Smartphone Addiction and Non Suicidal Self-injury among Undergraduate Healthcare Professionals: A Cross-sectional Study from Southern India

Abstract

Introduction: Non Suicidal Self-injury (NSSI) and mobile phone addiction have recently garnered considerable attention, especially among adolescents and young adults. There is significant neglect regarding the impact of each phenomenon on the daily functioning of individuals; however, few studies have explored their correlation, leaving a gap in understanding the relationship between these two phenomena. Aim: To determine the level of smartphone addiction and NSSI behaviours among undergraduate healthcare professionals and to examine the extent of smartphones’ influence on the emotional stability of young adults, potentially leading to self-injurious behaviour. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted at ACS Medical College and Allied Health Sciences, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India over five months, involving 448 undergraduate healthcare professionals. After applying exclusion criteria, 367 participants were included in the study. Socio-demographic details were collected using a semistructured proforma. The questionnaire included the Smartphone Addiction Scale-Short Version (SAS-SV) and the Inventory of Statements About Self-Injury (ISAS). The statistical tests used were the Chi-square test for categorical variables, Spearman correlation analysis (p-value <0.05), and frequencies/percentages for some quantitative variables. Results: The study primarily comprised first-year undergraduate students, with 206 (56.1%) female and 161 (43.9%) male participants. Social media (208, 56.7%) and making calls (195, 53.1%) were the most frequently cited reasons for smartphone usage. Among the participants, 114 (31.1%) exhibited addictive smartphone habits, with males outnumbering females. Furthermore, 50 (13.6%) reported intentional self-injury, with females constituting the majority. Common methods included hitting oneself (20, 40%), pulling one’s hair (18, 36%), and cutting (16, 32%). Significant correlations were observed between certain intrapersonal and interpersonal functions of NSSI behaviour and smartphone addiction among male individuals engaged in deliberate self-harm (p-value <0.05). Conclusion: In this study, 31.1% of the participants exhibited addictive smartphone habits, and 13.6% reported intentional self-injury. These findings underscore the critical need to investigate smartphone addiction to thoroughly understand NSSI behaviour, particularly among undergraduate students.

Keywords

• emotional stability
• medical professionals
• mobile phone addiction
• self-harm
• self-injurious behaviour