A study to evaluate nomophobia and social anxiety disorder among students

Abstract

Background: The term “nomophobia,” an abbreviation for “no-mobile-phone phobia,” is characterized by the fear/discomfort caused by the inability to use a smartphone. While the use of technology may provide innumerable benefits for users, it can also reinforce behavioral dysfunctions such as social avoidance. This study was conducted to screen for nomophobia among undergraduate medical students and evaluate its relationship with social anxiety disorder. Aims: To evaluate the relationship between nomophobia and social anxiety disorder among undergraduate medical students. Methods: Five hundred participants above 18 years of age and using a smartphone with a score of ≥21 on the Nomophobia questionnaire (NMP-Q) were taken as subjects for the study. The NMP-Q and Liebowitz social anxiety scale were used to assess the levels of nomophobia and social anxiety, respectively. Statistical Analysis Used: Statistical analysis was done using SPSS version 25. Results: Among the participants, 56.4% had moderate levels of nomophobia, 37.2% had mild, and 6.4% had severe nomophobia. Of those found to have social anxiety, 57.4% had moderate levels of social anxiety, 26.4% had severe, and 6.6% had very severe social anxiety. The level of nomophobia was found to be significantly associated with the average time spent daily using a smartphone. A highly significant association has also been observed between the level of nomophobia and the severity of social anxiety. Conclusion: Our results highlight the need for future investigations focusing on the association between nomophobia and social anxiety. Delineating these relationships can inform effective screening and mitigation strategies for social anxiety in tech-heavy environments.