Correlation between level of smartphone use and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder symptom severity in adolescents diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder

OBJECTIVE: Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder that manifests with symptoms of inattentiveness, hyperactivity and impulsivity. With the advance in technology, increase in frequency of smartphone use and the fact that individuals with ADHD are at increased risk of other behavioral addictions such as internet and gambling, has brought into attention whether individuals with ADHD are at increased risk for smartphone addiction. In this study, our aim is to study whether ADHD symptom severity is associated with increased likelihood of smartphone addiction. METHOD: 98 adolescents between the ages of 12 and 18 who were diagnosed with ADHD or on follow-up with this disorder were included in the study. Sociodemographic data, The Smartphone Addiction Scale Short Form, and Conners Parental Rating Scale were used. RESULTS: In our study, 35 of 98 cases (35.7%) were found risky in terms of smartphone addiction. There was no significant difference between genders in terms of smartphone addiction (p = 0.322). When ADHD sub-types were compared, no significant difference was found in terms of smartphone addiction (p = 0.586). While there was no relationship between sociodemographic factors such as maternal age, father age and educational status, father having a psychopathology and smartphone addiction, the presence of psychopathology in the mother was associated with smartphone addiction (p = 0.025). Again, smartphone usage time and smartphone addiction were related, and the scale scores of those who spent more than 4 hours on the phone were significantly higher than those who spent between 0-2 hours (p = 0.001) and 2-4 hours (p = 0.031). When the relationship between Conners subscales and smartphone addiction were examined; there was a weak positive correlation between the smartphone addiction scale and Conners Learning (r = 0.282, P = 0.005), Anxiety (r = 0.258, P = 0.010) and total scores (r = 0.259, P = 0.010). No significant correlation was found between behavior, hyperactivity and psychosomatic symptom subscales and smartphone addiction scale scores. CONCLUSION: In this study, we found that as ADHD symptom severity increases, the risk of smartphone addiction increases. In addition, according to the data we obtained, presence of mother's psychopathology and spending more time with a smartphone during adolescence is also a risk factor for smartphone addiction. Further studies are needed on the effects of ADHD's clinical features, such as subtypes and comorbidities, on smartphone addiction.