Mobile Phone Involvement Research Articles

Associations between adverse childhood experiences and early adolescent problematic screen use in the United States

BackgroundProblematic screen use, defined as an inability to control use despite private, social, and professional life consequences, is increasingly common among adolescents and can have significant mental and physical health consequences. Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) are important risk factors in the development of addictive behaviors and may play an important role in the development of problematic screen use.MethodsProspective data from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development Study (Baseline and Year 2; 2018–2020; N = 9,673, participants who did not use screens were excluded) were analyzed in 2023. Generalized logistic mixed effects models were used to determine associations with ACEs and the presence of problematic use among adolescents who used screens based on cutoff scores. Secondary analyses used generalized linear mixed effects models to determine associations between ACEs and adolescent-reported problematic use scores of video games (Video Game Addiction Questionnaire), social media (Social Media Addiction Questionnaire), and mobile phones (Mobile Phone Involvement Questionnaire). Analyses were adjusted for potential confounders including age, sex, race/ethnicity, highest parent education, household income, adolescent anxiety, depression, and attention-deficit symptoms, study site, and participants who were twins.ResultsThe 9,673 screen-using adolescents ages 11–12 years old (mean age 12.0) were racially and ethnically diverse (52.9% White, 17.4% Latino/Hispanic, 19.4% Black, 5.8% Asian, 3.7% Native American, 0.9% Other). Problematic screen use rates among adolescents were identified to be 7.0% (video game), 3.5% (social media), and 21.8% (mobile phone). ACEs were associated with higher problematic video game and mobile phone use in both unadjusted and adjusted models, though problematic social media use was associated with mobile screen use in the unadjusted model only. Adolescents exposed to 4 or more ACEs experienced 3.1 times higher odds of reported problematic video game use and 1.6 times higher odds of problematic mobile phone use compared to peers with no ACEs.ConclusionsGiven the significant associations between adolescent ACE exposure and rates of problematic video and mobile phone screen use among adolescents who use screens, public health programming for trauma-exposed youth should explore video game, social media, and mobile phone use among this population and implement interventions focused on supporting healthy digital habits.

Mobile phone dependency and sleep quality in college students during COVID-19 outbreak: the mediating role of bedtime procrastination and fear of missing out

ObjectiveThe purpose of this study was to investigate the associations between mobile phone dependency, bedtime procrastination, FoMO, and sleep quality among college students during the COVID-19 outbreak. Specifically, we examined whether bedtime procrastination and FoMO mediate the relationship between mobile phone dependency and sleep quality.MethodsA total of 881 college students completed an online survey in May 2022 in Shanghai, China. Mobile Phone Involvement Questionnaire, Bedtime Procrastination Scale, Fear of Missing Out Scale and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index were used to assess mobile phone dependency, bedtime procrastination, fear of missing out, and sleep quality, respectively. Multiple linear regression and mediation analysis were conducted.ResultsThe correlation analyses indicated mobile phone dependency was positively associated with fear of missing out, bedtime procrastination, and poor sleep quality among college students. The structural equation modeling analyses revealed that mobile phone dependency had significant indirect effects on sleep quality through bedtime procrastination (indirect effect: 0.030, 95%CI: 0.022–0.041) and fear of missing out (indirect effect: 0.013, 95%CI: 0.003–0.023).ConclusionThe findings indicated that bedtime procrastination and fear of missing out are mediators mediating the relationship between mobile phone dependency with sleep quality. Bedtime procrastination and fear of missing out should be considered as potential intervention targets for reducing mobile phone dependency and improving sleep quality in college students.

Social epidemiology of early adolescent problematic screen use in the United States

