Prevalence of Screen Addiction and its Psychological Impact to the Secondary-level School Children in Galle Educational Division

Abstract

Background: Prevalence of screen addiction among secondary school children is a significant problem which affects various psychological issues. Identifying the extent and associated psychological problems is crucial in order to develop effective policies and take actions. Objectives: To study the prevalence of screen addiction and its psychological impact on secondary-level school children in Galle educational division Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among 419 school children in the age of 12-16 years from selected schools within Galle educational division, using stratified multistage cluster sampling method. A pre-tested, self-administered questionnaire was used to assess prevalence, screen addictive behavior, and psychological problems. Screen addiction was defined as using screens for more than 2 hours. Depression, anxiety, and stress levels were evaluated using Depression Anxiety Stress Scale - Youth 21. Data analysis performed using SPSS version 25.0, and the association between screen addiction and psychological problems were determined using Chi-squared test. Results: In the sample, majority were Sinhalese (81.1%), while 18.9% were Muslims. Among them, 56.6% were male. The prevalence of screen addiction was 39.6%. The study found that computers (3.6%), laptops/tablets (4.8%), smartphones (20.6%) and television (25. 5%) as the frequently used screen devices. In screen addictive behavior, majority (45.1%) agreed with the statement “Even if I don’t get any message, I check the screen of my mobile device” while 10.2% agreed with “I often use screen devices soon after wake up (while staying in the bed)”. Additionally, 27.7% had an urge to use any of the screen devices. Findings of the study reveals that among screen addicted participants, 23.4 % were severely depressed, 18% were severely anxious, and 19.8 % were severely stressed. Study demonstrated a significant association (p<0.005) between screen addiction and depression, anxiety, stress among secondary school children. Conclusion: Screen addiction is prevalent among secondary-level school children in Galle district, leading to psychological health problems. Awareness, intervention, and balanced screen usage are crucial for promoting well-being and further research is needed to confirm findings and enhance preventive measures for screen addiction. Keywords: Psychological impact, Screen addiction, Secondary-level school children, Sri Lanka