Abstract
Purpose:
This study aimed to develop a smartphone overdependence prevention program for college students based on the self-determination theory (SDT) and evaluate its effectiveness.
Methods:
A non-equivalent control group repeated measures design was used for the study. Participants were 64 university freshmen (experimental group: 29, control group: 35). The developed program consists of eight sessions conducted twice a week. The program was designed to promote autonomy, competence, and relatedness the three elements of the basic psychological needs of self-determination theory. The participants were assessed before the program, immediately after, and 1 and 3 months after the program. Data were collected from April 23 to September 14, 2018 and analyzed by performing a Chi-square test, Fisher’s exact test, independent t-test, and repeated measures ANOVA using SPSS/WIN 23.0.
Results:
This study showed improvement in the basic psychological needs (F=3.90, p=.010) in the experimental group compared to the control group. Specifically, competence (F=2.93, p=.035), relatedness (F=2.89, p=.045), and self-regulatory ability (F=3.11, p=.028) improved significantly.
Conclusion
Study findings indicate that the smartphone overdependence prevention program based on the Self-determination theory could be an effective intervention for improving basic psychological needs and self-regulation ability. Therefore, this program could be an efficient strategy for smartphone overdependence prevention in university students.
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Table 1.
The Contents of the Smartphone Overdependence Prevention Program Based on Self-Determination Theory
Table 2.
Homogeneity Test of Characteristics of Subjects & Measured Variables (N=64)
Characteristics | Categories |
Exp. (n=29) |
Cont. (n=35) |
χ2 or t | p |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
n (%)/M±SD | n (%)/M±SD | ||||
Gender | Male | 9 (31.0) | 4 (11.4) | 3.77 | .052 |
Female | 20 (69.0) | 31 (88.6) | |||
Age (yr) | 19.2±1.10 | 19.1±0.45 | 0.40 | .694 | |
Department | Social science and Humanities | 10 (34.5) | 10 (28.6) | 0.31 | .858 |
Nature science | 10 (34.5) | 14 (40.0) | |||
Biomedical science | 9 (31.0) | 11 (31.4) | |||
Satisfaction with college life† | Very satisfied | 4 (13.7) | 5 (14.3) | 0.89 | >.999 |
Satisfied | 19 (65.6) | 22 (62.8) | |||
Average | 6 (20.7) | 7 (20.0) | |||
Unsatisfied | 0 (0.0) | 1 (2.9) | |||
Satisfaction with family life† | Very satisfied | 14 (48.3) | 13 (37.1) | 1.78 | .725 |
Satisfied | 11 (37.9) | 17 (48.6) | |||
Average | 4 (13.8) | 4 (11.4) | |||
Unsatisfied | 0 (0.0) | 1 (2.9) | |||
Time of first use | Below elementary school | 6 (20.7) | 8 (22.9) | 0.00 | .835 |
Over middle school | 23 (79.3) | 27 (77.1) | |||
Usage motivation† | Latest trend | 17 (58.7) | 10 (28.6) | 6.57 | .062 |
Information searching such as news | 2 (6.9) | 2 (5.7) | |||
Relation with people | 9 (31.0) | 21 (60.0) | |||
Others | 1 (3.4) | 2 (5.7) | |||
Mainly used function of smartphone†† | Voice call | 2 (6.9) | 2 (5.7) | ||
SMS | 1 (3.4) | 0 (0.0) | |||
Entertainment function (gaming, hobby etc.) | 3 (10.3) | 4 (11.4) | |||
Web searching | 3 (10.3) | 8 (22.9) | |||
Playing music, movie and youtube | 18 (62.1) | 20 (57.1) | |||
SNS (kakao talk etc.) | 22 (75.9) | 30 (85.7) | |||
Daily smartphone using time (hours)† | 1≤~<3 | 12 (41.4) | 10 (28.6) | 2.08 | .365 |
3≤~<6 | 14 (48.3) | 23 (65.7) | |||
≥6 | 3 (10.3) | 2 (5.7) | |||
Monthly phone bill (KRW)† | <40,000 | 7 (24.2) | 9 (25.7) | 2.34 | .599 |
40,000≤~<80,000 | 17 (58.6) | 23 (65.7) | |||
≥80,000 | 3 (10.3) | 3 (8.6) | |||
Others (don’t know) | 2 (6.9) | 0 (0.0) | |||
Satisfaction of smartphone usage†† | Information searching | 20 (69.0) | 30 (85.7) | ||
Networking through SNS | 18 (62.1) | 19 (54.3) | |||
Relieve stress | 13 (44.8) | 11 (31.4) | |||
Others (Financial effect, use for learning) | 4 (13.8) | 6 (17.1) | |||
Dissatisfaction of smartphone usage†† | High smartphone bill | 6 (20.7) | 6 (17.1) | ||
Decreased health | 18 (62.1) | 18 (51.4) | |||
Decreased academic achievement | 12 (41.4) | 22 (62.9) | |||
Etc (including conflict with parents) | 5 (17.2) | 7 (20.0) | |||
Health status†† | Sleep deprived. | 12 (60.0) | 7 (33.3) | ||
Loss of vision/Dry eye | 14 (70.0) | 16 (76.2) | |||
Headache·Memory loss | 6 (30.0) | 6 (28.6) | |||
Etc (including decreased physical condition) | 1 (5.0) | 2 (9.5) | |||
The importance of smartphone in daily life† | Indispensable | 5 (17.2) | 6 (17.1) | 1.32 | .766 |
Relative importance | 13 (44.9) | 19 (54.3) | |||
Normal | 5 (17.2) | 3 (8.6) | |||
A little | 6 (20.7) | 7 (20.0) | |||
Education experience about smartphone (or | Yes | 16 (55.2) | 26 (74.3) | 2.57 | .109 |
Internet) | No | 13 (44.8) | 9 (25.7) | ||
Self diagnosis (whether or not recognize the addiction by oneself) | Yes No | 13 (44.8) 16 (55.2) | 12 (34.3) 23 (65.7) | 0.74 | .390 |
addiction by oneself) | No | 16 (55.2) | 23 (65.7) | ||
Smartphone overdependence | 22.17±5.20 2 | 21.10±3.94 | 0.85 | .398 | |
Self-control failure | 8.07±2.10 | 7.91±1.58 | 0.34 | .738 | |
Salience | 6.97±2.03 | 6.57±1.46 | 0.90 | .370 | |
Serious consequences | 7.14±2.31 | 6.71±2.31 | 0.73 | .468 | |
Basic psychological needs | 84.72±5.96 8 | 83.91±9.35 | 0.40 | .688 | |
Autonomy | 28.79±3.09 2 | 27.77±4.41 | 1.09 | .282 | |
Competence | 26.45±3.18 2 | 26.23±3.34 | 0.27 | .790 | |
Relatedness | 29.48±3.33 2 | 29.91±3.64 | -0.49 | .626 | |
Self-regulatory ability | 65.03±9.17 6 | 66.31±9.09 | -0.56 | .579 | |
Adaptation to college life | 89.55±10.46 8 | 89.89±11.94 | -0.12 | .907 | |
Stress index | 2.66±1.26 | 2.57±1.27 | 0.26 | .793 |
Table 3.
Effects of the Smartphone Overdependence Prevention Program (N=64