Association of Phubbing Behavior and Fear of Missing Out: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Phubbing, a pervasive social behavior linked to smartphone usage, involves users neglecting their conversation partners to engage with their phones. Despite consistent exploration of its association with the concept of fear of missing out (FOMO), findings in the existing literature exhibit notable inconsistency. To address this gap, this study employs a systematic review and meta-analysis to scrutinize the intricate relationship between phubbing behavior and FOMO. A comprehensive systematic review, spanning up to December 10, 2023, encompassed databases such as PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, ProQuest, and Google Scholar. The resulting dataset comprised 27 eligible studies, incorporating insights from 20,415 participants across 15 countries. Rigorous evaluation of study quality was executed using the Newcastle Ottawa Scale, while statistical analyses were meticulously conducted using R Studio. Revealing a robust positive association, phubbing behavior was significantly linked to FOMO (effect size[ES] = 0.43, 95% CI: 0.36, 0.49, I2: 97.5%, τ2: 0.05). Correcting for detected publication bias using the Trim and Fill method, an additional 16 studies were included, fortifying the robustness of the findings. Moderation analysis uncovered significant influences of location (p < 0.01), income level (p < 0.01), sampling method (p < 0.01), phubbing scale (p < 0.01), and FOMO scale and type (p < 0.01) on the estimated relationship. Univariate meta-regression highlighted the substantial impact of sample size (R2 = 11.81%, p < 0.01), while multivariate meta-regression illuminated the combined effects of publication year, study quality score, sample size, mean age, and female proportion on the estimated relationship (k = 19, R2 = 52.85%, I2 = 93.78%, p < 0.05). Furthermore, post hoc influential analysis, conducted through the leave-one-out method, offered additional depth to the examination.

Psychometric validation of the internet related experiences questionnaire and mobile related experiences questionnaire among Ecuadorian teenagers

Introduction

Excessive internet and mobile cell phone use has been increasing in recent years especially in teenagers who are a vulnerable population. However, there is a lack of psychometric evaluation of instruments that allow to identify behavior regarding problematic use of the internet and cell phones in the Latin America, particularly in Ecuador. The main aim of this study is to examine the psychometric properties of two instruments: the Internet-related experiences questionnaire (IREQ) and Mobile-related experiences questionnaire (MREQ) in high school students (n = 4, 174, M age = 15.63; 51.19% male and 48.37% female).

Methods

The validation process was performed using one and two factors for both questionnaires according to previous literature. After checking the models proposed to date, the best fit model was the one-factor model for (IREQ) and one-factor model for (MREQ).

Results and discussion

The invariance was performed using two samples according to gender (male, female) and has been confirmed with an acceptable internal consistency for both questionnaires. For IREQ (All, ω = 0.80; Male, ω = 0.77; Female, ω = 0.82) and for MREQ (All, ω = 0.83; Male, ω = 0.82; Female, ω = 0.84). In addition, we performed the correlation analysis between IREQ, MREQ, and socio-demographic variables and finally, both instruments demonstrated strong psychometric qualities within the local population.

Exploring the personality and relationship factors that mediate the connection between differentiation of self and phubbing

One of the family patterns crucial for mental and physical well-being is differentiation of self. In this study, our aim was to investigate its impact on the phenomenon of phubbing-where individuals prioritize smartphones over in-person interactions. The prevalence of phubbing behavior has risen substantially in tandem with the increased adoption of smartphones. The study investigated familial, interpersonal, and personal factors that could potentially contribute to the escalation of phubbing behaviors. It was hypothesized that differentiation of self would be associated with phubbing through the mediation of fear of missing out, romantic relationship satisfaction, and loneliness in intimate relationships. We also expected gender differences in the study variables. A sample of 431 young adults, with an average age of 29 (M = 29.05, SD = 9.14), completed the DSI-R, Phubbing, FoMO, ENRICH, and LIRS questionnaires online. Results indicated that fear of missing out mediated the relationship between three dimensions of differentiation of self-emotional reactivity, emotional cutoff, and fusion with others-and phubbing behavior. However, the expected mediation by romantic relationship satisfaction and loneliness in intimate relationships did not reach significance, although these variables were found to be associated with differentiation of self. Women reported higher levels of phubbing behavior, emotional reactivity, and fusion with others, whereas men reported higher levels of I-position. We conclude that fear of missing out may serve as a catalyst, triggering anxiety in individuals, which in turn drives them to adopt phubbing as a coping mechanism. Moreover, individuals with lower levels of differentiation of self appear to be at increased risk of engaging in phubbing behaviors through the mediation of fear of missing out.

Evaluation of phubbing online social support and trait anxiety in nurses

AIM

This study investigated the relationship between phubbing, online social support, trait anxiety, and some demographic factors among nurses.

BACKGROUND

Phubbing, or socializing through online smartphone applications, has become increasingly prevalent in healthcare environments, potentially threatening real-life interactions. We aimed to explore the use of smartphones among nurses, both professionally and socially, and to determine if increased usage was leading to interaction problems.

