The Association Between Problematic Smartphone Use & Sleep Disturbance
The journal Sleep Health recently published an online version of a research article authored by Jack Peltz (Assistant Professor of Psychology) and Caitlin Abar (Associate Professor of Psychology), in addition to colleagues from Hobart and William Smith Colleges.
The article focuses on a process through which college students’ problematic smartphone use (e.g., overuse) was associated with increases in their levels of sleep disturbance via changes in their psychological functioning.
Given the ubiquity of college students’ smartphone use, the potential for problematic use remains high. Results suggest that the negative consequences of problematic smartphone use not only can include college students’ mental health but also their sleep. With such high levels of college students suffering from mental health and sleep problems, clinicians and college administrators should consider the potential sequelae of the problematic use of smartphones.