Understanding the Relationship Between Nomophobia and Psychological Distress Among University Students: The Sequential Mediating Roles of Social Anxiety and Loneliness
Cross-sectional study finds social anxiety and loneliness mediate psychological distress linked to nomophobia in university students, suggesting intervention paths.
Key Points
This study investigates how nomophobia relates to psychological distress among university students, focusing on the mediating roles of social anxiety and loneliness.
Conducted a cross-sectional study with 254 university students in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Participants completed an online questionnaire on nomophobia, social anxiety, loneliness, and psychological distress.
Used structural equation modeling to analyze relationships among the constructs.
The model fit the data excellently (CFI = 0.993, TLI = 0.992, RMSEA = 0.057).
Nomophobia was positively associated with social anxiety (β = 0.228, p = 0.006).
The sequential indirect link between nomophobia and psychological distress through social anxiety and loneliness was significant (β = 0.067, p = 0.042).