Examining the Smartphone Use of Jewish Modern Orthodox Adolescents and the Relationship Between Their Smartphone Use and Psychosocial Well-being and Spirituality.

Abstract

Examining the Smartphone Use of Jewish Modern Orthodox Adolescents and the Relationship Between Their Smartphone Use and Psychosocial Well-being and Spirituality The goal of this study was to assess the smartphone use of Jewish, Modern Orthodox adolescents and potential correlations between their smartphone use and psychosocial wellbeing and spirituality. Hypotheses suggested that a significant percentage of these adolescents engage in problematic or addictive smartphone use, which correlates to elevated psychosocial concerns in areas such as anxiety, emotional symptoms, hyperactivity, conduct problems and peer relations, as well as lower levels of prosocial behavior and spirituality. A survey was conducted utilizing a sample of 289 Jewish, Modern Orthodox adolescents currently attending a co-educational Yeshiva High School. Data was analyzed using independent sample t-tests, yielding results that identified 36% of respondents as problematic smartphone users. Participates in the problematic smartphone use group were found to present with higher levels of anxiety, emotional symptoms, hyperactivity and conduct problems, while no difference was established for peer relations, prosocial behavior and spirituality. The results of this study confirm the concerns of parents, educators and young people themselves, regarding the possible addictive nature of smartphone use and the potential impact of problematic use on psychosocial wellbeing. This data contributes to the limited research available on adolescent smartphone use and psychosocial wellbeing. Additional research is needed to investigate the true nature of adolescents’ smartphone use in terms of specific activities and behaviors, the consequences of those actions on psychosocial wellbeing and protective factors for problematic use.