The purpose of the study is to examine the difference in self-efficacy, self-control and school adjustment among high school students due to the severity of smartphone addition and the relationships among the severity of smartphone addiction, self-eff...
The purpose of the study is to examine the difference in self-efficacy, self-control and school adjustment among high school students due to the severity of smartphone addition and the relationships among the severity of smartphone addiction, self-efficacy, self-control and school adjustment.
The following questions are raised in relation to the purpose of the study.
1. What are smartphone usage time and purpose?
2. Is there any difference in self-efficacy, self-control and school adjustment due to the severity of smartphone addiction among high school students?
3. Is there any difference in self-efficacy, self-control and school adjustment due to the different grades of high schools, different sex and the severity of smartphone addiction among high school students?
4. Do the severity of smartphone addiction, different sex and grades have influence over self-efficacy?
5. Do the severity of smartphone addiction, different sex and grades have influence over self-control?
6. Do the severity of smartphone addiction, different sex and grades have influence over school adjustment?
This study conducted a questionnaire for 224 students in year 10 and 11 at S high school in Gwangju Metropolitan city to answer to the research questions above. Measurement tools used for this study are ‘Self Rating Smartphone Addiction Scale for Adolescents’ created by National Information Society Agency (2011), ‘Self-Efficacy Scale’, which Kim Ah-Young (1977) amended General Self-Efficacy Scale created by Kim Ah-Young and Cha Jung-Eun (1996), ‘Korean Version of Self-Control Scale’, which Ha Chang-Soon (2004) adapted Self-Control Scale developed by Grasmic, Tittle, Bursik and Amerklev (1993) based on Gottfredson and Hirschi’s a theory of self-control, and ‘Middle school student’s school adjustment scale’ which Lee Kyu-Mi and Kim Myung-Sik (2008) adapted Middle school student’s school adjustment scale’ developed by Lee Kyu-Mi(2005). Independent-samples t-test, two-way ANOVA and multiple regression analysis were conducted by using SPSS 18.0 for data collected.
The summary of the analysis is as follows.
First, low self-efficacy and self-control are shown among high school students who are more addicted to their smartphone. Meanwhile, there is no significant difference between the severity of smartphone addiction and school adjustment among high school students.
Second, there is no significant difference in self-efficacy and school adjustment among high school students due to different sex. That is, non-significant difference is found in self-efficacy and school adjustment between male students and female students at high schools. On the other hand, significant difference is found in self-control between different sex, and male high school students show lower level of self-control than female high school students.
Third, no significant difference is found in self-efficacy, self-control and school adjustment among high school students in different grades. Therefore, no significant difference is found in self-efficacy, self-control and school adjustment between students in year 10 and 11.
Fourth, low self-efficacy is shown when high school students are more severely addicted to smartphone. Meanwhile, no significant influence is found in self-efficacy between different sex and grades.
Fifth, low self-control is shown when high school students are more severely addicted to smartphone. Furthermore, sex has significant influence on self-control and male students show lower level of self-control than female students. On the other hand, different grades of the school have no significant influence on self-control.
Sixth, the higher level of self-efficacy shows the better school adjustment among high school students. The severity of smartphone addiction, different sex and grades and self-control has no significant influence over school adjustment.
To sum up the results, the severity of smartphone addiction is a critical predicted variable for self-efficacy and self-control and it is suggested that self-efficacy is a key predicted variable for school adjustment. Also, male adolescents show lower ability to control over their thoughts and behaviors than female adolescents and male adolescents tend to be highly impulsive compare to female adolescents. In addition, the severity of smartphone addiction among high school students is a factor to have influence on self-efficacy, High school students’ self-efficacy has influence on school adjustment. But, the severity of smartphone addiction is not a factor to have a direct influence on school adjustment.
When counseling students who have difficulty in adjusting to school, it is necessary to consider self-efficacy. As self-efficacy can influence on student’s school life and relationship with other students, it is important to find a way to improve students’ self-efficacy. A counselor can apply a way students can believe in their ability and think positively about their ability. For example, a counselor suggests a simple task for a student to perform well, as a result, the student can believe in his or her ability. Also, a counselor should inform the danger of smartphone addiction when counseling students either an individual or a group who are severely addicted to smartphone, and the counselor should take a way to examine and improve students’ self-efficacy and self-control into account. Addiction prevention program needs to be conducted to decrease the rate of smartphone addiction.