METHODS

This cross-sectional study was conducted using a digital survey completed by 384 nurses between May and November 2021. The survey included an individual descriptive form, the generic scale of phubbing, the online social support scale, and the trait anxiety inventory. Mann-Whitney U, Kruskal-Wallis H, t test, Pearson, and the Spearman rank correlation coefficient were used for analysis. A backward selection method regression analysis was performed to determine the variables affecting the phubbing score. The "STROBE checklist" for cross-sectional studies was utilized in order to report the findings of the study.

RESULTS

The participants had a moderate level of trait anxiety. The study found that marital status, having WhatsApp groups with teammates, and being warned about phone use from teammates were significantly related to phubbing. A moderate positive correlation was found between the phubbing score and the online social support score. Additionally, a weak positive correlation was found between the general phubbing and trait anxiety scores.

CONCLUSIONS

Perceived online social support significantly influenced the phubbing behavior of nurses and trait anxiety played a mediating role in this relationship.

IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING AND POLICY

Nurses frequently use smartphones for professional purposes, but this study found that excessive phone use can be detrimental to their social interactions. Moreover, phubbing could also be problematic for patients. Therefore, healthcare professionals need to be aware of the potential consequences of smartphone usage and the importance of limiting excessive use during patient care.

Being Virtual in Real Interpersonal Interaction: What Makes People Prone to Phubbing?

This study examines the relationship between phubbing, body image, and general self-efficacy. The study group consists of 282 adults over the age of 18. Phubbing Scale, Body Image Scale, and General Self-Efficacy Scale were used to collect data in the study. The collected data were analyzed by independent sample t-test, Pearson correlation coefficient, and regression analysis. As a result of the research, it was found that there was a statistically significant and negative relationship between phubbing and general self-efficacy and body image. As a result of the regression analysis, it was seen that general self-efficacy and body image predicted phubbing. In addition, it was concluded that phubbing differed significantly according to marital status. According to this finding, it has been determined that singles' phubbing level is higher than married individuals. On the other hand, it was determined that the level of phubbing did not differ significantly according to gender.

A phubbing scale tested in Bangladesh, Iran, and Pakistan: confirmatory factor, network, and Rasch analyses

BACKGROUND

Phubbing, a phenomenon of ignoring others in face-to-face conversations due to mobile phone use, can be assessed using a Phubbing Scale (PS). Recently, the PS has been shortened into an eight-item version, the PS-8. However, psychometric properties of the PS-8 among Iranian, Bangladeshi and Pakistani individuals remain understudied, especially using advanced psychometric testing, such as Rasch and network analyses.

METHODS

Participants residing in Iran, Bangladesh, and Pakistan (n = 1902; 50.4% females; mean age = 26.3 years) completed the PS-8 and the Internet Disorder Scale-Short Form (IDS9-SF) via an online survey. Network analysis was used to examine if PS-8 items were differentiated from IDS9-SF items; confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was used to examine the factor structure and measurement invariance of the PS-8; Rasch modeling was used to examine the dimensionality of the PS-8 and differential item functioning (DIF).

RESULTS

Network analysis showed that PS-8 items were clustered together with a distance to the IDS9-SF items. The CFA results supported a two-factor structure of the PS-8, and the two-factor structure was found to be invariant across countries and women and men. Rasch model results indicated that the two PS-8 subscales were both unidimensional and did not display DIF across countries and gender/sex.

CONCLUSION

The PS-8 is a feasible and robust instrument for healthcare providers, especially mental health professionals, to quickly assess and evaluate individuals' phubbing behaviors.

Put your phone down! Perceived phubbing, life satisfaction, and psychological distress: the mediating role of loneliness

The recent literature highlights the need to explore phubbing, a worrying growing phenomenon, and the potential associated factors and outcomes. Thus, the present study focused on perceived phubbing and the potential associations with life satisfaction and psychological distress. Additionally, this study examined the mediating role of loneliness. The cross-sectional, web-based study involved 720 Romanian adults aged 18 to 77 (M = 24.12, SD = 8.80, 74% females) who completed self-reported scales measuring perceived phubbing, and life satisfaction. Results suggested positive associations between perceived phubbing, loneliness, and psychological distress. A significant negative association was also found between loneliness and life satisfaction. Further analyses suggested that loneliness partially mediated the link between perceived phubbing and life satisfaction and between perceived phubbing and psychological distress. The study highlights the significant role of perceived phubbing when discussing psychological distress and life satisfaction, underlining the need to address further the (mis)use of digital devices (e.g., smartphones) within interpersonal relationships, as well as the need to understand better the outcomes of such behaviors to shape effective interventions in this regard.