ObjectiveTo determine sociodemographic correlates of problematic screen use (social media, video games, mobile phones) among a racially/ethnically and socioeconomically diverse population-based sample of 10–14-year-old early adolescents.Study designWe analyzed cross-sectional data from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development Study (Year 2, 2018–2020; N = 8753). Multiple linear regression analyses were used to estimate associations between sociodemographic factors (age, sex, race/ethnicity, primary language, household income, parental education) and adolescent-reported problematic video game (Video Game Addiction Questionnaire), social media (Social Media Addiction Questionnaire), and mobile phone use (Mobile Phone Involvement Questionnaire).ResultsBoys reported higher problematic video game use while girls reported higher problematic social media and mobile phone use. Native American, black, and Latinx adolescents reported higher scores across all problematic screen measures compared to non-Latinx white adolescents. Having unmarried/unpartnered parents was associated with higher problematic social media use. Although higher household income was generally protective against problematic video game use, these associations were weaker for black than white adolescents (p for interaction <0.05).ConclusionsGiven the sociodemographic differences in problematic screen use, digital literacy education strategies can focus on at-risk populations, encourage targeted counseling by pediatricians, and adapt family media use plans for diverse backgrounds.ImpactWhile sociodemographic differences in screen time are documented, we examined sociodemographic differences in problematic screen use in a large, diverse sample of early adolescents in the US.Boys reported higher problematic video game use while girls reported higher problematic social media and mobile phone use.Native American, black, and Latinx adolescents reported higher scores across all problematic screen measures compared to non-Latinx white adolescents.Although higher household income was generally protective against problematic video game use, these associations were weaker for black than white adolescents.Beyond time spent on screens, pediatricians, parents, and educators should be aware of sociodemographic differences in problematic screen use.

Nomophobia and Phubbing: Wellbeing and new media education in the family among adolescents in Bosnia and Herzegovina

Nomophobia and Phubbing are negative phenomena linked to the proliferation of smartphones as well as unlimited Internet access. Individual and social changes in behaviour determined by the ubiquity of smartphones necessitate an analysis of these two types of problematic Internet use. Both types of behaviour are particularly noticeable among adolescents. The aim of this article is to show the extent of nomophobia and phubbing among adolescents in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and to link these phenomena to wellbeing and the influence of the family on the style of smartphone use among young people. The research was conducted in the first half of 2021 among adolescents aged 12–18 years (N = 1083) using a triangulation of survey questionnaires such as NMP-Q The Nomophobia Questionnaire and Mobile Phone Involvement Questionnaire, Phubbing scale, and the Wellbeing level, as well as new media parenting style in the family. From the data collected, it was noted that: 1) Thinking about the phone while bored and not being able to 'keep in contact with members of the social circle are the most common factors of nomophobia; 2) About 1/3 of the respondents declare having symptoms of nomophobia; 3) More than 2/3 of teenagers have a phone in their environment all of the time; 4) Every fourth teenager very often receives negative comments from their immediate peers due to the style of smartphone use; 5) Smartphone use in the vicinity of other people is the norm for teenagers - an acceptable behaviour in contrast to the perception of this situation among some groups of adults; 6) Only 9.87% of adolescents have a high saturation of phubbing; 7) Most indicators related to nomophobia and phubbing are more frequent among girls than boys; 8) Only 16.43% of parents use dialogue methods related to education about new media; 9) Over 60% of parents do not employ any methods to reduce selected forms of problematic use of smartphones; 10) Parents are more active in educating younger than older adolescents about new media; 11) Satisfaction with activities in the offline sphere is a protective factor for phubbing.

Distracted Behavior of Pedestrians While Crossing Street: A Case Study in China.

Pedestrians are the most vulnerable road users in the traffic system and thousands of pedestrians are injured or killed globally as a result of traffic crashes every year. With their popularity and enriched functions, mobile phones are playing an increasingly important role in people’s lives, and records of vehicle crashes involving pedestrians have shown the hazards caused by distraction of mobile phone use, especially in the context of crossing the street. The present study employed the theory of planned behavior (TPB) to investigate the behavior of using a mobile phone while crossing the street in China. An online questionnaire based on the TPB framework was developed to collect data, and 387 eligible samples were retained after inspection. Mobile phone use while crossing the street is prevalent in China (i.e., 53%). The results show that three standard TPB constructs (i.e., attitudes, intention and perceived behavioral control) emerged as significant predictors of the behavior of using mobile phone while crossing, and two extended constructs (i.e., situation, mobile phone involvement) also significantly predicted the behavior. In addition, for this population, intention was the strongest predictor of the behavior among these significant constructs. Moreover, the results were discussed and compared with some existing studies and safety interventions were also provided.

Effects of Electronic Devices and Internet Addiction on Sleep and Academic Performance Among Female Egyptian and Saudi Nursing Students: A Comparative Study.

