Nomophobia in University Students: The Roles of Digital Addiction, Social Connectedness, and Life Satisfaction

Abstract

This study examines the predictive power of digital addiction, social connectedness and life satisfaction on the nomophobia levels of university students. Participants consisted of 451 university students studying in various departments at three state universities in Ankara. The Nomophobia Questionnaire, Digital Addiction Scale, Social Connectedness Scale-Revised, The Satisfaction with Life Scale, and Personal Information Form were used to collect the data. The data were analyzed through t-test, one-way analysis of variance, and multiple linear regression analysis. Results indicated that while students’ nomophobia level differs significantly according to gender, daily usage time, and the number of daily checks, it does not differ according to the duration of having a smartphone. Moreover, social media addiction significantly predicted the level of nomophobia, while game addiction, impact on daily life, social connectedness, or life satisfaction did not significantly predict nomophobia levels. The findings are discussed in comparison to the existing literature and suggestions are subsequently made.