Risk and Protective Factors Associated With Smartphone Addiction and Phubbing Behavior Among College Students in China

Both smartphone addiction and phubbing are emerging behavioral problems. The present study investigates potential risk and protective factors of smartphone addiction and phubbing behavior, including demographic factors, personal factors, and interpersonal factors among Chinese college students. A total of 866 college students (Mage = 21.01, SD = 1.60) completed self-reported questionnaires in classroom settings. Collected data were analyzed by using Pearson's correlation and hierarchical linear regression analyses. The risk factors for smartphone addiction were phubbing behavior, depression, and social anxiety, while the protective factors were self-control and sense of security. In addition, the risk factors for phubbing behavior included female sex and smartphone addiction, while the protective factors included sense of security and interpersonal adaptability. Our findings help to enhance understanding of the general and specific risks and protective factors for smartphone addiction and phubbing behavior, which can benefit intervention development for related behavior prevention and reduction.

Why Cannot I Stop Phubbing? Boredom Proneness and Phubbing: A Multiple Mediation Model

Background

With the popularity of smartphone and their increasingly rich functions, people's attachment to their phones is increasing. While people enjoy the convenience that smartphone bring (eg, accessing information and socializing), it also leads to problematic smartphone use (eg, phubbing). Previous research has shown that boredom proneness can trigger phubbing. However, the underlying psychological mechanisms are not yet clear.

Methods

To address this research gap, we surveyed 556 Chinese college students (Mage = 18.89 years, SD = 1.18) during the COVID-19 pandemic and all participants completed a self-report questionnaire. Drawing the Interaction of Person-Affect-Cognition-Execution model (I-PACE) for addictive behaviors, this study developed and examined a multiple mediation model incorporating boredom proneness, loneliness, fear of missing out (FoMO), and phubbing.

Results

(1) Boredom proneness could positively predict phubbing; (2) loneliness and FoMO mediated the relationship between boredom proneness and phubbing, respectively; and (3) loneliness and FoMO sequentially mediated the relationship between boredom proneness and phubbing.

Conclusion

These findings are not only valuable for understanding the underlying mechanisms linking boredom proneness and phubbing, but also suggest that three types of interventions could be effectively used to decrease the risk of phubbing among college students, namely, reducing boredom proneness, relieving loneliness, and decreasing FoMO.

Psychosocial and personality trait associates of phubbing and being phubbed in hispanic emerging adult college students

Phubbing is when one uses their smartphone in a social interaction instead of interacting with the other individual(s) in their presence. Phubbing and being phubbed are growing concerns as the number of smartphones and frequency of smartphone use increases. This study assessed the relationships between phubbing, being phubbed, psychosocial constructs, and socially adverse personality traits among Hispanic emerging adult college students. Hispanic college students (n = 452) completed a survey assessing: sociodemographics, phubbing, being phubbed, depression, anxiety, stress, Machiavellianism, narcissism, psychopathy, and need for drama (interpersonal manipulation, impulsive outspokenness, persistent perceived victimhood). Hispanic emerging adult college students reported low-to-moderate levels of phubbing and being phubbed. Regarding phubbing findings, nomophobia (fear of separation from one's phone), interpersonal conflict, and problem acknowledgement were positively associated with negative affect. Moreover, interpersonal conflict, self-isolation, and problem acknowledgement were positively associated with interpersonal manipulation. Regarding being phubbed findings, perceived norms, feeling ignored, and interpersonal conflict were positively associated with persistent perceived victimhood. Findings indicate that Hispanic college students may use their smartphones in social settings to alleviate negative affect. Moreover, a virtual environment on a smartphone may be easier to manipulate and can be used to continue garnering attention and portraying oneself as the victim, fulfilling one's need for drama. Regarding exploratory mediations, phubbing and being phubbed mediated the relationships between multiple socially adverse personality traits and negative affect. The clinical implications of these results are discussed. Prospective studies are warranted to determine temporality.

Supplementary information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s12144-023-04767-y.

Social Media Addiction and Poor Mental Health: Examining the Mediating Roles of Internet Addiction and Phubbing

Many researchers have examined the potential detrimental role of problematic social media use (often referred as 'social media addiction') on mental health. The present study investigated how social media addiction is associated with three components of mental health: depression, anxiety, and stress. In addition, structural equation modeling was used to test the mediating roles of internet addiction and phubbing among a sample of young adults (N = 603). Results showed that social media addiction was associated with poorer mental health via internet addiction and phubbing. More specifically, associations between social media addiction and stress, and social media addiction and anxiety were explained by both internet addiction and phubbing. The association between social media addiction and depression was explained by internet addiction only. These results remained consistent after controlling for gender, age, frequency of internet use, frequency of social media use, and frequency of smartphone use. These findings extend the extant literature by providing evidence for the dual roles of internet addiction and phubbing in explaining the relationship between social media addiction and poor mental health. Social media addiction did not directly influence poorer mental health but did via internet addiction and phubbing. Therefore, greater awareness of the inter-relationships between technology-based behaviors and their impact on mental health is needed among a wide range of stakeholders, and these inter-relationships need considering in the prevention and treatment of technology-based disorders.