IntroductionThe widespread availability of Internet access and increasing rate of electronic device usage has helped enlighten the world community through copious applications, information resources, and other benefits. However, both the lack of controlled behavior and excessive Internet usage have resulted in a variety of difficulties that can hinder user achievement in many areas.ObjectivesThis study investigated the prevalence of Internet and electronic device addiction among Egyptian and Saudi nursing students, with the aim of identifying any effects on sleep and academic performance.MethodsA cross-sectional comparative research design was employed among a systematic random sample comprised of 920 Egyptian and Saudi female nursing students. All participants completed the Young-Internet Addiction Test (IAT), Mobile Phone Involvement Questionnaire (MPIQ), and Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS).ResultsSevere Internet Addiction (IA) detected in 42.69% and 10.31% of Saudi and Egyptian participants, respectively. However, Saudi participants were more likely to report high rates of mobile phone usage (P < 0.001), while Egyptian participants tended to score higher on the ESS (17.47 ± 3.99 vs. 16.8 ± 3.83; P = 0.024). For all participants, IAT and MPIQ scores were correlated with ESS results, while IA was specifically associated with poor academic performance. Finally, MPIQ scores were inversely correlated with academic performance for Saudi participants.ConclusionSmartphone and Internet addiction were notable problems for the Egyptian and Saudi nursing students investigated in this study. Importantly, these conditions adversely affect academic performance and other activity engagement in addition to inducing excessive daytime sleepiness.

Impulsivity facets and mobile phone use while driving: Indirect effects via mobile phone involvement

Mobile phone use while driving (MWD) is a threat to road safety, particularly for younger drivers. Research suggests impulsivity may be a psychological risk factor for MWD, however, the literature is limited. The current study examined the unique contributions of impulsivity facets on different social interactive MWD behaviours, and whether these relationships were influenced by mobile phone involvement. Eight hundred and fifty-three young drivers aged 17–25 years (Mage = 19.89; 74 % female) completed an online questionnaire which included measures of the five-facet model of impulsivity, mobile phone involvement, and MWD (initiating, monitoring/reading, and responding to social communications). Of impulsivity facets, lower premeditation and higher positive urgency significantly predicted each MWD behaviour, while higher sensation seeking significantly predicted responding only, providing some support for differential relationships of impulsivity facets with MWD. Mobile phone involvement was a more robust predictor of MWD. Moreover, there were significant indirect effects of positive and negative urgency via mobile phone involvement for all three MWD behaviours. Findings highlight the importance of mobile phone involvement for explaining MWD which should be addressed in future studies.

Rash impulsivity, reward seeking and fear of missing out as predictors of texting while driving: Indirect effects via mobile phone involvement

Young drivers exhibit high levels of risky driving behaviour, including texting while driving (TWD). The aim of this study was to examine the influence of personality (rash impulsivity, reward seeking), fear of missing out (FOMO) and mobile phone involvement (MPI) on frequency of TWD. Six hundred and twelve young drivers aged 17 to 24 years completed an online survey including these measures, and frequency of sending and reading TWD in the prior week. Rash impulsivity and reward seeking, as well as MPI, predicted both modes of TWD, while FOMO only predicted sending. In addition, rash impulsivity, reward seeking and FOMO all had significant indirect effects on sending and reading TWD via MPI. Findings highlight the importance of considering indirect relationships of personality via MPI on phone use while driving.

Gratifications of Travel Photo Sharing (gtps) on Social Media: Scale Development and Cross-cultural Validation

Sharing photos on social media has become a vital tourist behavior during a journey. However, gratifications behind such sharing in tourists' minds is not yet fully clarified in tourism literature. Therefore, based on uses and gratifications (U&amp;G) theory, this study develops and validates a scale measuring gratifications of travel photo sharing (GTPS) on social media. In Study 1, we conducted an exploratory factor analysis with responses from 200 tourists (47.50% individualistic culture and 52.50% collectivistic culture). In Study 2, we implemented confirmatory factor analysis with responses from 300 tourists (100% collectivistic culture). In Study 3, using samples from 200 tourists (50% individualistic culture and 50% collectivistic culture), we examined the relationships between GTPS dimensions and mobile phone involvement. Finally, we developed a 13-item GTPS with four dimensions: social attraction, mental accomplishment, self-disclosure, and habitual pastime.

Testing the Bidirectional Associations of Mobile Phone Addiction Behaviors With Mental Distress, Sleep Disturbances, and Sleep Patterns: A One-Year Prospective Study Among Chinese College Students.

