Smartphone Addiction and Emotional Intelligence in Teens

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Dhanashri Rajshri Ravindra Jadhav

PhD Scholar

Maharaja Agrasen Himalayan Gharawal University

Uttarakhand, India

Abstract— This study examines the relationship between smartphone addiction and emotional intelligence (EI) among adolescents, employing a large-scale survey to clarify the strength and nuances of this link. With smartphones deeply embedded in teens’ educational, social, and leisure activities, concerns have emerged regarding excessive use and its impact on emotional competencies. EI—the capacity to perceive, understand, manage, and utilize emotions adaptively—correlates strongly with mental health, academic performance, and interpersonal success. We surveyed 500 high‑school students (ages 14–18) using the Smartphone Addiction Scale (SAS) and the Schutte Self‑Report Emotional Intelligence Test (SSEIT). Correlational analyses revealed a robust negative association between SAS and SSEIT scores (r = –.42, p < .001), particularly in emotion regulation (r = –.48) and social utilization (r = –.35).

Hierarchical regression showed that EI remained a significant predictor of addiction scores even after controlling for age, gender, and daily use, explaining an additional 12% of variance. Effect sizes indicated that the most addicted quartile of teens scored over one standard deviation lower on regulation subscales than the least addicted quartile. These findings underscore the need for integrated interventions that bolster emotional skills alongside digital literacy, suggesting that enhancing EI may serve as a protective factor against problematic smartphone use. Future longitudinal and experimental work should test causal mechanisms and intervention efficacy.

Keywords— smartphone addiction; emotional intelligence; adolescents; survey; mental health

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