Mobile Phone Addiction: Rural Kids Addicted to Mobile Phones | Rajkot News

Rajkot: The harmful effects of mobile phone use among children have been highlighted by several surveys, though most of these studies were focused on urban areas.Now, a survey conducted by Saurashtra University (SU) in 40 villages of Gir Somnath and Porbandar districts has unveiled that children in villages are just as addicted to mobile phones as their urban counterparts. The study, involving 2,700 children aged between 2 to 10 years, was carried out by students Harsha Gondaliya and Jigna Varu of the psychology department at SU, under the supervision of the department head Yogesh Jogsan and assistant professor Dhara Doshi. The survey results indicated that 76% of rural children play games on mobile phones, and 63% expressed desire to own mobile phones at any cost. Furthermore, 81% of the children refused to eat without watching something on mobile phones, and 85% showed a preference for mobile phones over physical games. When faced with the choice between “mummy or mobile phone,” an alarming 66.15% of children chose the mobile phone.Jogsan, the head of the psychology department at SU, remarked, “These findings are shocking, especially in rural areas. Children who are addicted to mobile phones start suffering from ‘Nomophobia’, a term used to describe the psychological condition characterized by the fear of being detached from mobile phone connectivity. They begin to experience fear or anxiety when they are not near their phone.”The psychology department at SU highlighted that excessive use of mobile phones can lead to various psychological and physical issues, including screen addiction, depression, insomnia, and an increased vulnerability to cybercrime. It also contributes toreduced physical activity as children become engrossed in a virtual world, disconnecting from reality. “We urge both urban and rural parents not to allow their children to use mobile phones as far as possible. They should encourage their children to engage in indoor and outdoor games for entertainment. We also recommend that parents reduce their smartphone usage and spend more time talking and playing with their children,” Jogsan added.

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