Intervention of Smartphone Addiction

Introduction

Modern technology has brought communication, convenience, connection, commerce, and comfort to people’s lives. The pocket-size smartphone is one of the technological inventions that impacts our daily activities immensely. Smartphones have evolved with technological innovation through various companies over the years (e.g., 1994, IBM Simon; 1996, Nokia 9000 Communicator; 1997, Ericsson 6s 88 Penelope; 1998, RIM Inter@ctive Pager 900; 1999, Qualcomm pdQ Smartphone; 2000, Ericsson R380; 2001, Palm Kyocera 6035 and Samsung SPH-1300; 2002, T-Mobile Sidekick; 2003, Blackberry, 6210 and Blackberry 7210; 2006, Blackberry Pearl 8100; 2007, Blackberry Curve 8300, Apple iPhone, and Samsung F700; 2008, T-Mobile G1; 2010, Samsung Galaxy S Line and HTC Nexus One; 2012, Samsung Galaxy Note; 2014, Lower Cost Smartphone Production) (WIPP, 2014).

In The History and Evolution of the Smartphone: 1992-2018, Andrew (2019) stated that the features of 1994 IBM Simon Personal Communicator included touch screen, email, fax, notes, calendar, and apps; the first Blackberry mobile device had a calendar, music, a full keyboard, advanced security, and Internet access; the Apple iPhone had iPod video and wide LCD screen with 8 hours talk time and 250 hours on standby; and the modern smartphone of 2018 has more memory, multiple applications, HD camera, and longer battery hours. Additionally, the first iPhone released by Steve Jobs in 2007 had a touchscreen; Apple introduced the first voice-activated assistant Siri in 2011, lightning-fast browsing with 4G in 2012, waterproofing of smartphones in 2013, dual cameras in 2014, 4K high definition resolution screen in 2015, and facial recognition and fun animated emojis for iPhone on its 10^th anniversary in 2017 (Friedman, 2018). Today, a smartphone can be used to make voice calls and video calls, access the Internet, browse the Web, take phone calls, navigate with GPS, play music and videos, manage contacts, send emails, play games, and run new applications from the Internet (Tech Savvy Seniors, 2018).

The problem is that, with so many functions and benefits, some people are game addicted, Internet addicted, social media addicted, or apps addicted without knowing it while using the smartphones. In examining technology used by teens in the U.S., Richter (2017) found that only 53% of teens could go without using smartphone for one day or less, 18% for more than a day or less a week, and 18% for more than a week. In fact, smartphone owners in the U.S. typically check their phones 47 times a day, and 85% of people use smartphones while talking to their family or friends (Richter, 2018). Eighty percent of people check their phones within an hour and 35% do so within five minutes before going to bed or after getting up (Richter, 2018). Forty-Seven percent of people tried to limit their phone uses but only 30% has done so successfully (Richter, 2018). Tossell, Kortum, Shepard, Rahmati, and Zhong (2015, p. 37) found that “addicted users spent twice as much time on their phone and launched applications much more frequently (nearly twice as often) as compared to the non-addicted user. Mail, Messaging, Facebook and the Web drove this use.”

The excessive use of smartphones could endanger people’s health, physically or mentally. As Choliz (2010) noted, the uncontrolled, inappropriate or excessive use of the mobile phone can give rise to social, behavioral and affective problems. Gutierrez, de Fonseca, and Rubio (2016) illustrated what behavioral problems and disorders in adolescents as well as physical and psychological problems were caused by cell phones (e.g., rigidity and muscle pain, ocular afflictions – fatigue, dryness, blurry vision, irritation, or ocular redness, auditory and tactile illusions, pain and weakness in the thumbs and wrists). Boumosleh and Jaalouk (2017) also explained that the prevalence of smartphone addicted university students exhibits compulsive behavior, functional impairment, withdrawal, and tolerance.