Predictors of nomophobia and the mediating role of smartphone addiction among students at the university of cape coast ghana

This study employed a cross-sectional correlational design. A sample of 411 students was selected using convenience sampling. Data were collected over one month, with a return rate of about 99.5%. Multiple regression analysis showed that financial stress, love addiction, and academic stress were jointly associated with nomophobia, F(3, 407) = 13.04, p < .001, explaining 8.8% of the variance (R² = 0.088; adjusted R² = 0.081). Love addiction (B = 0.19, p < .001) and academic stress (B = 0.18, p < .001) were significantly associated with nomophobia, whereas financial stress was not (β = 0.062, p = .206). Mediation analysis further revealed significant indirect effects of financial stress (ab = 0.247, 95% BCI [0.083, 0.419]), love addiction (ab = 0.135, 95% BCI [0.083, 0.192]), and academic stress (ab = 0.134, 95% BCI [0.078, 0.195]) on nomophobia through smartphone addiction. These findings highlight smartphone addiction as a potential pathway through which stress-related and emotional factors are linked to nomophobic tendencies among students of the University of Cape Coast. Based on the findings, university counselling centres should provide screening, counselling, and referral services for students experiencing nomophobia, smartphone addiction, academic stress, financial stress, and love addiction.