Psychological assessment and postural analysis of smartphone users
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Date
2018-06
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G.B. Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, Pantnagar - 263145 (Uttarakhand)
Abstract
Nowadays, Smartphones are increasingly becoming an integral part of our lives. The dependence of smartphone is increasing day by day and creating alarming situation especially for the young adults. Nowadays, it is a kind of device which has almost every advanced feature as it can be used for education, gaming, music, photos and chatting etc., the list is endless so with these features smartphone became a new companion for the user. It is simply becoming a habit of the user to spend more time with their smartphone without taking care of their physical and psychological wellness. Adopting poor postures while prolonged smartphone usage can leads to various health problems that will not be curable if left untreated. Thus, the need was felt to plan the study to assess the usage pattern, postural problems, psychological effect of smartphone on the users so that negative effects can be minimize. The study was carried out in different phase i.e. collection of descriptive data, collection of anthropometric data and collection of experimental data. Due to convenience and accessibility 230 college going students under 18-24 years of Pantnagar University was selected as respondents through random sampling. Descriptive data was collected with the help of developed questionnaire, standard of living index, Smartphone addiction scale, depression scale and awareness scale. Under anthropometric data height weight and hand measurements was recorded and for experimental data grip strength, pinch strength, CFF (critical flicker fusion), neck flexion. However, findings of the present investigation revealed that majority of the girls (59.13%) and boys (58.26%) belong to the middle standard of living. About 34 percent girls and nearly half of the boys used their phone 2-4 hours. A higher percentage of boys (52.1%) and girls (53.0%) faced visual problems due to
Smartphone use out of which most of the respondents complained for strain on eyes followed by watery eyes. The findings show that there was decrease in fusion and flicker frequency in both eyes of the respondents that indicates the visual fatigue in the respondents due to smartphone use for longer period. The incidence of pain has risen considerably since last 1 month to last 1 day for both girls and boys. The data also provides evidences that maximum boys are experiencing severe pain in neck and maximum girls experiencing severe pain in shoulders in last 24 hours that is the major point for concern. Majority of respondents experiencing moderate pain in every body part in different durations and only elbow is the less affective area in respondents. Slight pain was most prominent at the tip of the thumb in both hands. Findings revealed that frequency of pain experienced by the respondents increased in almost every body part, since the last one month to 24 hours of usage. The neck flexion of the respondents were measured by using inclinometer in sitting position at 3 different time duration i.e. 0 min., 10 min., 20 min. and 30 min. The findings clearly represented that increasing
usage time affected the neck flexion of the respondents in sitting posture. The respondents haunch their head on their smartphone up to 45 degrees that gives load on neck up to 49 lbs. which showed that when smartphone used for longer period it gives the feeling of pain in neck, shoulders and upper back that will lead to musculoskeletal disorders. Analysis of the data revealed that there was slight decrease in pinch and grip strength of both the respondents after using smartphone for 30 minutes. Analysis of the data revealed that there was 2.41 percent decrease in girls and 2.05 percent decrease in boys grip strength of right hand after using smartphone for 30 minutes. As the right hand was the dominant hand so the left hand was not showing grip change. As per findings, majority of respondents were having the low addiction level this leads to conclude that addiction is increasing in the young people gradually whereas majority of respondents comes under the mild depression level. As per the findings it may conclude that depression is increasing in the young people gradually, as the majority of respondents having the mild depression due to smartphone use. Awareness level of respondents were also assessed and it was found that maximum respondents (55.17%) were partially aware about the postural and psychological disorders so two days sensitization program was conducted and the preventive measures as well as some stretching routines were also introduced to create awareness among students. It was helpful for reducing postural and psychological disorders affecting the human body due to excessive smartphone usage.