A Bibliometric Analysis to Identify Research Trends in Intervention Programs for Smartphone Addiction

Smartphone addiction is a serious social problem that necessitates research. To identify trends in intervention programs for smartphone addiction, distribution of research topics, and inter-relationships in academic research. We analyzed 104 studies published between 30 June 2022, and 31 August 2022, on the Web of Science (WoS). We applied the bibliometric method and identified the relationship and development trends of academic research in the field using descriptive analysis, the Latent Dirichlet Allocation (LDA), co-citation analysis, bibliographic coupling, and co-occurrence. There were four findings: First, intervention programs are classified into 10 types: psychological, social support, lifestyle, technological, family, medical care, educational, exercise, mindfulness, and meditation. Second, the volume of research on intervention programs increased every year. Third, China and South Korea had the highest research involvement. Finally, academic studies were split into either the human behavior or social science categories. Most of them defined the symptoms in terms of individual behavior and social relations, implying that smartphone addiction is not yet recognized as a disorder. Smartphone addiction has not yet been internationally recognized as a disorder, despite its impact on human physiology, psychology, and social behavior. Most related studies have been conducted in Asia, specifically in China and South Korea; Spain has the most outside Asia. Additionally, most of the research subjects were students, probably because of the convenience of sampling. As smartphones gain popularity among older adults, future studies could focus on smartphone addiction among individuals of varied ages.

Motives for digital social multitasking (DSMT) and problematic phone use among adolescents

INTRODUCTION

Phone use during face-to-face interactions (i.e., digital social multitasking [DSMT]) is a growing activity among adolescents. DSMT appears to be a risk factor for problematic phone use, but little is known about why adolescents engage in DSMT and how different motives of DSMT would be associated with problematic phone use. Drawing on the framework of DSMT and the uses and gratifications theory, this study explored (1) the motives of adolescent DSMT and (2) the direct and indirect relationships between DSMT motives and problematic phone use via the level and perception of DSMT.

METHOD

The study involved survey data from 517 adolescents in the United States recruited through the Qualtrics panels (M_age  = 14.83, SD = 1.93) in the fall of 2020. The sample's gender and racial/ethnic distributions were nationally representative.

RESULTS

We developed a scale measuring adolescent DSMT motives, which showed that adolescents engaged in DSMT because of enjoyment and connection, boredom, information, and habitual use. The motive of habitual use was associated with problematic phone use both directly and indirectly via level of DSMT and perceived distraction caused by DSMT. The information motive was directly associated with problematic phone use, while the boredom motive was indirectly associated with problematic phone use via perceived distraction. Conversely, the motive of enjoyment and connection was related to lower problematic phone use both directly and indirectly via lower perceived distraction.

CONCLUSION

The study identifies DSMT-related risk and protective factors for problematic phone use. The findings should help adults recognize adaptive versus maladaptive forms of DSMT among adolescents and develop proper guidance and intervention.

Mediating and moderating effects of cognitive flexibility in the relationship between social media addiction and phubbing

Presently, social media is widely used worldwide among different populations. Therefore, phubbing rapidly became a popular phenomenon in our daily life. However, little is known about the underlying mechanism and interaction between social media use and phubbing. Therefore, this research examines the mediating and moderating role of cognitive flexibility in the association between social media addiction and phubbing. Participants were 385 university students (280 females) studying at a state university in eastern Turkey and completed the self-reported measures of cognitive flexibility, social media addiction, and phubbing. The results showed that cognitive flexibility mediated and moderated the effect of social media addiction on phubbing. These findings may contribute to the discussion around the psychological consequences of using social media alongside increasing awareness about factors affecting and explaining the association between social media use and phubbing, which have important implications for research and practice.

Smartphone addiction and phubbing behavior among university students: A moderated mediation model by fear of missing out, social comparison, and loneliness

Introduction

This article examines mediators and moderators that may explain the link between smartphone addiction and phubbing behavior using a sample of 794 university students.

Methods

A mediation model was tested to test the hypothesis that social comparison orientation and fear of missing out would mediate the link between smartphone addiction and phubbing behavior. Additionally, a moderated mediation model was leveraged to examine loneliness as a moderator within the hypothesized model. The data collected were analyzed using SPSS.

Results and Discussion

The findings show a significant positive relationship between smartphone addiction and phubbing behavior. The findings confirm the hypothesized associations and reveal that smartphone addiction is positively linked to phubbing behavior. The link, on the other hand, is partially and sequentially mediated by the fear of missing out and social comparison orientation. As a result, both mediators might be regarded as proximal variables of phubbing behavior. Moreover, the associations between both smart addiction and phubbing behaviors as well as social comparison orientation and phubbing behaviors are moderated by loneliness. These two effects were stronger for university students with high loneliness than for those with low loneliness. This study addresses a major gap in the clinical psychology literature through the attempt to explore the relationship between smartphone addiction and increased phubbing behavior among university students.

Boredom Proneness on Chinese College Students' Phubbing during the COVID-19 Outbreak: The Mediating Effects of Self-Control and Bedtime Procrastination

Objective

To analyze the relationship between boredom proneness and phubbing among Chinese college students and examine how self-control and bedtime procrastination mediate this relationship during the COVID-19 outbreak.

