Abstract

PSYCHOLOGICAL IMPACT OF ELECTRONIC DEVICES AMONG ADOLESCENTS IN BANGLADESH

Mohammed Rizwanul Ahsan*, Khaleda Islam, Sabrina Makbul, Mohammad Zahidul Manir and Abu Ansar Md. Rizwan

Abstract

The usage of electronic devices is a pressing issue nowadays that has a significant impact on adolescents' psychological well-being. There is extremely little research, particularly in underdeveloped nations, that examines the psychological effects of electronic devices on adolescents. To determine the effects of electronic devices among adolescents in Bangladesh, this study was carried out in six different schools in Dhaka, Bangladesh, where 384 adolescents between the ages of 11 and 19 participated in a cross-sectional survey. The Depression Anxiety Stress Scale-21 was used to assess the psychological health of the respondents. More than three-quarters of respondents reported sleeping for fewer than eight hours per night, and more than 60% of respondents felt they were getting insufficient sleep. Longer-term e-device users reported not getting enough sleep, as well as experiencing depression and anxiety. Adolescents are using electronic devices at an increasing rate, and this study's findings showed that these devices may have several harmful effects on their psychological health. As a result, this study suggests emphasizing crisis interventions and educational initiatives to advance mental health among both high-risk and general populations.

Keywords: Psychology, electronic devices, adolescents, Bangladesh.