p ISSN
2723-6927-e ISSN 2723-4339
Analysis of Factors
Causing Nomophobia in Adolescents: A Meta-Analysis
Study
Aisya Alifa Rahmah¹,
Irma Finurina Mustikawati², Paramita Septianawati³, Glorio Immanuel⁴ 1,2,3,4Faculty of
Medicine, Universitas Muhammadiyah Purwokerto, Central Java, Indonesia Email: 2irmafinurinamustikawati@ump.ac.id,3paramitaseptianawati@ump.ac.id, 4glo_rio@yahoo.com
ABSTRACT
This study combines
data from various studies to provide more in-depth knowledge of the underlying
reasons, possible risk factors, and protective variables associated with
nomophobia in this demographic group. “nomophobia”
describes a group of actions or symptoms associated with smartphone use. It is
considered a contemporary phobia caused by society's interaction with mobile
information and communication technology, especially cell phones. Nomophobia,
the fear or worry that arises when someone is separated from their smartphone,
has become a problem in today's digitally connected culture. This research uses meta-analysis research methods. Preferred
Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA 2020) were
used in this study. Studies published between 2013 and 2023 were the focus of
the search. Factors that influence nomophobia
include Duration of Smartphone Use, Dependence on Social Media and the
Internet, Compulsive and Obsessive Behavior, Social Relationships and Mental
Health, Mindfulness, and Demographic Factors such as gender, employment status,
parental education, and level of education. The results of this search provide in-depth information about the
characteristics and causes of nomophobia, highlighting the need for focused
treatment and support networks to address this increasing problem among
adolescents. This meta-analysis seeks to close
this gap by methodically investigating the elements that lead to adolescent
nomophobia.
Keywords: Nomophobia, Teenagers, Digital, Smartphone, Addiction
INTRODUCTION
Virtual
communications and new technological devices are valuable resources for the
planet. People are now finding comfort in computers, tablets, and mobile
phones, especially young people, in all aspects of their lives. Some of the
things these devices help with are internet access, photo editing, listening to
music and radio, news consumption, address and route search, making
appointments, banking, shopping, gaming, and much more. At the same time,
advances in technology and virtual
communications bring both benefits and harm to the world. Disadvantages include social
hardships such as social isolation and financial/economic problems such as huge
debts incurred due to the purchase or use of advanced phones. It can also
target psychological and physical disorders, including electromagnetic field
radiation damage, car accidents, and anxiety stemming
from the fear of losing the ability
to use modern technology. Nomophobia is a term when using this device
causes strong feelings of fear and sadness and creates dependence on cell
phones (Sharma et al. 2019).
The abbreviation for "NoMObile PHone PhoBIA" is nomophobia, namely the fear of not being
able to use or not being able to be approached via a smartphone. This is a fear
of the modern age caused by interaction with new technology. In recent years,
this phenomenon has attracted
a lot of attention, especially from teenagers, who use mobile devices more
often than anyone else. Concerns about the psychological impact, particularly
for young populations, arise as a result of increasing reliance on mobile
phones as instruments for social contact,
communication, and entertainment (Ghogare et al. 2022).
Additionally, those who had cell phones for several years and
spent a lot of time using them showed higher levels
of nomophobia. Concerns
about over-reliance on technology can be seen in
the emergence of social networking as a primary
form of communication, especially among the
younger generation. A possible addition to the DSM-V, the diagnostic guide for
mental illness, is nomophobia, defined as the fear of being without
a cell phone. Given the huge impact smartphones have on everyday life
and the potential impact on ordinary users who lose their devices, it is
important to consider the implications of smartphone use on society's general
well-being. According to a study on parental
educational attainment, the average nomophobia score decreased as the father's
education level increased (Morales Rodríguez et al. 2020).
In addition,
a related study found that the duration of smartphone use, social sentiment,
and parental education level were all closely related to the emergence of
smartphone addiction. (Çiçek et al. 2021) conducted research that corroborated the unfavorable correlation found between a father's
educational performance and problems with forward motivation, loneliness, and smartphone addiction. The conclusions of this study show how risk factors,
such as the father's education level, influence excessive smartphone
use, which is closely related to smartphone addiction. Additionally, their
fathers' poor educational background and the participants' smartphone addiction
were linked in other similar studies.
To address
the prevalence of nomophobia among teenagers and reduce the potential negative
impact on their mental health and general well-being, it is important to
understand the underlying elements of this problem. Even though this phenomenon
has undergone several studies, a thorough
analysis is still needed that synthesizes previous
research findings and finds
similarities or different
trends between different studies. This meta-analysis seeks to close this
gap by methodically investigating the elements that lead to adolescent nomophobia. This study aims to provide
more in-depth knowledge about the underlying reasons, possible risk factors,
and protective variables associated with nomophobia in this demographic group by combining data from various studies.
