Nomophobia, phubbing and social phobia in Portuguese young adults and adults

TL;DR

This study examines how fear of being without a phone (nomophobia), phone snubbing (phubbing), and social anxiety are connected in Portuguese young adults and adults.

Contribution

The paper is the first to explore the interrelationship between nomophobia, phubbing, and social phobia in a Portuguese population.

Findings

All participants showed some level of nomophobia, with 62% at moderate risk and 22% at higher risk.

Nomophobia and phubbing were strongly correlated, while social phobia showed weaker or negative correlations.

Females had higher levels of nomophobia and phubbing than males.

Abstract

To our knowledge there is no study exploring the interrelationship between nomophobia, phubbing and social phobia in Portuguese young adults and adults.

To explore the nomophobia, phubbing and social phobia levels, the interrelationship between these three constructs, in a sample of Portuguese young adults and adults.

316 subjects, with a mean age of 25.71 years old (SD = 8.231; range 18 - 59) fulfilled a sociodemographic questionnaire, and the Portuguese validations of the Nomophobia Questionnaire, the Phubbing Scale and the Social Interaction and Performance Anxiety and Avoidance Scale.

All the subjects presented nomophobia (100%, n = 316), with 62% (n = 196) presenting a moderate risk level and 22% (n = 69) an higher risk level. The mean of the ‘total phubbing score’ was of 21.50 (DP = 5.50) and ‘smartphone obsession’ was the phubbing subscale with an higher score (X = 12.81, DP = 3.50). The mean of the total nomophobia was of 80.0 (DP = 22.83) and ‘not being able to communicate’ was the nomophobia subescale with an higher score (X = 24.75, DP = 9.95).Considering social phobia scale, the mean of the ‘anxiety/distress’ subscale was of 95.36 (DP = 25.14) and of the ‘avoidance subscale’ was of 89.56 (DP = 25.53). Almost 22% (n = 69) of the subjects presented ‘social anxiety’ and 24% (n = 76) presented ‘social avoidance’, suggesting probable social phobia cases (higher than the proposed cut-off scores). Positive and significant correlations were found between all the nomophobia and phubbing subscales (ranging from .30** to .61**). Positive and significantly correlations, mostly with low magnitude, were found between nomophobia and social phobia subscales (ranging from .03** to .22**), except for ‘social avoidance’ subescale, which correlation was negative (-.021*). Females presented higher levels of nomophobia (Md = 176.28) and phubbing (Md = 167.22) than males (Md =124.73, U = 7301.500, p <.001;Md = 141.93), U = 9475.500, p= .019, respectively). Total social phobia scores and nomophobia (not being able to access information and giving up convenience subescales) were significantly higher in young adults.

Nomophobia, phubbing and social phobia are significantly intercorrelated. Future longitudinal studies are needed to clarify nomophobia and phubbing etiology. The level of nomophobia (100%) found in this sample is specially worrying.

None Declared