Examining the relationship between smartphone addiction and negative automatic thoughts in late adolescents

In this study, it was aimed to determine the smartphone addiction symptom levels in late adolescents and to examine their relationship with negative automatic thoughts. A total of 317 late adolescent participants, 195 females (61,5%) and 122 males (38,5%), between the ages of 18-22, studying at Istanbul Gelişim University in the 2020-2021 period, were included in the study. As a data collection tool, the "Smartphone Addiction Scale" was used to obtain information about the smartphone addiction of the students, together with the "Demographic Information Form", and the "Automatic Thoughts Scale" was used to evaluate the findings of Negative Automatic Thoughts. According to the findings of the study, a positive relationship was found between smartphone addiction scale points and automatic thoughts scale total scores, as well as sub-dimensions of automatic thoughts scale: Negative Thoughts about Self, Confusion and Fantasies of Escape, Personal Disharmony and Desires for Change, Loneliness and Isolation, Despair. Automatic thoughts scale total scores and sub-dimension scores -Negative Thoughts about Self, Confusion and Fantasies of Escape, Personal Disharmony and Desires for Change, Loneliness and Isolation, Despair- were found to be higher in the 18-20 age group than the 20-22 age group. No differentiation was found in automatic thoughts and smartphone addiction scale scores according to gender. As a result, there is a positive relationship between smartphone addiction and negative automatic thoughts in late adolescents. Accordingly, excessive and uncontrolled smartphone use of adolescents may cause problems in their social lives. For this purpose, psychological counseling and mental support services can be provided to adolescents by experts in their fields.