# 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

## Authors

- Lulu Alobaid ([ORCID](https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0566-0369)) — College of Medicine, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
- Hessah BinJadeed ([ORCID](https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3415-5241)) — College of Medicine, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
- Areeb Alkhamis ([ORCID](https://orcid.org/0009-0003-3592-2224)) — College of Medicine, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
- Reem Alotaibi ([ORCID](https://orcid.org/0009-0001-2568-8468)) — College of Medicine, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
- Shabana Tharkar ([ORCID](https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9607-4332)) — Department of Community Medicine at King Khalid University Hospital, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
- Shabana Tharkar ([ORCID](https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9607-4332)) — Department of Physiology at King Khalid University Hospital, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
- Ibrahim Gosadi ([ORCID](https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1275-3953)) — Department of Community Medicine at King Khalid University Hospital, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
- Ashry Gad ([ORCID](https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1131-545X)) — Department of Community Medicine at King Khalid University Hospital, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

## Article information

- **Journal:** The Ulutas Medical Journal (Ulutas Med J), ISSN 2149-388X
- **Issue:** Volume 4, Issue 1 (2018), pages 4–11
- **Article type:** Original Research
- **Published online:** 2018-03-28
- **DOI:** [10.5455/umj.20180203121836](https://doi.org/10.5455/umj.20180203121836)
- **Licence:** [CC BY-NC 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/)
- **Article page:** https://www.ulutasmedicaljournal.com/?mno=290068
- **PDF:** https://www.ulutasmedicaljournal.com/pdf/290068.pdf

## 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

## Keywords

Smartphone Use; Internet addiction; Memory; Speed skills; Schoolchildren; Saudi Arabia

## How to cite

Alobaid L, BinJadeed H, Alkhamis A, Alotaibi R, Tharkar S, Tharkar S, et al. 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

