Young Australians are feeling lost and anxious without their smartphones and compulsive use is affecting their functioning, a new study has found.
A third of almost 400 undergraduates interviewed reported feeling anxious if they were unable to regularly check their phones, according to the Deakin University school of psychology study.
Lead researcher Dr Sharon Horwood labelled the findings surprising, and added weight to suggestions problematic smartphone use is becoming an increasingly prevalent public health issue.
