Researchers also looked at problematic use, which is a recurrent craving to use a cell phone during inappropriate times - such as driving a car, or at night when you should be sleeping. For both the men and women, the study found that problematic cell phone use was negatively related to feelings of emotional closeness with parents and peers.
"In other words, the students in the study who tended to use their cell phones compulsively and at inappropriate times felt less socially connected to parents and peers than other students," Lepp said.