| Technostress is an ailment of modern culture, which manifests itself in two ways: the anxiety that is experienced with new and unfamiliar technology or stress as a result of the over identification with technology. The daily use of smartphones, tablets, and personal computers have created a compulsion to constantly connect to the Internet and social media. This compulsion can have an effect on one's stress level and overall health. This basic qualitative study sought to explore the experience of technostress from the perspective of college students. Face-to-face, semi-structured interviews were used to collect data from 10 college students who recounted their daily experiences with the stress related with technology. Implications of the results of the study indicated the following: (a) the definition of technostress needs to be expanded to include the absence of technology, (b) college instructors may need to understand the potential stress that students experience due to technostress, and (c) college students may need to be aware of the stress that could be associated with the overuse of technology. Based on the findings of this study, it is recommended that this study on technostress be replicated on other college campuses to validate the results of the study. Further, a comprehensive study should be conducted on the direct effects of the overuse of technology on health. A final recommendation is to conduct further study of technostress on younger generations. |
