Association of Gadget Use Duration with Asthenopia and Family Interaction among Madrasah Aliyah Students

Abstract

Prolonged gadget use may cause visual complaints and affect adolescents’ interactions within the family. This study examined the association of gadget use duration with asthenopia severity and family interaction among madrasah aliyah students. A cross-sectional study involved 128 grade X and XI students at MA Mathla’ul Falah Lempuyang using total sampling. Daily gadget use was classified as <2 hours, 2–6 hours, and >6 hours. Asthenopia was measured using the Visual Fatigue Index, while family interaction was assessed using a family interaction questionnaire. Data were analyzed using Pearson’s chi-square and the Fisher–Freeman–Halton exact test. Sixty-one students (47.7%) used gadgets for >6 hours per day, and 56 (43.8%) experienced severe asthenopia. Gadget use duration was associated with asthenopia severity (χ²(6)=47.861; p<0.001; Cramer’s V=0.432). Family interaction categories also differed across gadget-use duration groups (p=0.011; Cramer’s V=0.218), although the pattern was not linear. Screen-time management, healthy visual habits, and family agreements on gadget use should be strengthened through school- and family-based health promotion.