The relationship between nomophobia and psychological distress in Tunisian students: The moderating effect of physical activity

Abstract

Background Due to their stage of life and the daily stressors they encounter, students are particularly susceptible to both behavioral and psychological issues. Our study was designed with two objectives in mind: (1) to explore the potential mitigating effect of physical activity on the relationship between nomophobia and distress in students; and (2) to evaluate the reliability and validity of the Arabic version of the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scales (DASS-12). Methods A cross-sectional analysis was undertaken with a sample of Tunisian students who regularly use smartphones (N = 533, 64.6% female, mean age 25.03 ± 6.55 years). Results The exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses pointed to the DASS-12 as a secondary 3-factor scale. The internal consistency of the scale, as measured by Cronbach’s alphas, was 0.98 for stress, 0.90 for anxiety, and 0.84 for depression. The results of the measurement model supported the suitability and reliability of all the DASS-12 items in capturing the underlying constructs. Structural model analysis revealed positive correlations between physical activity and nomophobia with stress, anxiety, and depression. Moreover, physical activity was found to moderate the relationship between nomophobia and two elements of distress: stress and anxiety. Conclusion The findings of this study open up novel intervention strategies for students grappling with nomophobia. In particular, the results suggest that promoting physical activity might serve as a coping strategy to counteract the impacts of nomophobia on stress and anxiety symptoms in students.

Effectiveness of Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy on Psychological Distress Syndromes, Rumination, and Self-Compassion in Students with Psychological Distress

“…Since students are among the susceptible, elite members of society and the builders of the future of every country, their mental health is of particular importance in learning and increasing scientific awareness (Sokratous et al, 2023). On the other hand, some students may face crises during their academic lives, including financial crisis, mismatch between their field of study and their interests, cultural problems due to being in different cities (place of study), emotional issues, failing in certain courses, and other academic and ethical issues, which have a destructive role in their academic quality and the creation of psychological well-being challenges (Mechraoui, 2023;Moreno-Agostino et al, 2023), leading them to experience psychological distress. Psychological distress is a state of emotional suffering and distress associated with the stresses and demands of life that the individual is unable to cope with healthily and essentially refers to states of depression, anxiety, and stress (Dotti Sani et al, 2023;Ranney et al, 2022).…”