Methods

A total of 707 Chinese college students were voluntarily surveyed. They completed the Generic Scale of Phubbing (GSP), Short Boredom Proneness Scale (SBPS), Bedtime Procrastination Scale (BPS), and Self-Control Scale (SCS).

Results

(1) The results revealed that men scored higher on boredom than women. (2) The analysis revealed significant associations between each of the variables. Boredom proneness was positively correlated with bedtime procrastination (r = 0.318; P < 0.001) and phubbing (r = 0.418; P < 0.001) and negatively correlated with self-control (r = -0.518; P < 0.001). (3) Mediation analysis suggested that self-control and bedtime procrastination mediate the relationship between boredom proneness and phubbing (effect of self-control = 0.094, P < 0.001, 95% CI [0.062∼0.128]; effect of bedtime procrastination = 0.025, P < 0.001, 95% CI [0.011∼0.042]; and effect of self-control and bedtime procrastination = 0.032, P < 0.001, 95% CI [0.020∼0.046]).

Conclusion

Self-control and bedtime procrastination mediate the association between boredom proneness and phubbing among Chinese college students during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Feeling Ostracized by Others' Smartphone Use: The Effect of Phubbing on Fundamental Needs, Mood, and Trust

With phubbing (i.e., "The act of snubbing someone… by looking at your phone instead of paying attention") being a widespread phenomenon, a sound understanding of its emotional reverberations and consequences for interpersonal relationships is required. To the extent that phubbing is perceived as a momentary act of ostracism, it should influence both emotional and behavioral reactions. To address this issue empirically, we investigated effects of phubbing on variables previously shown to be affected by ostracism. Specifically, we examined in two studies how being phubbed affects participants' mood, satisfaction of fundamental needs, feelings of being ostracized (Study 1 and 2) and trust (Study 2). In Study 1, participants remembered a situation in which they were either phubbed, phubbed someone else or experienced an attentive conversation. In Study 2 different phubbing behaviors were manipulated during an ongoing conversation. Results from both studies suggest that phubbing triggers negative mood and feelings of ostracism, and threatens fundamental needs. Study 2 revealed that these effects were stronger when phubbing occurred three times (vs. once). Study 2 further demonstrated behavioral consequences of phubbing, namely that trust in a trust game was reduced when participants were phubbed three times (vs. once). We discuss conceptual and practical implications of smartphone use for emotion regulation and interpersonal relations.

College students’ attachment to their smartphones: a subjective operant approach

Background

Smartphone use has become a pervasive aspect of youth daily life today. Immersive engagement with apps and features on the smartphone may lead to intimate and affectionate human-device relationships. The purpose of this research is to holistically dissect the ranked order of the various dimensions of college students’ attachment to the smartphones through the by-person factorial analytical power of Q methodology.

Methods

Inspired by extant research into diverse aspects of human attachment to the smartphones, a concourse of 50 statements pertinent to the functional, behavioral, emotional and psychological dimensions of human-smartphone attachment were pilot tested and developed. A P sample of 67 participants completed the Q sort based on respective subjective perceptions and self-references. Data was processed utilizing the open-source Web-based Ken-Q Analysis software in detecting the main factorial structure.

Results

Five distinct factor (persona) exemplars were identified illustrating different pragmatic, cognitive and attitudinal approaches to smartphone engagement. They were labeled mainstream users, disciplined conventionalists, casual fun-seekers, inquisitive nerds, and sentient pragmatists in response to their respective psycho-behavioral traits. There were clear patterns of similarity and divergence among the five personas.

Conclusion

The typological diversity points to the multiplicate nature of human-smartphone attachment. Clusters of cognitive, behavioral and habitual patterns in smartphone engagement driving each persona may be a productive area of exploration in future research in exploring their respective emotional and other outcomes. The concurrent agency of nomophobia and anthropomorphic attribution is an intriguing line of academic inquiry.

How is Father Phubbing Associated with Adolescents' Social Networking Sites Addiction? Roles of Narcissism, Need to Belong, and Loneliness

OBJECTIVE

Parents' phubbing has been found to be positively associated with adolescents' internet-related addiction. However, it remains unknown whether father phubbing would influence adolescents' social networking sites addiction (SNSA), and the mechanisms underlying this association stays largely unknown. This study aims to expand previous research by testing the mediating effect of loneliness, as well as the moderating effects of narcissism and need to belong in the association between father phubbing and adolescents' SNSA.

METHOD

In a cross-sectional design, 4,172 participants (2,189 boys and 1,983 girls; M_age = 16.41 ± .77) from 5 high schools in China completed measures of demographic variables, father phubbing, loneliness, narcissism, need to belong, and SNSA.

