Varsha Swaminathan

Physiological and Psychological Effects of Chronic Smartphone Usage on Adolescents

Started Aug. 2, 2023

Abstract or project description

The increased popularity in smartphone ownership and usage among younger individuals, especially those in their teenage years, has led to the question of if this upward trend could have any drastic negative effects on those using them. As time progresses, smartphones are being introduced to children as young as those who attend elementary school, and it must be questioned whether the parents are aware of the health effects it can induce on their children.

This literature review aims to examine the effects of smartphone usage by adolescents on their musculoskeletal system, the alterations to their brain chemistry, and the effects it can have on certain behaviors. Through examining various past papers and websites related to the risks of smartphone addiction, the data on these various health effects were gathered and summarized throughout this paper, and new, future research is also proposed.

This literature review examines how physical pain can be produced due to excessive usage of certain body parts within the musculoskeletal system. This involves the wrists, fingers, neck, shoulders, and upper back, and explores how posture can be permanently altered. Smartphone usage can also play a role in the level at which individuals’ brains synthesize dopamine and how their overall brain chemistry functions. Finally, smartphone usage can have a large effect on adolescents’ sleep levels, which could have long term indents on their melatonin production and could also influence their alertness, potentially affecting their academic performance at such a critical point in their lives. Overall, smartphone usage beyond a certain level could play a detrimental role in the lives of the young individuals who use them the most, and through this paper, the most serious of health effects will be examined.