O uso de smartphone/internet e indicadores psicossociais : estudo com adolescentes do ensino médio

Abstract

Since the emergence of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) innovations, scientists have tried to investigate favorable and unfavorable aspects of its use, considering a fine line between use and dependence. In this sense, scientific evidence reveals that excessive use of internet access via smartphone is associated with the emergence and maintenance of emotional problems, such as anxiety, depression, stress, sleep disorder, among others. This study investigated the relationship between internet use via smartphone and emotional indicators (anxiety, stress and depression) in adolescents. Two studies were carried out: a) Study 1 - literature review on research that investigates internet addiction in adolescents aged 11 to 18 years. Four databases were used and 115 articles were analyzed. The results corroborated an ascendancy of studies on the subject in the years 2017, 2018 and 2020. With evidence of excessive use of electronic devices connected to the internet, called technological dependence or risks of developing it, linked to impacts on physical, psychological health , as well as influences on risk factors and protection of youth; b) Study 2 – a cross-sectional design with a quantitative approach was carried out with a non-probabilistic sample consisting of 73 high school students aged between 14 and 15 years, from two private schools in the city of Cuiabá-MT. Participants answered the following instruments: Sociodemographic and Coping Strategies Questionnaire, Internet Addiction Test (YIAT), Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale for Adolescents (EDAE-A). The results revealed that more than half of the participants (n=44; 60%) had an average internet addiction rating. Smartphone use among teenagers was prominent, with 44% of participants using it for more than 7 hours a day. Regarding psychosocial indicators, a high rating was found for depression (25; 36%) and stress (27; 37%) and a moderate rating for anxiety (n=33; 45%). Regarding the predictive condition among the variables, the explanatory power of the depression and stress dimension in the dependence on the use of Smartphone/Internet was verified. The preliminary results are close to those found in the area, indicating the importance of researching and developing preventive health promotion strategies aimed at adolescents in relation to the use of digital technologies.