E-ISSN 2149-388X | ISSN 2149-0430
 

Original Research 


Burgeoning Rise In Smartphone Usage among School Children In Saudi Arabia: Baseline Assessment of Recognition and Attention Skills Among Users and Non-Users Using CANTAB Tests

Lulu Alobaid, Hessah BinJadeed, Areeb Alkhamis, Reem Alotaibi, Shabana Tharkar, Shabana Tharkar, Ibrahim Gosadi, Ashry Gad.


Cited By:10

Abstract
Background: The use of smartphones and other Internet-based smart devices by children is on the rise. The aim of the present study was to determine the prevalence and pattern of smart device use and to conduct the baseline assessment of speed, memory and accuracy skills of the users.
Method: A cross-sectional study was done on 177 school children aged between 12 to 16 years studying in the intermediate schools of Riyadh city. The survey tool was interviewer administered and cognitive function assessment was done by CANTAB battery testing.
Results: The most common smart device used by children was a smartphone (85%). Boys showed a higher prevalence of usage of the smartphone compared to girls (93% vs 74%; p<0.001). Smartphone showed the highest duration of mean usage of 28.5±27 h per week, followed by tablets 7.5±15 h per week and laptop 3±7.4 h per week. All three gadgets together were used by 44% of the children with 35 median hours of usage per week. The most common activity performed was social networking (72%). CANTAB results showed that the speed, memory, and accuracy (recognition) skills of the group-II (heavy users) were better than the group-I and the nonusers though not significant. Thus the use of smart devices among young children has become rampant.
Conclusion: There are signs of children developing internet dependency and addiction towards smartphone use. Follow up studies are recommended to determine the cognition skills of long-term users.

Key words: Smartphone Use, Internet addiction, Memory, Speed skills, Schoolchildren, Saudi Arabia.


 
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How to Cite this Article
Pubmed Style

Lulu Alobaid, Hessah BinJadeed, Areeb Alkhamis, Reem Alotaibi, Shabana Tharkar, Shabana Tharkar, Ibrahim Gosadi, Ashry Gad. Burgeoning Rise In Smartphone Usage among School Children In Saudi Arabia: Baseline Assessment of Recognition and Attention Skills Among Users and Non-Users Using CANTAB Tests. Ulutas Med J. 2018; 4(1): 4-11. doi:10.5455/umj.20180203121836


Web Style

Lulu Alobaid, Hessah BinJadeed, Areeb Alkhamis, Reem Alotaibi, Shabana Tharkar, Shabana Tharkar, Ibrahim Gosadi, Ashry Gad. Burgeoning Rise In Smartphone Usage among School Children In Saudi Arabia: Baseline Assessment of Recognition and Attention Skills Among Users and Non-Users Using CANTAB Tests. https://www.ulutasmedicaljournal.com/?mno=290068 [Access: March 06, 2024]. doi:10.5455/umj.20180203121836


AMA (American Medical Association) Style

Lulu Alobaid, Hessah BinJadeed, Areeb Alkhamis, Reem Alotaibi, Shabana Tharkar, Shabana Tharkar, Ibrahim Gosadi, Ashry Gad. Burgeoning Rise In Smartphone Usage among School Children In Saudi Arabia: Baseline Assessment of Recognition and Attention Skills Among Users and Non-Users Using CANTAB Tests. Ulutas Med J. 2018; 4(1): 4-11. doi:10.5455/umj.20180203121836



Vancouver/ICMJE Style

Lulu Alobaid, Hessah BinJadeed, Areeb Alkhamis, Reem Alotaibi, Shabana Tharkar, Shabana Tharkar, Ibrahim Gosadi, Ashry Gad. Burgeoning Rise In Smartphone Usage among School Children In Saudi Arabia: Baseline Assessment of Recognition and Attention Skills Among Users and Non-Users Using CANTAB Tests. Ulutas Med J. (2018), [cited March 06, 2024]; 4(1): 4-11. doi:10.5455/umj.20180203121836



Harvard Style

Lulu Alobaid, Hessah BinJadeed, Areeb Alkhamis, Reem Alotaibi, Shabana Tharkar, Shabana Tharkar, Ibrahim Gosadi, Ashry Gad (2018) Burgeoning Rise In Smartphone Usage among School Children In Saudi Arabia: Baseline Assessment of Recognition and Attention Skills Among Users and Non-Users Using CANTAB Tests. Ulutas Med J, 4 (1), 4-11. doi:10.5455/umj.20180203121836



Turabian Style

Lulu Alobaid, Hessah BinJadeed, Areeb Alkhamis, Reem Alotaibi, Shabana Tharkar, Shabana Tharkar, Ibrahim Gosadi, Ashry Gad. 2018. Burgeoning Rise In Smartphone Usage among School Children In Saudi Arabia: Baseline Assessment of Recognition and Attention Skills Among Users and Non-Users Using CANTAB Tests. THE ULUTAS MEDICAL JOURNAL, 4 (1), 4-11. doi:10.5455/umj.20180203121836



Chicago Style

Lulu Alobaid, Hessah BinJadeed, Areeb Alkhamis, Reem Alotaibi, Shabana Tharkar, Shabana Tharkar, Ibrahim Gosadi, Ashry Gad. "Burgeoning Rise In Smartphone Usage among School Children In Saudi Arabia: Baseline Assessment of Recognition and Attention Skills Among Users and Non-Users Using CANTAB Tests." THE ULUTAS MEDICAL JOURNAL 4 (2018), 4-11. doi:10.5455/umj.20180203121836



MLA (The Modern Language Association) Style

Lulu Alobaid, Hessah BinJadeed, Areeb Alkhamis, Reem Alotaibi, Shabana Tharkar, Shabana Tharkar, Ibrahim Gosadi, Ashry Gad. "Burgeoning Rise In Smartphone Usage among School Children In Saudi Arabia: Baseline Assessment of Recognition and Attention Skills Among Users and Non-Users Using CANTAB Tests." THE ULUTAS MEDICAL JOURNAL 4.1 (2018), 4-11. Print. doi:10.5455/umj.20180203121836



APA (American Psychological Association) Style

Lulu Alobaid, Hessah BinJadeed, Areeb Alkhamis, Reem Alotaibi, Shabana Tharkar, Shabana Tharkar, Ibrahim Gosadi, Ashry Gad (2018) Burgeoning Rise In Smartphone Usage among School Children In Saudi Arabia: Baseline Assessment of Recognition and Attention Skills Among Users and Non-Users Using CANTAB Tests. THE ULUTAS MEDICAL JOURNAL, 4 (1), 4-11. doi:10.5455/umj.20180203121836