BackgroundMobile phone addiction behaviors (MPAB) are extensively associated with several mental and sleep problems. Only a limited number of bidirectional longitudinal papers have focused on this field. This study aimed to examine the bidirectional associations of MPAB with mental distress, sleep disturbances, and sleep patterns.MethodsA total of 940 and 902 (response rate: 95.9%) students participated at baseline and one-year follow-up, respectively. Self-reported severity of mobile phone addiction was measured using Mobile Phone Involvement Questionnaire (MPIQ). Mental distress was evaluated by using Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) and Zung Self-Rating Anxiety Scale (SAS). Sleep disturbances were assessed by using Insomnia Severity Index (ISI), Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), and Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS). Sleep patterns were evaluated by using reduced Morningness-Eveningness Questionnaire (rMEQ), weekday sleep duration, and weekend sleep duration.ResultsCross-lagged analyses revealed a higher total score of BDI, SAS, and ISI predicted a greater likelihood of subsequent MPAB, but not vice versa. We found the bidirectional longitudinal relationships between MPAB and the total score of PSQI and ESS. Besides, a higher score of MPIQ at baseline predicts a subsequent lower total score of rMEQ and shorter weekday sleep duration.ConclusionsThe current study expands our understanding of causal relationships of MPAB with mental distress, sleep disturbances, and sleep patterns.

Validity and reliability of the Chinese version of Mobile Phone Involvement Questionnaire in college students

To test the validity and reliability of the Chinese version of Mobile Phone Involvement Questionnaire (MPIQ) in college students. We assessed the degree of phone dependence using the MPIQ among 2122 college students. One month later, 60 students were randomly selected for assessment with the MPIQ, and the ROC curve was generated to evaluate the true positive rate (sensitivity) and false positive rate at different cutoff values to determine the optimal cutoff score of the MPIQ. Among 98.9% of the participants who finished all the items, their MPIQ scores show a positive skew distribution and a one-factor structure. The load scores of the items ranged from 0.54 to 0.77. The Cronbach's α coefficient and the Spearman Brown split reliability were 0.84 and 0.83, respectively, the correlation coefficients between the items and total score ranged from 0.54 to 0.76, and the test-retest reliability was 0.48 (P &lt; 0.001). At the optimal cut-off score of 32, the sensitivity and the specificity of the MPIQ were 0.634 and 0.652, respectively. At the optimal cut-off score of 32, the MPIQ has good validity and reliability for assessing phone dependence among college students.

Should it Stay or Should it Go? Smartphone Dependency

As smartphones grow in use and popularity, it is important to understand the possible effects that varying levels of smartphone use may have on human cognition. Although smartphones provide many advantages for daily activities, one must also recognize the potential disadvantages. For example, smartphone use may lead to nomophobia, which is defined as the modern fear of not being able to access your smartphone or the internet (Yildirim &amp; Correia, 2015). The present study used a pilot and main study to examine the effects smartphones have on human cognition. The pilot study was conducted to measure nomophobia, mobile phone involvement, smartphone attachment and dependency, and general smartphone use. This portion was also used to determine the paradigm for the main study. Participants in the main study completed the 12 Cambridge Brain Science tasks, which measured different aspects of cognition' while leaving their smartphones in one of two locations: on their desk, or outside of the testing room. Additionally, participants completed the same four questionnaires from the pilot study. Results from both studies reveal the majority of individuals show moderate levels of nomophobia, dependency and attachment, and involvement. Subsequent data analysis focused on the double-trouble task, which is an attention-based task. Results found that there was no significant difference in performance on the double-trouble task between the two locations. Contrary to common belief, it seems that the mere presence of one’s smartphone does not affect performance on a cognitively demanding task.

Perceived stress and resilience and their relationship with the use of mobile phone among nursing students.

Objective. The study sought to explore the relationship between levels of stress and resilience with the use of the mobile phone in nursing students. Methods. Cross-sectional study conducted with 102 nursing students from several Nursing schools in India who were invited to participate in the research. The data were gathered by using the following instruments: Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) by Cohen, The Connor-Davidson Resilience scale (CD-RISC), and Mobile Phone Involvement Questionnaire (MPIQ) by Walsh.Results. Most of the participants were women (94.1%), studying in the undergraduate (70.6%), with a mean age of 25.2 years. In all, 77.5% of the students had stress perception between moderate and high, 20.6% had high resilience capacity, and 25.5% were frequent mobile phone users. Perceived stress was correlated significantly and negatively with age and resilience capacity. Graduate students had greater capacity to recover than undergraduate students. Conclusion. This study indicates the negative relation of resilience capacity with stress and the use of mobile phones among nursing students. Hence, it is necessary for institutions preparing nurses to develop intervention strategies to enhance the resilience capacity, improve skills to manage stress, and healthy use of the mobile phone.

