Problematic internet use, problematic smartphone use, social connectedness and social phobia in university students
Authors
Cumhur Demiralp, Başaran GençdoğanFiles
Abstract
Objective: This study examined the relationships among problematic smartphone use, problematic internet use, social connectedness, and social phobia among university students. Using a cross-sectional quantitative design, the study was conducted with 279 students enrolled at a public university in eastern Türkiye during the 2020–2021 academic year, selected through convenience sampling.
Method: Data were collected using a Personal Information Form, the Smartphone Addiction Scale, the Problematic Internet Use Scale, the Social Connectedness Scale, and the Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale. Descriptive statistics, correlation and regression analyses, independent-samples t tests, one-way analysis of variance, the Kruskal–Wallis H test, and Scheffé post hoc tests were used to analyze the data.
Results: The findings showed that problematic smartphone use was positively associated with problematic internet use and the anxiety and avoidance dimensions of social phobia but negatively associated with social connectedness. In addition, social avoidance and social connectedness significantly predicted problematic smartphone use, whereas social anxiety and social connectedness significantly predicted problematic internet use.
Conclusion: Overall, higher levels of problematic technology use were associated with greater social phobia and lower social connectedness among university students.
References
Atik, S., Sumbas, E., & Erdemir, N. (2026). In the shadow of the digital age: The dance of self-efficacy, psychological resilience, social anxiety, and digital addiction among university students. Acta Psychologica, 265, 106681. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.actpsy.2026.106681
Billieux, J., Maurage, P., Lopez-Fernandez, O., Kuss, D. J., & Griffiths, M. D. (2015). Can disordered mobile phone use be considered a behavioral addiction? An update on current evidence and a comprehensive model for future research. Current Addiction Reports, 2(2), 156–162. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40429-015-0054-y
Busch, P. A., & McCarthy, S. (2021). Antecedents and consequences of problematic smartphone use: A systematic literature review of an emerging research area. Computers in Human Behavior, 114, 106414. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2020.106414
Büyüköztürk, Ş., Çakmak, E. K., Akgün, Ö. E., Karadeniz, Ş., & Demirel, F. (2017). Bilimsel Araştırma Yöntemleri. [Scientific Research Methods]. Pegem Akademi
Büyüköztürk, Ş., Kılıç-Çakmak E., Akgün, Ö. E., Karadeniz, Ş., & Demirel, F. (2009). Bilimsel Araştırma Yöntemleri. [Scientific Research Methods]. (4. basım). Pegem Akademi
Caplan, S. E. (2018). The changing face of problematic internet use: An inter personal approach. Peter Lang International Academic Publishers.
Ceyhan, E., Ceyhan, A. A., & Gürcan, A. (2007). The validity and reliability of the problematic internet use scale. Educational Sciences: Theory & Practice, 7(1), 411–416.
Davis, R. A. (2001). A cognitive-behavioral model of pathological internet use. Computers in Human Behavior, 17(2), 187–195. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0747-5632(00)00041-8
Dilbaz, N., & Güz, H. (2001, Ekim 2-6). Liebowitz sosyal kaygı ölçeğinin geçerlik ve güvenirliği. [Validity and reliability of the Liebowitz social anxiety scale]. 37. Ulusal Psikiyatri Kongresi, İstanbul.
Duru, E. (2007). Sosyal bağlılık ölçeğinin Türk kültürüne uyarlanması. [Adaptation of the social connectedness scale to Turkish culture]. Eğitim Araştırmaları, 1(26), 85-94.
Erdemir, N. (2025). Dijital Bağımlılıklar ve Ruh Sağlığı. [Digital Addictions and Mental Health] In N. Öztürk & E. Sumbas (Eds.), Okullarda Güncel Ruh Sağlığı Sorunları [Current Mental Health Issues In Schools] (pp. 183–212). Nobel Akademik Yayıncılık.
Erdemir, N. (2026). The mediating role of life satisfaction in the relationship between psychological resilience and internet addiction. Scientific Reports, 16, 21056. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-026-50933-0
Erdemir, N., & Atik, S. (2026). Validity and reliability analysis of the Artificial Intelligence-Digital Life Balance Scale. Psychiatric Quarterly, 97, 1–21. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11126-025-10167-1
Erdemir, N., & Kutlu, M. (2018). Üniversite öğrencilerinin internet bağımlılığı ile sosyal zeka düzeylerinin çeşitli değişkenler açısından incelenmesi [Investigation of internet addiction and social intelligence levels of university students in terms of various variables]. Uluslararası Sosyal Araştırmalar Dergisi, 11(57), 401–409. https://doi.org/10.17719/jisr.2018.2457
Erdemir, N., & Kutlu, M. (2025). Ortaokul ve lise öğrencilerinin internet bağımlılığı ve problemli internet kullanımının incelenmesi [An investigation of internet addiction and problematic internet use of secondary and high school students]. Kahramanmaraş Sütçü İmam Üniversitesi Sosyal Bilimler Dergisi, 22(1), 46–65. https://doi.org/10.33437/ksusbd.1523134
Erdemir, N., & Özkamalı, E. (2021). Farklı tür liselerde öğrenim gören öğrencilerin internet kullanım durumları ile saldırganlık düzeyleri arasındaki ilişkinin incelenmesi (Gaziantep ili örneği). [Examining the relationship between internet usage and aggression levels among students attending different types of high schools (Gaziantep province example)]. İnönü Üniversitesi Eğitim Fakültesi Dergisi, 22(3), 2407-2430. https://doi.org/10.17679/inuefd.1000104
Elhai, J. D., Gallinari, E. F., Rozgonjuk, D., & Yang, H. (2020). Depression, anxiety and fear of missing out as correlates of social, non-social and problematic smartphone use. Addictive Behaviors, 105, 106335. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.addbeh.2020.106335
Elhai, J. D., Yang, H., McKay, D., & Asmundson, G. J. G. (2020). COVID-19 anxiety symptoms associated with problematic smartphone use severity in Chinese adults. Journal of Affective Disorders, 274, 576–582. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2020.05.080
Heimberg, R. G., Horner, K. J., Juster, H. R., Safren, S. A., Brown, E. J., Schneier, F. R., & Liebowitz, M. R. (1999). Psychometric properties of the Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale. Psychological Medicine, 29(1), 199–212. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0033291798007879
Kardefelt-Winther, D. (2014). A conceptual and methodological critique of internet addiction research: Towards a model of compensatory internet use. Computers in Human Behavior, 31, 351–354. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2013.10.059
Kılıç, Z. (2018). Üniversite öğrencilerinde internet kullanımının genel psikolojik belirtiler ve sosyal fobi ile ilişkisi. [The relationship between internet use and general psychological symptoms and social phobia among university students]. (Tez No. 516040) [Yüksek lisans tezi, Sakarya Üniversitesi]. Yükseköğretim Kurulu Ulusal Tez Merkezi.
