EMPIRICAL STUDY OF THE INFLUENCE OF GADGETS ON THE MENTAL STATE OF ADOLESCENTS

Abstract

Purpose. The article is devoted to the actual problem of studying gadget addiction and its impact onthe mental state of adolescents. Purpose of the article is an empirical study of the features of smartphone useamong adolescents, and to find out its impact on the mental state of adolescents. Methods. To achieve this purpose a number of methods and techniques were used: theoretical – analysis,synthesis, generalization of scientific literature on the problem of research; empirical – questionnaires (author’squestionnaire “The role of mobile phone in my life”); testing (“The Smartphone Addiction Scale, Short Versionfor Adolescents (SAS-SV)” method; “The Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety Inventory” method of determiningthe level of anxiety, adapted by Y.L. Khanin; “Well-being, activity, mood” method by P. Miroshnikov (“SANtechnique”); statistical methods – correlation analysis (K. Pearson Criterion).Results. The study of influence of gadget addiction (on the example of a smartphone) involved 60 adolescents,whose average age is 13,7 years, who are all regular users of smartphones. It was stated that most teenagersuse a mobile phone not only for its main purpose, but in most cases to use its additional features – for takingpictures and videos, as an opportunity to use Internet, for games and entertainment. Adolescents spend three tofive hours a day using smartphones, losing self-control, an obsessive desire to constantly check notifications(vigilance behaviour), and the appearance of somatic problems take place. Correlation analysis allowed toestablish positive correlations at the level of statistical significance between the indicators of smartphoneaddiction and the level of activity of adolescents, state and trait anxiety; negative correlations are obtainedbetween the indicators of smartphone addiction and the level of well-being and mood.Conclusions. It was found that use of modern gadgets, namely smartphones has a negative impact onthe well-being, the mood of adolescents in the direction of their deterioration when it is impossible to usethe device for a long time or vice versa when increasing the time spent at the smartphone screen. The influenceof smartphone addiction on the level of activity of adolescents and their level of anxiety has been proved.