Mobile phone involvement, beliefs, and texting while driving in Ukraine

There is extensive evidence that using a mobile phone whilst driving is one of the biggest contributors to driver distraction, which in turn increases the risk of motor vehicle collisions. Whilst most of the developed countries have been trying to deter this behaviour through legislation, enforcement and educational campaigns, in Ukraine, where the road fatality rate is the highest in Europe, this issue has only recently become publicised. The present study examined psychological factors that are associated with hand-held mobile phone use while driving among a sample of Ukrainian drivers, in particular writing or reading a text message while driving. This included drivers’ behavioural, normative, and control beliefs relating to mobile phone use while driving, as well as the degree to which using a mobile phone is integral to one’s everyday life (measured using the Mobile Phone Involvement Questionnaire; MPIQ). Almost one quarter to one third of the sample reported using their phone on a daily basis to write (22.2%) or read (38.2%) text messages while driving. A binary logistic regression showed that gender, higher MPIQ scores, perceived approval from family members, lower perceived likelihood of receiving traffic fines and less demanding traffic conditions were all significantly associated with mobile phone use while driving. These results suggest that dependence upon a mobile phone in everyday life may be an important factor to consider when developing interventions to reduce hand-held mobile phone use while driving.

Mobile phone involvement and dependence among undergraduate medical students in a Medical College of West Bengal, India.

INTRODUCTION:Mobile phone dependence has become an emerging public health problem. This cross-sectional study was conducted to find out the mobile phone involvement and dependence among undergraduate medical students in a Medical College of West Bengal, India.MATERIALS AND METHODS:A study was conducted at IQ City Medical College, Durgapur, District Burdwan, West Bengal, India, during July–August 2015 among 252 undergraduate medical students. Involvement and dependence were elicited by mobile phone involvement questionnaire (MPIQ) and mobile phone dependence questionnaire (MPDQ), respectively. Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) software (version 19.0) was used for analysis.RESULTS:About 14.9% of students were being highly involved with their mobile phone. The mean score of MPIQ was greatest in domain 5, i.e. euphoria followed by domain 2, i.e. behavioral salience and then domain 4, i.e. conflict with other activities. About 19.4% of males and 11.1% of females had high dependence. Mean MPDQ score was higher among males, though it was not significant statistically. Sex, total recharge, and total hours spent on mobile phone could explain between 2.2% and 3.8% variance of the presence of dependence in binary logistic regression. Total recharge (adjusted odds ratio 1.144) and total hours spent on mobile (adjusted odds ratio 1.135) were positively associated with the presence of dependence.CONCLUSION:Many students were highly involved and dependent on mobile phone and they had already been experiencing some health-related problems. There is a need to identify students having high involvement and dependence so as to generate adequate awareness and plan educational or treatment interventions accordingly.

Rules? Role Model? Relationship? The Impact of Parents on Their Children’s Problematic Mobile Phone Involvement

ABSTRACTParents can influence their children’s problematic mobile phone involvement (PMPI) by engaging in parental mediation activities, such as restrictions or co-use, by being a role model, and by their general and domain-unspecific parenting style that facilitates more or less attachment security of the child. This study tested the associations between these different routes of influence—parental mediation of the mobile phone, parental PMPI, and secure child-parent attachment—with children’s PMPI. Data was acquired from a quota-sample survey with 500 children, between 8 and 14 years of age, and one of their parents. Results point to the importance of open and empathic parent-child-communication, as well as a positive relationship quality, and demonstrate the detrimental effects of parents’ own PMPI on children’s PMPI.

