Analysing The Anxiety Levels And Academic Perfomance Associated With Screen Time In Dental Students Of Prosthdontics: A Questionnaire-Based Study

Abstract

Purpose: The present study aimed to assess the relationship between screen time, year of study, attendance percentage, and anxiety levels among undergraduate dental students, and to determine whether daily screen time is associated with these academic and psychological parameters.

Materials and Method: A questionnaire-based survey was conducted among undergraduate students from all years of study in the Department of Prosthodontics and Crown & Bridge, Narsinhbhai Patel Dental College and Hospital. Data on daily screen time, attendance percentage, year of study, and anxiety levels (Generalized Anxiety Disorder Questionnaire, GAD-7) were collected and analyzed. Cross-tabulation was performed to explore relationships between variables, and Chi-square tests were applied to assess statistical significance at α = 0.05.

Results: Across all academic years, the majority of students reported using their phones for 4–5 hours per day. The proportion of students with more than 6 hours of daily screen time ranged from 10.6% to 21.1% depending on year. In the “Above 80% attendance” group, 32.5% reported 4–5 hours of use, and 14.6% reported more than 6 hours daily. The association between screen time and year of study approached statistical significance (Pearson χ²(9)=16.293, p=0.061). Importantly, a significant association was found between screen time and the anxiety symptom “feeling afraid as if something might happen” (Pearson χ²(9) = 22.559, p = 0.007), with higher screen time corresponding to increased frequency of this symptom. No statistically significant relationship was observed between screen time and attendance percentage (Pearson χ²(9) = 6.585, p = 0.680).

Conclusion: While daily screen usage patterns were largely consistent across years and attendance groups, higher screen time was significantly associated with elevated anxiety symptoms in at least one GAD-7 parameter. The near-significant relationship between screen time and year of study suggests potential variation across academic years, warranting further investigation with larger samples.