SynthesisInternational journal of environmental research and public health2023
Association between Problematic Use of Smartphones and Mental Health in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) Region: A Systematic Review.
Synthesis in International journal of environmental research and public health, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 10 papers.
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Who cites it
10 citing papers in PubMed.
- Mediating Effect of Perceived Ageism Experiences Between TikTok Addiction Symptoms and Psychological Distress: A Cross-Sectional Study.Health science reports · 2026Article
- Association between problematic smartphone use, loneliness, and risk behaviors among high school students in a conflict-affected setting: A cross-sectional study from Palestine.BMC psychology · 2026Article
- Temporal patterns of adolescent screen time and compulsive internet use in Moroccan high school students.Addictive behaviors reports · 2026Article
- Psychometric properties of the smartphone distraction scale in arabic among lebanese young adults.Health psychology and behavioral medicine · 2026Article
- Screen Time, Fatigue, Obesity and Physical Inactivity: Health Correlates of Problematic Smartphone Use in Adolescents.Child: care, health and development · 2026Article
- Platform-specific digital media use and psychological distress among Turkish adults: evidence from a nationally representative, cross-sectional survey.Frontiers in public health · 2026Article
- Exposure to online hate speech is positively associated with post-traumatic stress disorder symptom severity.Scientific reports · 2025Article
- Moderated mediation model of the association between problematic smartphone use and dry eye disease within Moroccan adolescents.Scientific reports · 2025Article
- Phone addiction, cyberbullying, and mental health amongst young adults in the United Arab Emirates: a cross-sectional study.BMC psychology · 2023Article
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Authors and funding
5 authors.
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Abstract
Smartphones have become essential components of daily life, and research into the harmful effects of problematic smartphone use (PSU) on mental health is expanding in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. This issue has yet to be synthesized and critically evaluated. To find quantitative observational studies on the relationship between PSU and mental health in the MENA region, we developed a search equation and adapted it for four databases. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) guidelines were followed during the selection process. This review included 32 cross-sectional studies and one cohort study. The available language was English. All identified studies published until 8 October 2021, were considered. A modified Newcastle-Ottawa scale was used to assess the quality of the included studies. The studies enrolled 21,487 people and had low-to-moderate methodological quality. The prevalence of PSU ranged from 4.3 to 97.8 percent. The time factor, type of application used on the smartphone, and sociodemographic characteristics were the determinants of PSU. Depression, anxiety, and stress were strongly correlated with PSU. Epidemiological longitudinal studies that respect the quality of evidence are needed in all MENA countries to better plan and implement preventive measures against PSU.
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