Understanding smartphone use patterns in higher education: A latent class approach to behavioral and health risk typologies

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AudienciaPúblico en generales_ES
CoberturaMéxicoes_ES
Fecha de ingreso2026-09-15T00:32:12Z
Fecha de publicación2025-12-02
ResumenINTRODUCTION: The widespread use of smartphones among university students has raised concern because of their potential effects and the need to detect profiles of problematic use. This study aimed to identify, characterize and differentiate different profiles of smartphone users in a sample of university students on the basis of variables such as use, nomophobia, risk and sociodemographic characteristics. METHODS: A total of 681 university students participated. A total of 681 university students participated in this study. The sample was recruited using a non-probabilistic, convenience sampling method. Latent class analysis -LCA- was performed to identify profiles from variables that included smartphone use patterns such as daily hours, messaging, social networks, browsing, history of technology adoption, situational use, NMPQ nomophobia questionnaire -a scale designed to assess the fear of being without a smartphone-, and reported consequences such as accidents, visual or musculoskeletal problems. The resulting classes were compared in subsequent analyses using chi-square tests for categorical variables and Mann‒Whitney U tests for ordinal variables. RESULTS: LCA revealed two clearly differentiated user profiles. Class 1 (n = 348) grouped users with moderate use and less exposure to risks and was characterized by shorter daily use of smartphones (mean = 5.46 hours), significantly lower scores on the total scale of nomophobia (mean NMPQ = 65.4 out of 140 possible points, moderate level), a lower frequency of accidents reported due to mobile use and lower reports of visual and musculoskeletal health problems. Class 2 (n = 333) grouped users with high digital involvement and multiple vulnerabilities and showed a significantly more intensive use pattern (mean = 11.01 hours per day), higher levels of nomophobia (mean NMPQ = 74.3 out of 140 possible points, moderate level), and a higher frequency of accidents and major visual and musculoskeletal health problems. CONCLUSION: While both groups of undergraduate students could benefit from awareness and training programs, interventions could be differentiated and designed to mitigate the risks associated with problematic smartphone use. These findings provide evidence for higher education institutions and health professionals in the development of programs aimed at promoting digital well-being among university students.es_ES
Doihttps://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0337918es_ES
URIhttps://riuat.uat.edu.mx/handle/123456789/3709
Idiomaenes_ES
EditorialPublic Library of Sciencees_ES
RelaciónPLoS ONEes_ES
URL relacionadohttps://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0337918es_ES
DerechosAcceso abierto (PDF local verificado)es_ES
Licenciahttp://purl.org/coar/access_right/c_abf2es_ES
FuentePLoS ONE
Palabra claveLatent class modeles_ES
Palabra clavePsychological interventiones_ES
Palabra claveSmartphone applicationes_ES
Palabra claveDigital healthes_ES
Palabra claveClass (philosophy)es_ES
Palabra claveHealth behaviores_ES
Palabra claveHealth riskes_ES
Palabra claveHealth professionalses_ES
Palabra claveRisk assessmentes_ES
ClasificaciónImpact of Technology on Adolescentses_ES
TítuloUnderstanding smartphone use patterns in higher education: A latent class approach to behavioral and health risk typologieses_ES
TipoArtículoes_ES
ArbitradoHa sido Arbitradoes_ES
AutorHernández, Ramón Ventura Roque
AutorHernández, Rolando Salazar
AutorHernández, Rolando Salazar
AutorHernández, Rolando Salazar
AutorMendoza, Adán López
AutorHernández, Ramón Ventura Roquees_ES
AutorHernández, Rolando Salazares_ES
AutorHernández, Rolando Salazares_ES
AutorHernández, Rolando Salazares_ES
AutorMendoza, Adán Lópezes_ES
InstituciónUniversidad Autónoma de Tamaulipas
InstituciónUniversidad Autónoma de Tamaulipases_ES
Número12es_ES
Rango de páginase0337918-e0337918es_ES
URL relacionadahttps://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0337918
Tipo de artículoIndexado
Tipo de artículoIndexadoes_ES
Volumen20es_ES

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