RESULTS

Results from regression analyses found that (a) Father phubbing had a positive association with adolescents' SNSA; (b) Loneliness partially mediated this association; (c) Narcissism and need to belong concurrently moderated the association between father phubbing and loneliness. In particular, the effect of father phubbing on loneliness was weaker among students with high narcissism, and among students with low need to belong.

CONCLUSIONS

The findings enrich our understanding of how father phubbing may increase the risk of SNSA among adolescents, and underscore the potential importance of reducing father phubbing and loneliness to prevent adolescents' SNSA.

The Effect of Parental Phubbing on Depression in Chinese Junior High School Students: The Mediating Roles of Basic Psychological Needs Satisfaction and Self-Esteem

Objective

To reveal the relationship between parental phubbing, basic psychological needs satisfaction, self-esteem, and depression and to explore the impact of parental phubbing on depression.

Methods

A total of 819 junior high school students responded to the parental phubbing scale, basic psychological needs satisfaction scale, self-esteem scale, and depression scale in combination.

Results

(1) Parental phubbing was significantly correlated with satisfaction of basic psychological needs, self-esteem, and depression. (2) Parental phubbing can not only be used to directly predict depression in junior middle school students but also has an indirect impact on depression through three pathways: a separate mediating effect on basic psychological needs satisfaction, a separate mediating effect on self-esteem and a chain mediating effect on both.

Conclusion

Parental phubbing is a risk factor for depression, which can negatively affect the mental health of junior high school students.

The Phubbing Scale (PS-8) in the Portuguese population: psychometric properties

Phubbing is defined as ignoring other individuals by using a mobile phone during a face-to-face conversation. The Phubbing Scale (PS) was developed to assess this practice. In this study, we analyze the psychometric properties of the 8-item version of the PS (PS-8) in the Portuguese population, providing validity evidence based on internal structure and on relationships with other variables, and examining item properties, reliability, and measurement invariance across gender. Participants were 391 Portuguese adults (132 men, 259 women) who completed a battery of questionnaires. Confirmatory factor analysis yielded satisfactory goodness-of-fit indices for the two-factor structure (communication disturbance and phone obsession), which was invariant across gender. Item homogeneity and reliability of factor scores (McDonald’s omega) were satisfactory. Validity evidence based on relationships with other variables was provided by positive associations with time spent on the Internet on weekdays and at the weekend, time spent on social networking sites, number of social networks used, Internet addiction, problematic mobile phone use, Facebook intrusion, fear of missing out, and depression. These associations show the addictive component of phubbing and its relationship with mental health. The PS-8 is a short and easy-to-administer scale with adequate psychometric properties for measuring phubbing in the Portuguese population.

The Impact of Nomophobia, Stress, and Loneliness on Smartphone Addiction among Young Adults during and after the COVID-19 Pandemic: An Israeli Case Analysis

Technological development in recent times has dramatically changed the way people live, interact with, and consume information. Since the emergence of the first iPhone in January 2007 until today, mobile phones are used daily for a range of purposes. Using mobile phones for various purposes intensified during the COVID-19 pandemic due to isolation or government lockdown regulations. However, along with the advantages of smartphone usage there are many disadvantages such as smartphone addiction and continuous exposure to digital screens, behaviors known as PSU—problematic smartphone use. This study explores the impact of several variables on PSU: loneliness, the need for social interaction, sleep hours, fear of losing phone access (nomophobia), and stress among young adults in Israel. The variables are examined with respect to two time periods: 1. During the COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns (defined as “T1”) and 2. Following the end of the first wave of COVID-19 lockdowns (defined as “T2”). The results indicated that nomophobia, social affiliation, and sleep hours affect PSU. In addition, the indirect effect of the number of sleep hours on stress and PSU was found to be significant in T2 and in T1. The findings and their implications are discussed.

Partner Phubbing as a Social Allergen: Support for a Dual Process Model

In a couple context, a social allergen is a behavior that irritates one’s partner and tends to increase as a romantic relationship continues. Given that smartphones are a constant companion for many people, their use in the presence of one’s romantic partner is pervasive and can have important implications for relationships. The present research focuses on relationship length and partner phubbing and investigates the mediating role of passion and deromantization on the social allergen of partner phubbing. Study 1 surveyed 250 married adults and found that relationship length is negatively associated with romantic passion which, in turn, is positively associated with perceptions of partner phubbing. Although the literature on social allergens would suggest a positive effect of relationship length on partner phubbing, Study 1 showed no significant main effect of relationship length on phubbing. As an attempt to explain this seeming anomaly, we drew from the attachment theory to propose an additional mechanism underlying this relationship. Study 2 ( $n=250$ married adults) then tests an expanded model that includes attachment anxiety as an additional mediator. Results show that relationship length is associated with lower attachment anxiety which is in turn associated with less perceived partner phubbing. Overall, the results show support for a dual process model, such that romantic passion and attachment anxiety differentially underlie the path between relationship length and perceived partner phubbing. The findings provide important insights into better understanding partner phubbing as a social allergen over the course of marital relationships.

