitive Failures. Psychology Research and Behavior Management, 17, 1231–1253.
Alansari, A. N., Alwawi, A., Salim, A., Tarawah, N., Ksia, A., & Zaazouee, M. S. (2025). A Systematic Review of Social Media Impact on Psychological Well-Being Among Children, Adolescents, and Young Adults in Arab Countries. Asian Journal of Psychiatry, 104, 104793.
Alenezi, W., & Brinthaupt, T. M. (2022). The Use of Social Media as a Tool for Learning: Perspectives of Students in the Faculty of Education at Kuwait University. Contemporary Educational Technology, 14(1), 1–18.
Aloteibi, S., Ratanasiripong, P., & Priede, A. (2024). Teachers’ Perspectives Toward Smartphone Usage by Students and Resulting Classroom Policies. Journal of School Administration Research and Development, 9(2), 66–75.
Andersen, A. I. O., Skogen, J. C., Hjetland, G. J., Finserås, T. R., Bøe, T., Colman, I., & Sivertsen, B. (2026). The Relationship Between Different Aspects of Social Media Use and Mental Health Problems and Life Satisfaction Among Norwegian Students. Computers in Human Behavior Reports, 21, 1–11.
Andreassen, C. S., Pallesen, S., & Griffiths, M. D. (2017). The Relationship Between Addictive Use of Social Media, Narcissism, and Self-Esteem: Findings From a Large National Survey. Addictive Behaviors, 64, 287–293.
Arumugam, N., Selvanayagam, S., & Sathiyasenan, S. T. (2020). The Effects of Smartphone Usage on University Students. International Journal of Academic Research in Progressive Education and Development, 9(3), 170–183.
Ata?, A. H., & Çelik, B. (2019). Smartphone Use of University Students: Patterns, Purposes, and Situations. Malaysian Online Journal of Educational Technology, 7(2), 54–70.
Backer, H. G. A., & Awad, I. (2025). The Extensive Use of Social Media by Arab University Students (Gratifications, Impact, and Risks). Entertainment Computing, 53, 100926.
Chen, M., & Xiao, X. (2022). The Effect of Social Media on the Development of Students’ Affective Variables. Frontiers in Psychology, 13, 1–8.
Choksi, S. T., & Patel, N. (2021). A Study to Find Out the Correlation of Mobile Phone Addiction With Anxiety, Depression, Stress and Sleep Quality in the College Students of Surat City. International Journal of Current Research and Review, 13(8), 137–142.
Elangovan, N., & Sundaravel, E. (2021). Method of Preparing a Document for Survey Instrument Validation by Experts. MethodsX, 8, 1–9.
Elsheikh, A. A., Elsharkawy, S. A., & Ahmed, D. S. (2024). Impact of Smartphone Use at Bedtime on Sleep Quality and Academic Activities Among Medical Students at Al-Azhar University at Cairo. Journal of Public Health, 32(11), 2091–2100.
Faizi, R., El Afia, A., & Chiheb, R. (2013). Exploring the Potential Benefits of Using Social Media in Education. International Journal of Engineering Pedagogy (IJEP), 3(4), 50–53.
Fernandez, S. (2018). University Student’s Perspectives on Using Cell Phones in Classrooms - Are They Dialing up Disaster? TOJET: The Turkish Online Journal of Educational Technology, 17(1), 246–258.
Guo, Y., Li, Y., & Ito, N. (2014). Exploring the Predicted Effect of Social Networking Site Use on Perceived Social Capital and Psychological Well-Being of Chinese International Students in Japan. Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking, 17(1), 52–58.
Hartanto, A., Chua, Y. J., Quek, F. Y. X., Wong, J., Ooi, W. M., & Majeed, N. M. (2023). Problematic Smartphone Usage, Objective Smartphone Engagement, and Executive Functions: A Latent Variable Analysis. Attention, Perception, and Psychophysics, 85(8), 2610–2625.
Haug, S., Castro, R. P., Kwon, M., Filler, A., Kowatsch, T., & Schaub, M. P. (2015). Smartphone Use and Smartphone Addiction Among Young People in Switzerland. Journal of Behavioral Addictions, 4(4), 299–307.
Henry, R. K., Molnar, A., & Henry, J. C. (2012). A Survey of US Dental Practices’ Use of Social Media. Journal of Contemporary Dental Practice, 13(2), 137–141.
Islam, R., Ahmed, O., Naher, L., & Islam, N. (2025). The Association Between Problematic Smartphone Use and Subjective Well-Being in Bangladeshi Youths: Mediating Role of Sleep Quality. Addictive Behaviors Reports, 21, 1–8.
Iwamoto, D., & Chun, H. (2020). The Emotional Impact of Social Media in Higher Education. International Journal of Higher Education, 9(2), 239–247.
