Introduction: Smartphones have become an integral part of everyday life, particularly among adolescent students. Equipped with advanced computational capabilities, these devices facilitate access to entertainment, social networks, emails, educational resources, and peer communication. Despite the undeniable benefits in enhancing connectivity and information access, concerns have been raised about excessive use and the potential for behavioral addiction. These concerns underscore the critical need for informed and effective management strategies. Accordingly, the present study aimed to investigate the relationship between duration of smartphone use and smartphone addiction, considering the mediating role of perceived loneliness.
Method: This study employed a descriptive correlational design. The population comprised all high school students in Shiraz during the 2024-2025 academic year who owned smartphones. A sample of 282 participants was selected using multi-stage cluster random sampling, in line with Klein’s recommendations. Data collection instruments included the Smartphone Addiction Scale, the Adult Emotional and Social Loneliness Scale, and a researcher-developed questionnaire assessing internet usage duration. Data were analyzed using Pearson’s correlation coefficient and Structural Equation Modeling (SEM).
Findings: The results indicated that 11% of the variance in smartphone addiction was accounted for by duration of use and loneliness. The fitted structural model demonstrated that duration of internet use exerted a significant positive direct effect on smartphone addiction (β = 0.17) and on loneliness (β = 0.29). Loneliness, in turn, had a significant direct effect on smartphone addiction (β = 0.23). Furthermore, the indirect effect of duration of internet use on smartphone addiction through loneliness was statistically significant (β = 0.07).
Conclusion: Adolescents who experience social withdrawal and heightened feelings of loneliness tend to increasingly rely on virtual environments and smartphones as a coping mechanism to escape negative emotions and adverse situations. This behavioral tendency may elevate their risk of developing smartphone addiction. These findings highlight the importance of addressing psychological factors and regulating smartphone usage time to effectively prevent addiction within this demographic. Moreover, interventions focusing on enhancing coping strategies and strengthening social support networks could play a pivotal role in mitigating loneliness and, consequently, reducing susceptibility to smartphone addiction.