In the Palm of Your Hand: The Mediating Role of Locus of Control in Selfie Addiction and Nomophobia Among Nursing Students

Introduction In today’s hyperconnected world, nursing students are increasingly vulnerable to behavioral dependencies such as selfie addiction and nomophobia. Objectives This study aimed to investigate the mediating role of locus of control in selfie addiction and nomophobia among nursing students. Methods A cross-sectional design incorporating a mediation model was conducted. A stratified random sampling technique was used to recruit 379 nursing students. Data were collected using: the Selfie-taking Habits Questionnaire, the Nomophobia Questionnaire (NMP-Q), the Selfie Addiction Scale, and the Locus of Control Short Scale (IE-4). Results Among 379 nursing students, the results demonstrated a significant positive correlation between selfie addiction and nomophobia (r = 0.268, p < 0.001), as well as a significant negative correlation between locus of control and both selfie addiction (r = -0.218, p < 0.001) and nomophobia (r = -0.145, p = 0.001). Mediation analysis revealed that locus of control significantly mediated the relationship between selfie addiction and nomophobia (indirect effect = 0.114, p = 0.015), indicating that higher selfie addiction is associated with lower internal locus of control, which in turn increases nomophobia. Conclusion Locus of control serves as a significant partial mediator between selfie addiction and nomophobia. These findings underscore the importance of addressing individual psychological traits in interventions to promote healthier digital behavior and reduce mobile-related risky behavior among nursing students. These findings highlight the need to enhance the internal locus of control as a strategy to reduce selfie addiction related to nomophobia, thereby empowering students to manage their digital habits more effectively.