Young females at higher social anxiety risk due to excessive smartphone use: Study
Researchers on Sunday showed that young females are more likely to experience higher social anxiety due to excessive smartphone use than other genders
- NEW DELHI — A
team of researchers on Sunday showed that young females are more likely to
experience higher social anxiety due to excessive smartphone use than other
genders.
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- The study, presented at the ‘European Psychiatric
Association Congress 2025’ in Madrid, Spain, revealed that gender plays a
significant role in excessive and problematic (psychological or behavioural
dependence)1 smartphone use, with young females more likely to experience
higher social anxiety than other genders.
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- In the study, it was also found that gender was
significantly linked to the amount of time spent using smartphones and the fear
of being judged negatively by others online.
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- "These results point to serious differences between
genders in that females are much more likely to suffer mental ill health at the
hands of a smartphone,” said lead investigator Dr Csibi Sandor, George Emil
Palade University of Medicine, Romania.
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- The study also revealed the influence of social
interactivity, low emotional understanding and variations in perceived social
support that could be caused by problematic smartphone use.
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- “It is important that these areas are further researched so
we can work to build our understanding of these behaviour differences between
genders and what methods need to be put in place to support these individuals,”
said Sandor.
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- The study involved 400 young adults (average age 25.9), 104
men, 293 women and three of another gender.
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- Study co-author Neha Pirwani from Eotvos Lorand University,
Hungary, added that “our findings add to previous studies showing that females
can face increased suffering and, therefore, need additional attention,
guidance and help compared with other genders, to identify problematic
smartphone use and what this may lead to.
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- “Our continued work to further understand the causes and
effects of this is key to addressing these issues amongst the younger
generation,” she mentioned.
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- "Nearly 100 per cent of Generation Z own and use a
smartphone.
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- “There is already evidence from a variety of cross-sectional,
longitudinal and empirical studies implicating smartphone and social media use
being factors in the increase in mental distress, self-injurious behaviour and
suicidality among this age group,” said Professor Geert Dom, EPA President.
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- This is an area that must be given further attention so that
any detrimental areas can be addressed quickly, Dom added.