Phubbing as a Millennials' New Addiction and Relating Factors Among Nursing Students

OBJECTIVE

This study investigated phubbing (the act of ignoring one's companion or companions to pay attention to one's smartphone) and examined the factors affecting phubbing among nursing students in South Korea.

METHODS

A cross-sectional survey design was adopted, and a self-reported questionnaire was used. Data were collected from 200 nursing students in two cities. Self-administered questionnaires included demographic data, smartphone addiction, media multitasking motivation, interpersonal competency, and phubbing.

RESULTS

Phubbing was positively correlated with smartphone addiction (r=0.41, p<0.001) and media multitasking motivation (r=0.16, p<0.05), and negatively correlated with interpersonal competence (r=-0.51, p<0.001). Factors influencing nursing students' phubbing were interpersonal competency (β=-0.59, p<0.001), media multitasking motivation (β=0.24, p<0.001), smartphone addiction (β=0.19, p<0.01) and interpersonal relationships (β=0.14, p<0.05). The model including these variables accounted for 43% of variance in phubbing.

CONCLUSION

Nursing students showed a moderate level of phubbing, and interpersonal competency was an important factor for reducing their phubbing of nursing students. Since phubbing occurs frequently among nursing students, educators in nursing are required to develop and implement active interventional measures to help nursing students avoid phubbing and improve their interpersonal relationships by increasing their empathic ability and communication skills.

Present but Absent in the Digital Age: Testing a Conceptual Model of Phubbing and Relationship Satisfaction among Married Couples

This study is the first to explain the determinant factors of phubbing—checking cell phone during a conversation or while spending time with a significant other—and its effect on the relationship satisfaction of both partners. It is also aimed at determining whether gender and relationship length play moderating roles in a relationship. The study adopted the media displacement theory and the interdependence theory to build a conceptual model of these variables. This cross-sectional research was conducted using an online survey with 741 voluntary married participants from Saudi Arabia. Upon analysis, the data confirmed that problematic usage of cell phone, Internet, social media, games, and SMS had a positive effect on phubbing. Interestingly, it showed that both the sample’s and their partner’s relationship satisfaction increased in line with phubbing behavior. Several theoretical and practical contributions have resulted from these findings.

Fear of missing out (FoMO) and internet use: A comprehensive systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

FoMO has been considered a predisposing factor toward excessive internet use, and a great deal of literature has investigated the link between FoMO and internet use. However, there is still a lack of cohesion in the literature.

METHODS

The current study have been conducted and reported in accordance with Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA).

RESULTS

In the current systematic review and meta-analysis of 86 effect-sizes, representative of 55,134 participants (Mean age = 22.07, SD = 6.15, females = 58.37%), we found that the strength of the trait FoMO- internet use association significantly varies from r = 0.11 to r = 0.63. In some populations, FoMO appears to increase with age and it is reverse in other populations. Facebook use was unrelated to FoMO in some populations, and higher FoMO was linked with stopping Instagram use for some individuals. The FoMO- internet use association was independent of their severity, as the interaction was not significant, and this association was neither linear nor curvilinear. The FoMO-internet use association does not appear to be associated with depressive, anxiety, and stress symptoms or level of life satisfaction. The COVID-19 pandemic was the only significant moderator of the FoMO-internet use association, strengthening this relationship.

DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS

FoMO demonstrates a considerable role in internet use; however, there is no evidence of interaction or bi-directional association between the mentioned. Overall, we still don't know what factors contribute to individuals exhibiting distinct patterns in the FoMO-internet use association.

The Effect of Nursing Students' Smartphone Addiction and Phubbing Behaviors on Communication Skill

The aim of the study was to examine the effect of nursing students' smartphone addiction and phubbing behaviors on their communication skills. This study was conducted with 587 undergraduate nursing students. Sociodemographic data were evaluated using percentages and means. The relationship between smartphone addiction and communication skills and the relationship between phubbing behaviors and communication skills were evaluated with Pearson's correlation analysis. The effect of nursing students' smartphone addiction and phubbing behaviors on their communication skills was evaluated using multiple regression analysis. The mean age of the nursing students in the study was 20.47 ± 1.91 years, and 69.3% (n = 407) of the students were female. When the relationship between the communication skills of undergraduate nursing students and other variables was analyzed, it was found that there was a moderate, significant, and negative correlation with smartphone addiction (β = -0.314, P < .001) as well as with the status of phubbing behaviors (β = -0.503, P < .001). It was determined that there was a significant negative relationship between the communication skills of undergraduate nursing students and their smartphone addiction and the status of phubbing behaviors.

Smartphone Use and Psychological Well-Being Among College Students in China: A Qualitative Assessment

Background: Problematic smartphone use is widespread, and college-age youth faces an especially high risk of its associated consequences. While a promising body of research has emerged in recent years in this area, the domination of quantitative inquiries can be fruitfully and conceptually complemented by perspectives informed through qualitative research. Toward that end, this study aimed to interrogate the myriad behavioral, attitudinal, and psychological tendencies as a side effect of college students’ engagement with the smartphone in their everyday lived experience through in-depth interviews.

