The Moderating Role of Gender in the Relationship between Nomophobia and Social Interaction Anxiety in University Students

Abstract

Nomophobia is defined as the fear that an individual experiences related to lack of access or use of their smartphone. Studies have reported significant differences on the effects of nomophobia between genders. Moreover, social interaction anxiety is a condition identified as a risk factor for future health problems among university students. The aim of this study is to examine the moderating effect of gender in the relationship between nomophobia and social interaction anxiety. The study’s data were collected from 331 university students aged 19 to 42. The study tested the moderating effect of gender in the predictor effect of social interaction anxiety on various nomophobia sub-dimensions. Social interaction anxiety had a significant predictor effect of college students’ “inability to access information” and “inability to communicate,” but this effect did not vary by gender. On the other hand, the predictor effect of social interaction anxiety on “giving up convenience” and “losing connectedness” did vary by gender.