## References

1. Gillies Privat. Smart Devices: New Telecom Applications and evolution of human Interfaces 2005. Downloaded from: https://www-sop.inria.fr/everest/events/cassis05/Transp/pri vat.pdf
2. Patrice Samuels. Trends driving the adoption of connected devices 2015. https://www.parksassociates.com/newsletter/ article/hs-june2015
3. Rosen LD, Whaling K, Carrier LM. The Media and Technology Usage and Attitudes Scale: An empirical investigation. Comput Human Behav 2013; 29: 2501–2511. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2013.06.006
4. Ofcom. The Communication market. Report 2011. https://www.ofcom.org.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0017/26324 /icmr2011.pdf
5. Ofcom. The Communication market. Report 2016. https://www.ofcom.org.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0024/26826 /cmr_uk_2016.pdf.
6. Zoe Fox. The fifteen countries with highest smartphone penetration. http://mashable.com/2013/08/27/global-smart phone-penetration
7. CT indicators in KSA by end of Q3 2016. Downloaded from: http://www.mcit.gov.sa/En/aboutmcit/sectordevelopment/pa ges/sectorindices.aspx
8. Sanjeev Davey, Anuradha Davey. Assessment of Smartphone Addiction in Indian Adolescents: A Mixed Method Study by Systematic-review and Meta-analysis Approach. Int J Prev Med 2014; 5(12): 1500–1511.
9. Nusca A. “Smartphone vs. feature phone arms race heats up; which did you buy?” 2009. Available from: http://www.zdnet.com/blog/gadgetreviews/smartphonevs-feature-phone-arms-race-heats-up-which-did-youbuy/6836.
10. Min Kwon,Dai-Jin Kim, Hyun Cho, Soo Yang. The Smartphone Addiction Scale: Development and Validation of a Short Version for Adolescents. PLOS. December 31 2013. http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0083558.
11. Cash H, Rae CD, Steel AH, Winkler A. Internet addiction: A brief summary of research and practice. Current Psychiatry Reviews 2012; 8(4): 292. https://doi.org/10.2174/157340012803520513
12. Turel O, & Serenko A. The benefits and dangers of enjoyment with social networking websites. European Journal of Information Systems 2012; 21(5): 512–528. https://doi.org/10.1057/ejis.2012.1
13. Yu-Kang Lee, Chun-Tuan Chang, You Lin, Zhao-Hong Cheng.The dark side of smartphone usage: Psychological traits, compulsive behavior and technostress. Computers in Human Behavior 2014; 31: 373–83. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2013.10.047
14. Jenaro C, Flores N, Gómez-Vela M, González-Gil F, Caballo C. Problematic internet and cell-phone use: Psychological, behavioral, and health correlates. Addict Res Theory 2007; 15:309–20. https://doi.org/10.1080/16066350701350247
15. Strayer DL, Drews FA, Johnston WA. Cell phone-induced failures of visual attention during simulated driving. J Exp Psychol Appl. 2003; 9:23–32. https://doi.org/10.1037/1076-898x.9.1.23
16. Leung S, Croft RJ, McKenzie RJ, Iskra S, Silber B, Cooper NR, et al. Effects of 2G and 3G mobile phones on performance and electrophysiology in adolescents, young adults and older adults. Clin Neuro physiol 2011; 122:2203–16. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.clinph.2011.04.006
17. Strassberg, DS, McKinnon RK, Sustaita, MA, Rullo J. Setting by high school students: An exploratory and descriptive study. Archives of Sexual Behavior 2013; 42:15–21. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10508-012-9969-8
18. Children’s use of mobile phones. An international comparison 2012. Published in 2013 by the GSM Association and the Mobile Society Research Institute within NTT DOCOMO Inc, Japan. http://www.gsma.com/publicpolicy/ wpcontent/uploads/2012/03/GSMA_ChildrensMobilePhones2 012WEB.pdf
19. Kim HJ. Exercise rehabilitation for smartphone addiction. Exercise Rehabilitation 2013; 9:500-5. https://doi.org/10.12965/jer.130080
20. Mary Redmayne, Catherine L. Smith, et al. Use of mobile and cordless phones and cognition in Australian primary school children: a prospective cohort study. Environmental Health 2016; 15:26. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12940-016-0116-1
21. Preece AW, Goodfellow S, Wright MG, et al. Effect of 902 MHz mobile phone transmission on cognitive function in children. Bio electro magnetics 2005; 7:S138–43. https://doi.org/10.1002/bem.20128
22. F Samkange-Zeeb, Blettner M. Emerging aspects of mobile phone use. Emerg Health Threats J 2009; 2: e5.. doi: 10.3134/ehtj.09.005.
23. Andrew G. Random number generator. http://www. openepi.com/Random/Random.htm
24. Cambridge Cognition Ltd. The World’s Leading Cognitive Assessments. http://www.cambridgecognition.com/
25. Haarala C, Ek M, Björnberg L, et al. 902 MHz mobile phone does not affect short term memory in humans. Bio electro magnetics 2004;25:452–6. Smartphone Usage among School Children Alobaid, et al. https://doi.org/10.1002/bem.20014
26. Besset A, Espa F, Dauvilliers Y, et al. No effect on cognitive function from daily mobile phone use. Bioelectromagnetics 2005;26:102–8. https://doi.org/10.1002/bem.20053
27. Lee TM, Lam PK, Yee LT, et al. The effect of the duration of exposure to the electromagnetic field emitted by mobile phones on human attention. Neuro report 2003;14:1361–4. https://doi.org/10.1097/00001756-200307180-00016
28. The Environmental Working group (EWG). The Environmental Working Group’s guide to safer cell phone use. Washington August 2013. http://www.ewg.org/research/ cellphoneradiation/faq.
29. A Barth,R Winker,E Ponocny-Seliger, et al. A meta-analysis for neuro behavioural effects due to electromagnetic field exposure emitted by GSM mobile phones. Occupational and Environmental Medicine 2008. Downloaded form: http:// dx.doi.org/10.1136/oem.2006.031450.
30. Thomas,G Benke,C Dimitriadis, et al. Use of mobile phones and changes in cognitive function in adolescents. Occupational and environmental medicine 2009. Downloaded from: http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/oem.2009.054080
31. Suliman S. Aljomaa, Mohammad F, et al. Smartphone addiction among university students in the light of some variables. Comp in Hum Behav 2016; 61; 155e164. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2016.03.041
32. Linda A. Jackson. Internet use, videogame playing and cell phone use as predictors of children’s body mass index (BMI), body weight, academic performance, and social and overall self-esteem. Comput Hum Behav 2011; 27:599-04. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2010.10.019
33. Haruna Rabiu, Aisha Indo Muhammed, Yunusa Umaru, et al.Impact of mobile phone usage on academic performance among secondary school students in Taraba state, Nigeria. Eur Sci J 2016 Downloaded Downloads/6911-20072-1-PB.pdf. https://doi.org/10.19044/esj.2016.v12n1p466
34. Toledano MB, Smith RB, Irene Chang, Margaret Douglass, Paul Elliott. Cohort profile: UK COSMOS—a UK cohort for study of environment and health.Int J Epidemiol 2015. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/ije/dyv203.