DIGITAL ADDICTION AND ITS PSYCHOLOGICAL CORRELATES AMONG MEDICAL STUDENTS

Abstract

This article presents an analysis of a study investigating the relationship between the duration of screen time and personality traits among medical students. The findings indicate that over 67 % of students who use smartphones for more than 10 hours per day exhibit a clinically significant level of digital addiction. Elevated digital exposure is associated with a constellation of adverse personality changes, including increased alexithymia, heightened escapism, and reductions in reflexivity and authenticity. The observed correlations suggest that excessive smartphone use is linked not only to the development of addictive behaviors but also to emotional impoverishment and withdrawal from reality, which may adversely impact the professional formation of future physicians. These results underscore the necessity for the development and implementation of preventive interventions aimed at fostering healthy digital habits among prospective medical professionals.