Beyond Connectivity: the Relationship Between Nomophobia, Loneliness, and Psychological Distress in Adolescents.

INTRODUCTION

Nomophobia is an experience when someone is separated from a mobile phone, which is becoming increasingly common among adolescents and may be associated with heightened psychological distress and feelings of loneliness. Despite its growing relevance, research on its effects in school-aged populations remains limited, especially within the Indian context. The present study sought to explore the relationship between nomophobia, loneliness, and psychological distress among adolescents.

METHODS

This cross-sectional study was carried out among 358 students aged 14-18 years using purposive sampling. Data were collected through validated and standardized tools and were analyzed using descriptive statistics, Pearson's correlation, and multiple regression to determine predictors of psychological distress.

FINDINGS: Mild nomophobia was most prevalent (50.3%), followed by moderate (25.1%) and severe (16.2%) levels. Nomophobia was found to be positively correlated with every component (depression: r=0.16, P<0.05; anxiety: r=0.14, P<0.05; stress: r=0.19, P<0.05) of DASS-21. However, no significant association was found between nomophobia and loneliness.

CONCLUSION

Nomophobia appeared to be widespread among adolescents and showed a significant association with elevated emotional distress. While no relationship with loneliness emerged, the results suggest that greater reliance on mobile phones may heighten psychological vulnerability. Interventions promoting digital literacy and healthy media habits are warranted to mitigate nomophobia-related distress in youth.