Perceived Stress and Smartphone Addiction Among Undergraduate Nursing Students at Mosul University

Smartphone addiction among undergraduate students has become a pressing concern due to its association with perceived stress levels and negative impacts on their well-being and academic performance. This study at Mosul University investigated the correlation between smartphone addiction and perceived stress among nursing students. A descriptive, cross-sectional study design was adopted, and data was collected from 466 students using a randomized sampling method between September 15, 2022, and December 10, 2022. The online survey included two standard scales: the short version of the Smartphone Addiction Scale (SAS-SV) and the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10). The findings revealed that 68.7% of students reported high smartphone addiction, while 63.9% experienced moderate stress levels. Moreover, a statistically significant positive link between smartphone addiction and perceived stress levels was found (P < 0.01). These findings demonstrate the necessity of educating students about the detrimental consequences of smartphone addiction on mental health, especially perceived stress and promoting the adoption of coping mechanisms.