Date of Award

5-2022

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Arts (MA)

College/School

College of Humanities and Social Sciences

Department/Program

Psychology

Thesis Sponsor/Dissertation Chair/Project Chair

Michael Bixter

Committee Member

Sally Grapin

Committee Member

Jazmin Reyes-Portillo

Abstract

Prior literature has found evidence for a connection between screen time and a variety of negative health outcomes. These negative health outcomes include symptoms of both generalized and social anxiety, as well as sleep issues involving poorer sleep quality and less sleep overall. There is also evidence that screen time has dramatically increased as a result of the COVID-19 global pandemic. The present research project investigated the relationship between smartphone screen time and anxiety, both generalized and social, as well as sleep duration and sleep quality. This research project breaks down screen time into four separate domains, social media, video streaming, video games, and general phone use. The results indicated that there was a statistically significant positive correlation between screen time and social anxiety, and a significant negative correlation between amount of time using social media and amount of sleep. There was not a statistically significant correlation between total screen time and amount of sleep, sleep quality, or generalized anxiety. Multiple regression results indicated that amount of sleep, sleep quality, age, and sex were all unique significant predictors of social anxiety, and that sleep quality and sex are unique significant predictors of generalized anxiety. The present research project has both practical and clinical implications for addressing the psychological impact of the pandemic, and adapting to an increasingly online world.

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