Understanding the Relationship Between Nomophobia and Psychological Distress Among University Students: The Sequential Mediating Roles of Social Anxiety and Loneliness.

Background

Nomophobia, the fear or anxiety associated with being unable to access or use a smartphone, has become a serious public health concern among university students. Although previous studies have reported associations between nomophobia and adverse mental health outcomes, the psychological mechanisms underlying these relationships remain poorly understood. This study examined the associations among nomophobia, social anxiety, loneliness, and psychological distress and evaluated the sequential mediating roles of social anxiety and loneliness.

Methods

We used a cross-sectional study among 254 university students enrolled in the three public universities in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Participants completed an online questionnaire assessing nomophobia, social anxiety, loneliness, and psychological distress using validated instruments. Structural equation modeling was performed to estimate the direct and indirect associations among the latent constructs. Model fit was assessed using the Comparative Fit Index (CFI), Tucker-Lewis Index (TLI), Root Mean Square Error of Approximation (RMSEA), and Standardized Root Mean Square Residual (SRMR).

Results

The integrated measurement model showed excellent fit to the data (χ2 = 326.57, df = 179, χ2/df = 1.82, CFI = 0.993, TLI = 0.992, RMSEA = 0.057, and SRMR = 0.053). The nomophobia dimension reflecting concerns related to information and communication access was positively associated with social anxiety (β = 0.228, p = 0.006), whereas the second nomophobia dimension was not significantly associated with social anxiety. Social anxiety was positively associated with loneliness (β = 0.561, p < 0.001), and loneliness was positively associated with psychological distress (β = 0.479, p < 0.001). The sequential indirect association between the first nomophobia dimension and psychological distress through social anxiety and loneliness was statistically significant (β = 0.067, p = 0.042). No significant sequential indirect association was observed for the second nomophobia dimension.

Conclusions

Among university students, concerns related to losing access to information and communication were associated with greater psychological distress indirectly through increased social anxiety and loneliness. Interventions aimed at improving students' mental well-being may benefit from addressing both social anxiety and loneliness in addition to promoting healthy smartphone use. Longitudinal studies are warranted to confirm the temporal relationships among these constructs.