Joshi, S. C., Woltering, S., & Woodward, J. (2023). Cell Phone Social Media Use and Psychological Well-Being in Young Adults: Implications for Internet-Related Disorders. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 20(2), 1–15.
Kim, Y., Kim, B., Hwang, H. S., & Lee, D. (2020). Social Media and Life Satisfaction Among College Students: A Moderated Mediation Model of SNS Communication Network Heterogeneity and Social Self-Efficacy on Satisfaction With Campus Life. Social Science Journal, 57(1), 85–100.
Kolhar, M., Kazi, R. N. A., & Alameen, A. (2021). Effect of Social Media Use on Learning, Social Interactions, and Sleep Duration Among University Students. Saudi Journal of Biological Sciences, 28(4), 2216–2222.
Labudová, L. (2024). Current Leading Social Media Platforms Used by Marketers and Its Benefits. European Conference on Social Media, 11(1), 394–401.
Laumann, D., Krause, M., Kremer, F. E., & Leibrock, B. (2025). Mobile Learning in the Classroom – Should Students Bring Mobile Devices for Learning, or Should These Be Provided by Schools? Education and Information Technologies, 30, 9463–9496.
Lee, J., Sung, M. J., Song, S. H., Lee, Y. M., Lee, J. J., Cho, S. M., ... & Shin, Y. M. (2018). Psychological Factors Associated With Smartphone Addiction in South Korean Adolescents. The Journal of Early Adolescence, 38(3), 288–302.
Lei, L. Y. C., Ismail, M. A. A., Mohammad, J. A. M., & Yusoff, M. S. B. (2020). The Relationship of Smartphone Addiction With Psychological Distress and Neuroticism Among University Medical Students. BMC Psychology, 8(1), 97.
Lin, Y., Zhou, X., & Lin, Y. (2025). Unravelling the Dynamics Between Smartphone Use and Psychological Well-Being: A Two-Wave Panel Study. Behaviour & Information Technology, 44(16), 3935–3961.
Majeed, S., Ateeque, A., Rehman, M., Riaz, A., & Paul, A. (2022). The Relationship Between Social Media Usage and Mental Well-Being Among Young Adults. Pakistan Journal of Medical & Health Sciences, 16(12), 128–131.
Marino, C., Gini, G., Vieno, A., & Spada, M. M. (2018). A Comprehensive Meta-Analysis on Problematic Facebook Use. Computers in Human Behavior, 83, 262–277.
Maweu, G., & Yudah, O. A. (2020). Utilization of Social Media Platforms Among Information Science Students at University of Kabianga. OALib, 7(3), 1–11.
Memon, M. A., Ting, H., Cheah, J. H., Thurasamy, R., Chuah, F., & Cham, T. H. (2020). Sample Size for Survey Research: Review and Recommendations. Journal of Applied Structural Equation Modeling, 4(2), 1–20.
Merino, M., Tornero-Aguilera, J. F., Rubio-Zarapuz, A., Villanueva-Tobaldo, C. V., Martín-Rodríguez, A., & Clemente-Suárez, V. J. (2024). Body Perceptions and Psychological Well-Being: A Review of the Impact of Social Media and Physical Measurements on Self-Esteem and Mental Health With a Focus on Body Image Satisfaction and Its Relationship With Cultural and Gender Factors. Healthcare, 12(14), 1396.
Mitrulescu, C. M. (2024). The Impact of Social Media on EFL Learning and Student Motivation: A Literature Review. Scientific Bulletin, 29(1), 61–67.
Nafisah, A., Ahmed, N. S., Balamurugan, T., Gimka, K., & Wijaya, L. C. (2024). The Effect of Social Media on Students’ School Life in Indonesia. Acta Pedagogia Asiana, 3(2), 80–90.
Nurfalah, F., Brajadenta, G., Siraj, N., Santika, R. N., & Forrer, C. (2023). Social Media for Indonesian and Philippines Students. Jurnal Kajian Komunikasi, 11(1), 49.
Pang, H. (2018). How Does Time Spent on WeChat Bolster Subjective Well-Being Through Social Integration and Social Capital? Telematics and Informatics, 35(8), 2147–2156.
Phu, B., & Gow, A. J. (2019). Facebook Use and Its Association With Subjective Happiness and Loneliness. Computers in Human Behavior, 92, 151–159.
Punir, S. (2021). Impact of the Use of Smartphones on Academic Performance of Students: A Cross-Sectional Study. Elementary Education Online, 20(6), 5024–5030.
Purboningsih, E. R., Massar, K., Hinduan, Z. R., Agustiani, H., Ruiter, R. A., & Verduyn, P. (2023). Perception and Use of Social Media by Indonesian Adolescents and Parents: A Qualitative Study. Frontiers in Psychology, 13, 985112.
