Abstract :
Background: The phantom vibration syndrome occurs when a person thinks neither his or her phone is ringing or vibrating from a text message when it actually is not. As a society increasingly dependent on mobile devices, the phantom vibrate easily becomes a phenomenon of worry for mobile users.
Aim: To estimate the prevalence and its factors on phantom vibration syndrome.
Materials and Methods: A non-experimental study with comparative survey research design was developed. The study was conducted in Government First Grade PU College at Kolar. Non-probability convenient sampling technique was used to select the samples of 200 (100 UG, 100 PG) who fulfills the selection criteria. A checklist on phantom vibration syndrome with 15 items and questionnaire on assessing the factors influencing on phantom vibration syndrome with 11 items were used to collect the data from the samples through self-administered method. Descriptive and inferential statistics was used for analyzing the data.
Results: Majority of the students in UG 75% were less than 20 years and 95% were between 21-25 years with PG students. Regarding Gender 95%was male in UG and 44% were female in PG with 56% male.
The findings of the data on prevalence showed that 71% of the UG students experienced phantom vibration syndrome and 29% of the UG students experienced some characteristics associated with phantom vibration syndrome, whereas among the PG students 50% reported as experienced with phantom vibration syndrome
and remaining 50% does not experience any symptoms associated with phantom vibration syndrome. Related to the factors influencing phantom vibration syndrome, 78% of the UG students reported that they keep their mobile phone in jean front pocket, 44% of the PG students said they place it in handbags /others. 57% of the UG students used to check their phone for more than 20 times in a day where as 53% of the PG students used to check for 10-20 times in a day. Both UG and PG students said that they feel the false vibration of ringing of their mobile phone during driving, sitting and engaged with any other activities were 42% and 47% respectively.
Conclusion: The findings of the study on phantom vibration syndrome among the students appear to
reveal something about the use of contemporary technology in our day to day life and its addiction. So it
is a warning sign that too much attachment and abusers to the mobile devices may have an impact on the
health status and their behavior.
Keyword :
Phantom vibration syndrome, Students, Smartphone addiction.