IMPACT OF SMARTPHONE ADDICTION ON ACADEMIC STRESS AND ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE AMONG UNIVERSITY STUDENTS: ROLE OF ACADEMIC PROCRASTINATION

Abstract

The present study examined the impact of smartphone addiction on academic stress and academic performance among university students, with academic procrastination examined as a mediating variable. A quantitative correlational research design was employed using a convenience sampling technique. The sample comprised 189 university students enrolled in undergraduate and postgraduate programs. Data were collected using the Smartphone Addiction Scale–Short Version (SAS-SV), Procrastination Assessment Scale–Students (PASS), Perception of Academic Stress Scale (PAS), and self-reported CGPA/GPA as an indicator of academic performance. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, Pearson product-moment correlations, regression analyses, and mediation analysis through SPSS. Results indicated that smartphone addiction was significantly positively associated with academic stress (r = .48, p < .01) and academic procrastination (r = .45, p < .01), while it was significantly negatively associated with academic performance (r = −.32, p < .01). Smartphone addiction significantly predicted academic stress and academic performance. Mediation analyses further showed that academic procrastination significantly mediated the relationship between smartphone addiction and academic stress, as well as between smartphone addiction and academic performance. These findings suggest that excessive smartphone use may contribute to academic difficulties partly through increased procrastination. The study highlights the importance of promoting responsible smartphone use and reducing academic procrastination among university students.