Nomophobia as Emerging Disorder: A Study to Find Its Relation with Anxiety, Depression and Insomnia
Keywords:
Nomophobia, anxiety, depression, insomnia, mental healthAbstract
Objective: To determine the frequency of Nomophobia in undergraduate students and also to determine the relationship of Nomophobia with anxiety, depression and insomnia among undergraduate students.
METHODOLOGY: This Analytical Cross-sectional study was conducted from September 2023 to March 2024 at colleges within the domain of Dow University of Health Sciences. Students of medicine, dentistry, physiotherapy, and nursing were included. 365 undergraduate students were included in this study. Participants completed validated self-report scales: the Nomophobia Questionnaire (NMP-Q), Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7), Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), along with the Insomnia Severity Index (ISI) through an online link.SPSS was used for statistical analysis. Chi-square for qualitative variables
Results: The majority of participants (52.6%) experienced significant nomophobia symptoms; at the same time, 26% of participants revealed the most extreme nomophobic tendencies. A portion of 40.6% experienced mild to severe anxiety symptoms, and 41.1% exhibited moderate to severe depression symptoms. A large number of individuals (45.2%) encountered sleep disturbances, but their cases of insomnia remained moderate. This study revealed that a significant association exists between Nomophobia and anxiety (?²= 79.4, p< 0.005), depression (?²= 79.4, p< 0.005), and insomnia (?²= 37.034, p< 0.005).
Conclusion: Our findings indicate that Nomophobia is significantly related to anxiety, depression, and insomnia at the undergraduate level. These results imply the need for specific actions to support health in digital life and raise awareness of mental health problems.
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