Young University Students and Techno-Addiction - The Use of Social Networks in Their Social-Educational Context

Oct 15, 2026

Smartphones, tablets, and social networks have rapidly expanded as tools for communication, interaction, sharing, and collaborative work. Young people increasingly link these technologies to education and leisure, while concerns about dependence and digital addiction grow. This study examines the degree of addiction among youth from twelve Spanish universities. Using an adaptation of the Social Media Addiction Scale–Student Form (SMAS-SF), 1870 students across seven Spanish regions participated. Results show significant regional differences, and students largely do not self-identify as addicted.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages16

Reading Time40 min

AccessFree to download

Abstract

Introduction

Use of social networks in Education

Young university students and techno-addiction. The use of social networks in their social-educational context Sandra Martínez Pérez [smartinezperez@grupotecnologiaeducativa.es](smartinezperez@grupotecnologiaeducativa.es) Universidad de Barcelona, Spain Bárbara Fernández Robles [bfernandezrobles@gmail.com](bfernandezrobles@gmail.com) Universidad Isabel I, Spain Julio Barroso Osuna [jbarroso@us.es](jbarroso@us.es) Universidad de Sevilla, Spain Carmen Llorente Cejudo [karen@us.es](karen@us.es) Universidad de Sevilla, Spain Abstract The use of Smartphones, Tablets and Social Networks has grown exponentially in recent years as a means of communicating, interacting, sharing and working collaboratively. Increasingly, young people are recognising that they are establishing a greater relationship with technologies for educational and leisure purposes, to meet new people, create new languages and even to become dependent on them. The aim of our study is to know, analyse and determine the degree of addiction of young people from twelve Spanish universities. To do this, we applied an adaptation of the "Social Media Addiction Scale-Student Form" (SMAS-SF, Sahin, 2018) which was answered by 1870 students from seven Autonomous Communities (Andalusia, Asturias, Castile and Leon, Catalonia, Galicia, Murcia and the Basque Country) . The results obtained show significant differences between the young people of the different Autonomous Communities; moreover, the students do not perceive themselves as people addicted to technology and social networks. Keywords Digital addiction; social networks; young people; training; Higher Education. S.Martínez Pérez, B.Fernández Robles, J.Barroso Osuna & C.Llorente Cejudo Digital Education Review-Number 39,June 2021 105 I. Introduction Internet and Social Networks have become part of our lives, especially in adolescents and young people, providing new ways to make friends - partners, to be distracted (leisure), to create new languages, to interact, to exchange information, to share, to communicate and to work collaboratively, among others; based on the flexibility of three key factors: time, space and place. This techno-social disruption has led to a rethinking of the transformations and innovations developed in education, and the role played by teachers and students, as active subjects, in their own teachinglearning processes (Cam & Isbulan, 2012; Al-Rahmi, Othman & Musa, 2014; Altuzarra, Gálvez & González, 2018; Cabero et al., 2020) . Different studies point out how technologies contribute to the educational process, making themselves visible as support for learning, teaching aids, facilitators of collaboration, knowledge acquisition, research and training; and as a motor for change in institutions and career paths (Brown, 2012; Dyson, Vickers, Turtle, Cowab & Tassone, 2015; Lim, Grönlund & Andersson, 2015; Donelan, 2016; Aldahdouh, Nokelainen & Korhone, 2020) . These new bonds and ways of relating in virtuality bring with them changes in lifestyles, and can be considered a double-edged sword. On the one hand, being constantly connected to the Internet provides the opportunity to build new knowledge and learning (Froment, García & Bohórquez, 2017; Krull & Duart, 2018; Cabero et al., 2020) . On the other hand, they can lead to vulnerability factors, develop negative attitudes and consequences (anxiety, lack of control, bad habits, etc.), deteriorate social skills and encourage the abusive use of technologies (Chóliz & Marco, 2012; Chóliz & Marcos, 2020; Wegmann, Stodt & Brand, 2015; Mahdiuon, Salimi & Raeisy 2020) . In addition to the latter, the growing concern with finding tools for diagnosis, self-perception scales of social network addiction have been gaining ground. For the present research, Sahin's "Social Media Addiction Scale Student Form (SMAS-SF)" (2018) was taken, which determines possible addictions of students (12-22 years old) in relation to: virtual to

FAQs

What is the main aim of the study described in the abstract?

To know, analyse, and determine the degree of addiction of young people from twelve Spanish universities.

Which assessment tool was used to measure social media addiction?

An adaptation of the Social Media Addiction Scale–Student Form (SMAS-SF, Sahin, 2018).

Did students perceive themselves as addicted to technology and social networks?

No. Although results show significant differences between autonomous communities, students do not perceive themselves as people addicted to technology and social networks.

Oct 15, 2026

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