Sleep Quality and Its Associations with ADHD Symptoms, Smartphone Use, and Social Support in University Students

Pınar Algedik; Orhan Kocaman

doi:10.58600/eurjther2697

Authors

Pınar Algedik Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Haliç University, Istanbul, Turkiye https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9617-6224
Orhan Kocaman Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Alanya Alaaddin Keykubat University, Antalya, Turkey https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7504-5604

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.58600/eurjther2697

Keywords:

Sleep quality, ADHD symptoms, Smartphone addiction, Perceived social support, University students

Abstract

Objectives: This study aimed to investigate whether university students differ in terms of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptoms, smartphone overuse levels, and perceived social support based on their sleep quality. The goal was to examine how common sleep problems in young adulthood may influence behavioral and social functioning by analyzing these three critical variables.

Methods: A cross-sectional design was used, involving 311 university students aged 18–35 from a public university. Participants were grouped based on their self-reported sleep quality into “good” and “poor” sleep quality categories. Data were collected through an online survey including sociodemographic questions and three psychometric scales: the Smartphone Addiction Scale-Short Version (SAS-SV), the Adult Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder Scale (AADHDS), and the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS). Statistical analyses were conducted using SPSS 27.0.

Results: Students with poor sleep quality scored significantly higher in ADHD symptoms and smartphone overuse while reporting lower levels of perceived social support. Significant differences were observed in the SAS-SV subscales of preoccupation, loss of control, and neglect of other areas, as well as in the AADHDS subscales of attention deficit and hyperactivity/impulsivity. All MSPSS subscales (family, friend, and significant other support) showed significantly lower scores among students with poor sleep quality.

Conclusion: The results indicate that university students experiencing poor sleep quality tend to report more pronounced symptoms of ADHD, engage in more problematic patterns of smartphone use, and perceive lower levels of social support. These outcomes underscore the importance of implementing comprehensive intervention strategies aimed at improving sleep quality by targeting key areas such as attentional control, responsible use of digital media, and the reinforcement of interpersonal support systems.

Metrics

Metrics Loading ...

References

Medic G, Wille M, Hemels MEH (2017) Short- and long-term health consequences of sleep disruption. Nat Sci Sleep. 9:151-156. https://doi.org/10.2147/NSS.S134864

Tavernier R, Willoughby T (2014) Sleep problems: Predictor or outcome of media use among emerging adults at university? J Sleep Res. 23:389-396. https://doi.org/10.1111/jsr.12132

GU C, XING D, HEO G (2024) A Meta-Analysis of the Relationship between Social Support and Academic Performance. The Journal of Fisheries and Marine Sciences Education. 36:1294–303. https://doi.org/10.13000/JFMSE.2024.12.36.6.1294

Zhu W, Liu J, Lou H, Mu F, Li B (2024) Influence of smartphone addiction on sleep quality of college students: The regulatory effect of physical exercise behavior. PLoS One. 19:e0307162. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0307162

Levenson JC, Shensa A, Sidani JE, Colditz JB, Primack BA (2017) Social Media Use Before Bed and Sleep Disturbance Among Young Adults in the United States: A Nationally Representative Study. Sleep. 40. https://doi.org/10.1093/sleep/zsx113

Owens JA (2008) Sleep disorders and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. Curr Psychiatry Rep. 10:439–44. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11920-008-0070-x

Noyan C, Darcin A, Nurmedov S, Yilmaz O, Dilbaz N (2015) Validity and reliability of the Turkish version of the Smartphone Addiction Scale-Short Version among university students. Anatolian Journal of Psychiatry 16:73. https://doi.org/10.5455/apd.176101

Günay Ş, Savran C, Aksoy UM (2005) Erişkin Dikkat Eksikliği Hiperaktivite Ölçeğinin (Adult ADD/ADHD DSM IV- Based Diagnostic Screening and Rating Scale) Dilsel Eşdeğerlilik, Geçerlik Güvenirlik ve Norm Çalışması. MÜ Atatürk Eğitim Fakültesi Eğitim Bilimleri Dergisi. 21:133–50.

Eker D, Arkar H (1995) Perceived social support: psychometric properties of the MSPSS in normal and pathological groups in a developing country. Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol. 30:121–6. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00802040

Punamäki R, Wallenius M, Nygård C, Saarni L, Rimpelä A (2007) Use of information and communication technology (ICT) and perceived health in adolescence: The role of sleeping habits and waking‐time tiredness. J Adolesc. 30:569–85. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.adolescence.2006.07.004

Exelmans L, Van den Bulck J (2016) Bedtime mobile phone use and sleep in adults. Soc Sci Med. 148:93–101. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.socscimed.2015.11.037

Nikolic A, Bukurov B, Kocic I, Vukovic M, Ladjevic N, Vrhovac M, et al. (2023) Smartphone addiction, sleep quality, depression, anxiety, and stress among medical students. Front Public Health. 11. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2023.1252371

Cain N, Gradisar M (2010) Electronic media use and sleep in school-aged children and adolescents: A review. Sleep Med. 11:735–42. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sleep.2010.02.006

Kwon SJ, Kim Y, Kwak Y (2022) Influence of smartphone addiction and poor sleep quality on attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder symptoms in university students: a cross-sectional study. Journal of American College Health. 70:209–15. https://doi.org/10.1080/07448481.2020.1740228

Kim J, Hwang EH, Shin S, Kim KH (2022) University Students’ Sleep and Mental Health Correlates in South Korea. Healthcare. 10:1635. https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare10091635

van der Ham M, Bijlenga D, Böhmer M, Beekman ATF, Kooij S (2024) Sleep Problems in Adults With ADHD: Prevalences and Their Relationship With Psychiatric Comorbidity. J Atten Disord. 28:1642–52. https://doi.org/10.1177/10870547241284477

Vogel SWN, Bijlenga D, Benjamins JS, Beekman ATF, Kooij JJS, Van Someren EJW (2017) Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder symptom severity and sleep problems in adult participants of the Netherlands sleep registry. Sleep Med. 40:94–102. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sleep.2017.09.027

Schredl M, Alm B, Sobanski E (2007) Sleep quality in adult patients with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Eur Arch Psychiatry Clin Neurosci. 257:164–8. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00406-006-0703-1

Wu N, Ding F, Ai B, Zhang R, Cai Y (2024) Mediation effect of perceived social support and psychological distress between psychological resilience and sleep quality among Chinese medical staff. Sci Rep. 14:19674. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-70754-3

Li J (2024) The relationship between peer support and sleep quality among Chinese college students: the mediating role of physical exercise atmosphere and the moderating effect of eHealth literacy. Front Psychol. 15. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1422026

Kent RG, Uchino BN, Cribbet MR, Bowen K, Smith TW (2015) Social Relationships and Sleep Quality. Annals of Behavioral Medicine. 49:912–7. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12160-015-9711-6

Masoudnia E (2015) Impact of weak social ties and networks on poor sleep quality: A case study of Iranian employees. Asian J Psychiatr. 18:42–8. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ajp.2015.10.005

Li S, Deng Y, Cai L, Wu L (2025) The relationship between smartphone addiction and sleep disorder among college students: negative emotions as a mediator and gender as a moderator. Front Psychiatry. 16. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2025.1542243

Zeyrek I, Tabara MF, Çakan M (2024) Exploring the Relationship of Smartphone Addiction on Attention Deficit, Hyperactivity Symptoms, and Sleep Quality Among University Students: A Cross‐Sectional Study. Brain Behav. 14. https://doi.org/10.1002/brb3.70137