Kwon, M., Kim, D. J., Cho, H., & Yang, S. (2013). The smartphone addiction scale: Development and validation of a short version for adolescents. PLOS ONE, 8(12), Article e83558. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0083558
Kwon, M., Lee, J.-Y., Won, W.-Y., Park, J.-W., Min, J.-A., Hahn, C., Gu, X., Choi, J.-H., & Kim, D.-J. (2013). Development and validation of a smartphone addiction scale (SAS). PLOS ONE, 8(2), Article e56936. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0056936
Lee, R. M., & Robbins, S. B. (1995). Measuring belongingness: The social connectedness scale and social assurance scales. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 42(2), 232-241. https://doi.org/10.1037/00220167.42.2.232
Lee, R. M., & Robbins, S. B. (1998). The Relationship between social connectedness and anxiety, self- esteem, and social identity. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 45(3), 338-345. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-0167.45.3.338.
Liebowitz, M. R. (1987). Social phobia. Modern Problems of Pharmacopsychiatry, 22, 141–173. https://doi.org/10.1159/000414022
Lin, L., Wang, X., Li, Q., Xia, B., Chen, P., & Wang, W. (2021). The influence of interpersonal sensitivity on smartphone addiction: A moderated mediation model. Frontiers in Psychology, 12, 670223. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.670223
McIntyre, E., Saliba, A. J., &Wiener, K. K. K. (2015). Compulsive internet use and relations between social connectedness, and introversion. Computers in Human Behavior, 48,569-574. https://doi.org/10.1016 / j.chb.2015.02.021
Noyan, C. O., Enez Darçın, A., Nurmedov, S., Yılmaz, O., & Dilbaz, N. (2015). Akıllı Telefon Bağımlılığı Ölçeği’nin kısa formunun üniversite öğrencilerinde Türkçe geçerlilik ve güvenilirlik çalışması. [Turkish validity and reliability study of the short form of the Smartphone Addiction Scale among university students]. Anadolu Psikiyatri Dergisi, 16(Özel Sayı 1), 73–81. https://doi.org/10.5455/apd.176359
Odacı, H., & Çelik, B.Ç. (2011, September 22-24). Üniversite öğrencilerinin problemli internet kullanımlarının akademik öz-yeterlik, akademik erteleme ve yeme tutumları ile ilişkisi. [The relationship between problematic internet use among university students and academic self-efficacy, academic procrastination, and eating attitudes]. 5th International Computer&Instructional Technologies Symposium.
Sánchez-Fernández, M., & Borda-Mas, M. (2023). Problematic smartphone use and specific problematic internet uses among university students and associated predictive factors: A systematic review. Education and Information Technologies, 28, 7111–7204. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10639-022-11437-2
Shen, C., & Williams, D. (2011). Unpacking time online: Connecting internet and massively multiplayer online game use with psychosocial well-being. Communication Research, 38(1), 123–149. https://doi.org/10.1177/0093650210377196
Soykan, Ç., Özgüven, H. D., & Gençöz, T. (2003). Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale: The Turkish version. Psychological Reports, 93(3), 1059–1069. https://doi.org/10.2466/pr0.2003.93.3.1059
Şata, M., & Karip, F. (2017). Akıllı telefon bağımlılığı ölçeği-kısa versiyonunun ergenler için Türk kültürüne uyarlanması. [Smartphone addiction scale - short version: Adaptation of the scale for adolescents to Turkish culture]. Cumhuriyet Uluslararası Eğitim Dergisi, 6(4), 426–440. https://doi.org/10.30703/cije.343863
Tabachnick, B.G., & Fidell, L.S. (1996). Using multivariate statistics. Harper Collins College.
Tohumcu, M. U. (2018). İnternet ve akıllı telefon bağımlılığı ile benlik saygısı ve yalnızlık arasındaki ilişkinin çeşitli demografik değişkenler açısından incelenmesi [Examining the relationship between internet and smartphone addiction and self-esteem and loneliness in terms of various demographic variables] (Tez No. 511430) [Yüksek lisans tezi, Haliç Üniversitesi]. Yükseköğretim Kurulu Ulusal Tez Merkezi.
Details
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Journal of Dependence
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
The Journal and content of this website is licensed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0) License. This is in accordance with the Budapest Open Access Initiative (BOAI) definition of open access. The Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0) allows users to copy, distribute and transmit unmodified article, and make noncommercial use of the article. The CC BY license permits non-commercial re-use of an open access article, as long as the author is properly attributed.