Rai, S., Saroshe, S., Khatri, A., Sirohi, S., & Dixit, S. (2016). A Cross Sectional Study to Assess the Effects of Excessive Use of Smartphones Among Professional College Going Students. International Journal of Community Medicine and Public Health, 3(3), 758–763.
Schladitz, S., Rölle, D., & Drüge, M. (2024). Is Intrinsic Motivation Related to Lower Stress Among University Students? Relationships Between Motivation for Enrolling in a Study Program, Stress, and Coping Strategies. Education Sciences, 14(8), 1–13.
Sekarrini, L. (2020). The Impact of Smartphone Usage in Adolescents 15-24 Years Old in Jabodetabek Region. Indonesian Journal of Public Health, 15(1), 103–111.
Shabur, M. A., & Siddiki, M. R. (2024). Investigating Social Media's Impact on the New Era of Interactive Learning: A Case Study of Bangladesh. Heliyon, 10(4).
Shekhawat, D. S., Kapoor, H., Gupta, V., & Tiwari, M. (2024). Effect of Frequent Smartphone Use on Children’s Cognitive Function: An Observational Study. Age, 6(3), 1–6.
Sipetic, S. (2023). Smartphone Addiction, Sleep Quality, Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Among Medical Students. Frontiers in Public Health, 11, 1–10.
Siste, K., Suwartono, C., Nasrun, M. W., Bardosono, S., Sekartini, R., Pandelaki, J., Sarasvita, R., Murtani, B. J., Damayanti, R., & Wiguna, T. (2021). Validation Study of the Indonesian Internet Addiction Test Among Adolescents. PLoS ONE, 16(2), 1–15.
Sivakumar, A., Jayasingh, S., & Shaik, S. (2023). Social Media Influence on Students’ Knowledge Sharing and Learning: An Empirical Study. Education Sciences, 13(7), 1–16.
Smith, D., Leonis, T., & Anandavalli, S. (2021). Belonging and Loneliness in Cyberspace: Impacts of Social Media on Adolescents’ Well-Being. Australian Journal of Psychology, 73(1), 12–23.
Timung, B., Bordoloi, K., & Mohan, A. (2024). The Influence of Social Media on Learning Behaviours: A Social Science Perspective. Intercontinental Social Science Journal, 6(1), 379–391.
Tuliao, R. C., Santos, A. R., & Ortega, S. A. (2025). The Role of Mobile Phones in Facilitating Business Education During the Transition to New Normal Learning Models. International Review of Management and Marketing, 15(1), 146–158.
Utz, S., & Breuer, J. (2017). The Relationship Between Use of Social Network Sites, Online Social Support, and Well-Being: Results From a Six-Wave Longitudinal Study. Journal of Media Psychology, 29(3), 115–125.
Vaccaro, M. (2020). How Much Are Aware of the Effects of Smartphone Use in Daily Activities? Ergonomics International Journal, 4(2), 1–10.
Wang, J. L., Jackson, L. A., Gaskin, J., & Wang, H. Z. (2014). The Effects of Social Networking Site (SNS) Use on College Students’ Friendship and Well-Being. Computers in Human Behavior, 37, 229–236.
Wu, X., Chen, X., Han, J., Meng, H., Luo, J., Nydegger, L., & Wu, H. (2013). Prevalence and Factors of Addictive Internet Use Among Adolescents in Wuhan, China: Interactions of Parental Relationship With Age and Hyperactivity-Impulsivity. PLoS ONE, 8(4), 4–11.
Yang, Q. (2025). The Role of Social Media in Shaping Visual Culture and Identity Using Machine Learning Methods With Featuring Engineering. Alexandria Engineering Journal, 120, 349–357.
Yang, C. C., & Lee, Y. (2020). Interactants and Activities on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter: Associations Between Social Media Use and Social Adjustment to College. Applied Developmental Science, 24(1), 62–78.
Yang, S. Y., Lin, C. Y., Huang, Y. C., & Chang, J. H. (2018). Gender Differences in the Association of Smartphone Use With the Vitality and Mental Health of Adolescent Students. Journal of American College Health, 66(7), 693–701.
Zhang, C., Tang, L., & Liu, Z. (2023). How Social Media Usage Affects Psychological and Subjective Well-Being: Testing a Moderated Mediation Model. BMC Psychology, 11(1), 1–20.
Zhang, J., & Zeng, Y. (2024). Effect of College Students' Smartphone Addiction on Academic Achievement: The Mediating Role of Academic Anxiety and Moderating Role of Sense of Academic Control. Psychology Research and Behavior Management, 17, 933–944.
Zhao, L. (2021). The Impact of Social Media Use Types and Social Media Addiction on Subjective Well-Being of College Students: A Comparative Analysis of Addicted and Non-Addicted Students. Computers in Human Behavior Reports, 4, 1–7.
Refbacks
- There are currently no refbacks.
View My Stats