RESEARCHED METHODS
This research uses meta-analysis research methods. Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA 2020) were used in this study. Compliance checklists are provided in databases including PubMed, Web of Science, AccessMedicine, ScienceDirect, EMBASE, PROQUEST Research Library (including ABI/INFORM), and Scopus. A comprehensive search was conducted in all electronic databases. "Nomophobia" or "no-mobile-phobia " and "factor" or "smartphone addiction," "internet addiction," "digital addiction," or "social media addiction" were some of the key phrases used in the search strategy. Studies published between 2013 and 2023 were the focus of the search.
Inclusion and Exclusion
Criteria
The
inclusion criteria are:
1) Articles about nomophobia were published in 2013-2023.
2)
Peer-reviewed research articles published in English.
3)
Research assessed the factors
causing nomophobia in adolescents.
The
exclusion criteria are:
1)
Studies in the form of case reports or book chapters.
2)
It is not a peer-reviewed research
article that was published in a non-English format.
3)
Research is not directed at the factors causing
nomophobia in adolescents.
Identification of studies via
databases
Records excluded Records screened (n= 19) Reports sought for retrieval (n= 16) Reports not retrieved (n= 4
) Studies included in review (n= 8) Reports excluded = 4 Reports assessed foreligibility (n= 12) Records removed before screening: Duplicate records removed (n = 5
) Title has no correlation (n=0) Records identified from: Databases (n=
30)
Figure 1. PRISMA
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
Analysis Result
The majority
of research focuses
on the level and frequency of nomophobia. They defined
nomophobia and linked it to various variables, including age, gender, amount of
time spent using smartphones each day, academic status, housing type, internet
connection, number of job applications, and educational attainment. The
following are the results of the analysis:
It is evident from the research findings that undergraduate
medical students have nomophobia. It has been proven that there is a negative
correlation between nomophobia and
happiness and self-esteem, as well as a positive correlation with feelings of loneliness.
Additionally, there is a statistically significant relationship between
nomophobia and self-esteem. These findings suggest a strong correlation between
nomophobia and psychological health.
According to (Gonçalves, Dias, and Correia 2020), there is a
good relationship between psychopathological symptoms and nomophobia. Three
factors have been identified as primary indications of nomophobia: OCD,
interpersonal sensitivity, and the amount of time spent using smartphones each day. Highly educated people often have stronger
relationships with family and friends and show fewer symptoms of
nomophobia.
According to (Vagka et al. 2023), 99.9% of
participants showed some level of nomophobia,
with the dominant
level being moderate
(57.0%). Severe nomophobia was more common in
women and unemployed participants (adj PR = 1.57), and participants whose
fathers did not have a college degree had 30% higher levels of nomophobia
overall (p = 0.029). Additionally, 45.8% of those with any degree of nomophobia
said that it adversely affected their academic
performance, and 59% of those
with severe nomophobia checked their phones
very frequently (p < 0.001). Early prevention should be prioritized by
creating integrated health promotion initiatives.
According to (Arpaci, Baloğlu, and Kesici 2019), there is a
strong inverse relationship between mindfulness and nomophobia in both genders.
When they cannot
communicate, students with poor attention levels show more
anxiety.
Nomophobia intensity was found to have a strong, positive, and
substantial relationship with anxiety about social appearance, problematic
internet use, and dependence on social media, according to (Ayar et al. 2018).
A clearer
relationship between nomophobia and obsession was demonstrated by (Lee et al. 2018). Higher
levels of obsession correlate with higher
levels of nomophobia severity, which may be a factor in the increase in clinical
symptoms caused by new technological advances.
According to (Al-Mamun et al. 2023), there is a
substantial correlation between Nomophobia and sadness,
difficulty sleeping, Facebook
addiction, and smartphone addiction. In addition, there
was a strong moderating effect
of smartphone addiction on the relationship between nomophobia and
Facebook addiction. Reducing the use of psychoactive substances and daily
smartphone use are two strategies that can help reduce the incidence of nomophobia among college students.
According to (Gezgin et al. 2018), there
were significant differences observed in terms of duration of mobile internet
ownership, duration of daily mobile internet use, and daily smartphone checking
time. However, no statistically significant correlation was found between the duration
of smartphone ownership and monthly GSM mobile internet quota. Ultimately, a
statistically significant correlation was found between nomophobia and
loneliness, indicating that adolescents' feelings of loneliness can predict
their nomophobia.