Friend or Foe in the Pocket? - The Role of the Individual, Peergroup and Parents for (dys)functional Mobile Phone Use

Friend or Foe in the Pocket? - The Role of the Individual, Peergroup and Parents for (dys)functional Mobile Phone Use In order to provide consultative support to parents as well as to children and young people, background knowledge regarding the motives of mobile phone use, functions of usage, comprehension of the attraction of this all-round medium also as knowledge about potential hazards are essential. This study offers empirical results about potentials and risks. The peergroup plays an important role for riskful and problematic mobile phone involvement. Parents function as a role model and the explicit parental mediation practices and their impact on the child are in focus. Data was acquired from a quota-sample survey with 500 children between the age of 8 and 14 years and one of their parents, qualitative interviews (20 children and their parents) and eight peergroup-discussions (52 participants). The present paper illuminates the above mentioned aspects and derives implications for guidance practice.

Smartphone use while driving: What factors predict young drivers' intentions to initiate, read, and respond to social interactive technology?

This study was guided by an extended Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB) and identified factors that predict young, predominantly university student drivers' intentions to engage in initiating, monitoring/reading, and responding to social interactive technology (e.g., Facebook, email) on a smartphone. Participants (N = 114) were aged 17–25 years. The standard TPB constructs of attitude, subjective norm, and perceived behavioural control were assessed in an online survey, as well as the additional predictors of anticipated regret, moral norm, mobile phone involvement, and cognitive capture. The results of hierarchical multiple regression analyses showed the standard constructs accounted for 67%, 56%, and 65% of variance in intentions to initiate, monitor/read, and respond, respectively, with the extended variables contributing additional variance. For initiating behaviour, for example, attitude, subjective norm, PBC, and cognitive capture all had significant, positive relationships with intention, while moral norm had a significant, negative relationship. For responding behaviour, attitude, subjective norm, PBC, and cognitive capture all had significant, positive relationships with intention, while anticipated action regret had a significant, negative relationship. These different combinations of significant predictors of intentions for each of the three behaviours (i.e., initiating, monitoring/reading, and responding) suggest that they may be distinct and require different public education message content to influence young drivers’ behaviours.

The Prevalence and Psychological Symptoms of Nomophobia among University Students

T his empirical study investigates the prevalence and symptoms of Nomophobia among university students in Saudi Arabia. An anonymous and self-reported survey was distributed from Feb 2015 to June 2015. Out of around 1800 potential candidates, 335 undergraduate students comprised the study sample. Scores were calculated to assess demographic data and patterns of Smartphone use in terms of duration, frequency, context and purpose. Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scales (DASS) was used to assess the psychological status of the participants, and Nomophobia Questionnaire (NMP-Q) was used to assess the prevalence of Nomophobia dimensions. Statistical analysis and tests were used to identify associations among the study variables and to test the hypotheses. The findings showed that there was a high level of mobile phone involvement, high levels of the Nomophobia dimensions; females were significantly more involved than males with a mean of 3.3 (SD = 0.93) versus 2.8 (SD = 1.05) with a (t = 3.54, p-value < 0.001). The findings also showed a “Mild” level of depression with average score was 8.55 (Z = 0.83) (SD = 3.41, ranging from 1 to 17), a “Normal” level of anxiety with average score was 5.96 (Z = -0.03) (SD = 2.9, ranging from 0 to 12), and a “Normal” level of stress with average score was 6.55 (Z = -1.90) (SD = 4.8, ranging from 0 to 18). Based on the findings, it can be concluded that the duration of use was significant with both mobile phone involvement and psychological health factors. The psychological Health factors using DASS are all correlated significantly with Mobile phone involvement factors. The findings suggest that they way a person interacts with their Smart-device, mainly duration of use, can predict the pathological fear and psychological symptoms caused by modern digital and virtual means.

Exploratory investigation of theoretical predictors of nomophobia using the Mobile Phone Involvement Questionnaire (MPIQ)

Despite the advantages that the development of new technologies has brought to our lives, it is also true that the problematic use of technology can have negative effects on some people, as the prevalence of nomophobia, defined as the fear and anxiety of being unreachable via one's mobile phone. While some authors are beginning to study the relationship of nomophobia with variables such as age, no investigation has yet been carried out into psychological variables. Our study contributes to the literature by looking at personality, self-esteem, gender and age as predictors of nomophobia, evaluated by the Mobile Phone Involvement Questionnaire (MPIQ). The study comprised 242 Spanish students (46.7% men and 53.3% women; 49.2% studying for a high school certificate and 50.8% for a university degree). Multiple regressions were conducted, finding that self-esteem, extraversion, conscientiousness and emotional stability predict nomophobia. Finally, we discuss these results and provide suggestions for future research.