DOI: 10.4103/ipj.ipj_495_25 ISSN: 0972-6748

Problematic mobile phone use and academic stress among Indian high school students: A cross-sectional study

Markanday Sharma, Bikram K. Dutta, Suprakash Chaudhury

ABSTRACT

Background:

The proliferation of mobile phone usage among adolescents has raised concerns about its psychological impact, particularly regarding problematic use patterns and academic stress.

Aim:

This study investigated the relationship between problematic mobile phone use and academic stress among high school students from a nearby school in the northeastern region of India.

Materials and Methods:

A cross-sectional study was conducted among 90 high school students (38 from Class X and 52 from Class XII) using the Mobile Phone Problem Use Scale-10 (MPPUS-10) and the Academic Stress Scale-40. Descriptive statistics, correlation analyses, Chi-square tests, and independent t-tests were employed to examine associations between variables.

Results:

Ninety students (mean age 16.33 ± 1.22 years) were assessed. The mean MPPUS-10 score was 47.04 ± 14.77, with 24.44% showing problematic use, while 44.44% reported high academic stress (mean 88.58 ± 24.69). Academic stress was significantly higher in females (Mann–Whitney U, P = 0.001). MPPUS-10 scores correlated positively with academic stress (Spearman’s ρ =0.445, P < 0.001). Problematic use was associated with high stress ( χ 2 =7.98, P = 0.005). Regression analysis identified MPPUS score, sex, and age as significant predictors (R 2 =0.301).

Conclusion:

Problematic mobile phone use is significantly associated with elevated academic stress among high school students. Gender differences exist, with female students showing higher vulnerability to academic stress.

More from our Archive