DISCUSSION
Teenagers are becoming
more and more concerned about
nomophobia, or the dread of being
without a cell phone. Research
has shown a number of contributing elements. Individuals who are homophobic frequently exhibit traits
such as excessive usage of smartphones, avoiding locations designated for smartphone use, and constantly carrying a phone
with them. Teenagers and young adults are more vulnerable to nomophobia because
of their increased
social contact and information availability. Age is a significant risk factor for nomophobia, with younger age groups more likely than older ones to
have the condition. Furthermore, there are a number of established reasons for
mobile phone addiction that have been linked to the development of nomophobia,
including low self-esteem, difficulties sustaining social interactions, and the
desire for acceptance from others. It has also been determined that the rise in
smartphone use and the availability of Internet access are factors in the
development of nomophobia in young people (Kaviani et al. 2020).
Nomophobia is characterized by physical symptoms
like perspiration and elevated heart rate, as well as psychological symptoms
like worry, panic
attacks, and agitation when the phone is not in one's possession. When
faced with spotty network connection or limited smartphone usage regions, teens
and young adults may become more stressed and impulsive, which can exacerbate
their symptoms of nomophobia. There have also been reports of nomophobia
coexisting with comorbid diseases such as behavioral addiction disorders, drug
misuse, and depression. Furthermore, while nomophobia affects people of all
ages equally, research has shown that variables like gender and age do not
substantially predict the condition. However, compared to older adults, women
and younger age groups seem to be more likely to acquire nomophobia (Moreno-Guerrero et al. 2020).
When it comes to nomophobia, young adults appear to be more
susceptible than other age groups. The fact that young people are more used to
contemporary tools and technology than persons in other
age groups may help to
explain this. Gender inequalities may arise from the fact that women
use their phones
primarily for social
networking and communication and to maintain relationships with friends and family, while
males think that mobile phone technology boosts their degree of freedom. People who are nomophobia may never turn
off their phones or always have them close at hand, even when they go to bed. Some of them may even
carry an additional phone, battery, or charger just in case they misplace
their phone or run out of power. Furthermore, nomophobia is sometimes classified as a
"situational phobia," similar to agoraphobia or the fear of getting
sick and not getting help right away;
on the other hand, it is sometimes classified as a "behavioral addiction" to mobile phones, exhibiting signs of
both physical and psychosocial dependence (Karl et al. 2020).
It has been
suggested that social danger is the
mechanism via which nomophobia may result in unfavorable psychological states
or outcomes, most notably tension.
Research
conducted on a sample of university students in Turkey found a strong
correlation between using
a cell phone and feeling
lonely. 70 Numerous research have shown
that the development of nomophobia as a result of excessive mobile phone use is
also influenced by maladaptive perfectionism, depression, aggression,
impulsivity, and other psychological characteristics. It has been established
that problematic mobile phone use is strongly predicted by low self-esteem.
Furthermore, research has looked at extraversion and neuroticism as potential
risk factors for improper cell phone use. Numerous investigations have endeavored to pinpoint the risk factors
linked to nomophobia, with a particular focus on
psychological and demographic aspects. But nomophobia also negatively impacts
physical health in a number of ways (Naser et al. 2023).
The conclusion of this research
is that the factors that influence nomophobia include: duration of
smartphone use, dependence on social media and the internet, compulsive and
obsessive behavior, social relationships and mental health, mindfulness,
demographic factors such as gender, employment status, parental education, and
education level. The fear that teenagers have
about not having
a cell phone, or nomophobia, is a serious
and growing problem.
Various contributing elements, such as excessive smartphone use, social
contact, and information availability, have been discovered in the research.
Symptoms of Nomophobia can include physical discomfort, anxiety, and panic
attacks. Because of their reliance on cell phones for social connection and the
need for acceptance, teenagers and young adults are a particularly vulnerable
group. Teenagers are more susceptible to nomophobia, which can have a
detrimental impact on their mental and physical health. The results can be applied in the
treatment of adolescent nomophobia. Early prevention techniques and integrated
health promotion activities are essential to reduce the increasing incidence of
nomophobia. The goal of the initiative is to strengthen social bonds, encourage
responsible smartphone use, and improve psychological health. Additionally, it
may be beneficial to teach teens about
the possible negative
impacts of excessive
smartphone use and provide them with coping mechanisms to
deal with the anxiety associated with losing their phone. Additionally,
educators and medical professionals need to be aware of how nomophobia affects
adolescents and be ready to offer help and support
to affected individuals. The results of this search provide
in-depth information about the characteristics and causes of nomophobia, highlighting the need for focused
treatment and support
networks to address
the increasing problem among adolescents.
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