Methods: We recruited 70 participants from seven college campuses hailing from different geographic regions in China, and conducted semi-structured in-depth virtual interviews via WeChat in November and December 2020. Subjective experiences, personal narratives and individual perceptions in the context of routine interaction with the smartphone were thematically analyzed through a reiterative process in an effort to detect prevailing threads and recurring subthemes.

Results: The smartphone has established a pervasive presence in college students’ everyday life. Time-based use characteristics generated a typology of four distinct user groups: hypo-connected antagonists, balanced majority, hyper-connected enthusiasts, and indulgent zealots. Habitual usage falls on predictable patterns matched onto temporal, locale-based and contextual cues and triggers. Students’ dependency relationships with the smartphone have both functional and emotional dimensions, as prominently manifested in occasions of detachment from the device. Self-regulatory effort in monitoring and limiting use is significantly impacted by mental focus and personal goal setting. Perspectives from our qualitative data suggest the need for taking into account a variety of contextual cues and situational factors in dissecting psychological and emotional outcomes of smartphone use and abuse.

Perception of Purposeful and Recreational Smartphone Use in Physiotherapy: Randomized Controlled Trial

Background

Many people constantly use their smartphones in all kinds of situations. Often smartphones are used in a meaningful and targeted way, but frequently they are used as a pastime without any purpose. This also applies to patients and therapists in treatment situations.

Objective

The aim of this study was to investigate how purposeful smartphone use compared with recreational smartphone use (by a physiotherapist or by a patient) influenced the perception of a physiotherapeutic treatment situation. We examined the impact of smartphone use during a physiotherapy session on the perception of the physiotherapist, evaluation of attentiveness, and evaluation of smartphone use in physiotherapy in general.

Methods

Members of various music and sports clubs were invited to participate in an online randomized controlled trial. Participants were randomly assigned to one of four conditions. They watched a video in which a physiotherapeutic treatment was shown and in which a smartphone was used or not used in the following four different ways: (1) therapeutically purposeful use, (2) recreational use by the physiotherapist (looking at the phone from time to time with no therapeutic purpose), (3) recreational use by the patient, and (4) no smartphone use (control condition). After watching the video, the participants indicated their perception of the physiotherapist’s professional competence, social competence, and empathetic behavior. They also rated the physiotherapist’s and patient’s attentiveness and evaluated the usage of smartphones generally in physiotherapy.

Results

The analysis included 118 participants (63 women and 55 men). When the physiotherapist used the smartphone in a purposeful way, the physiotherapist was perceived as more professionally competent (P=.007), socially competent (P=.03), and empathetic (P=.04) than if the physiotherapist used it with no therapeutic purpose. These effects occurred because recreational smartphone use by the physiotherapist was evaluated more negatively than the behavior in the control condition (professional competence: P=.001; social competence: P=.03; empathy: P=.04). Moreover, when the physiotherapist used the smartphone in a recreational way, the physiotherapist was perceived as being less attentive (P<.001). Likewise, when the patient used the smartphone in a recreational way, the patient was perceived as being less attentive (P<.001). Finally, smartphone use in physiotherapy was rated as more positive in general when the smartphone was used in a purposeful way compared with the conditions in which the physiotherapist or patient looked at the smartphone with no therapeutic purpose (P<.001). This positive evaluation occurred because purposeful use led to a more positive rating than no smartphone use (P<.001, R=0.42).

Conclusions

Smartphones are only appropriate for therapists and patients if they are used directly for a therapeutic purpose. Otherwise, it is better not to use smartphones during treatment.

Trial Registration

AsPredicted (aspredicted.org) #24740; https://aspredicted.org/blind.php?x=vv532i

Linking Phubbing Behavior to Self-Reported Attentional Failures and Media Multitasking

Phubbing, or using a phone to snub another person, has been investigated through social and personality frameworks. Phubbing involves attending to and performing competing tasks, implying the involvement of attentional abilities. Yet, past research has not yet used a cognitive framework to establish a link between phubbing and attention. Using self-report data from a large online sample, we explored the associations between phubbing and everyday attentional failures. Phubbing was associated with difficulties in attentional shifting and distractibility, frequent attentional lapses, spontaneous and deliberate mind wandering, and attention-related cognitive errors. When examining these attention variables alongside several psychosocial and personality variables, attention-related cognitive errors acted as the biggest predictor of phubbing behavior. Phubbing was also positively correlated with media multitasking, which is a conceptually similar yet distinct technology use behavior. The results suggest that perceived everyday attentional failures are strongly associated with, and to an extent can predict, phubbing behavior, even more so than some social and personality variables. Technology has incorporated itself as a necessity, or at the very least a favored convenience, in most people’s lives. Characterizing technology multitasking behaviors from a variety of frameworks can help us better understand who is engaging in these behaviors and why.

Fear of missing out and problematic social media use as mediators between emotional support from social media and phubbing behavior

Recent research has identified some risk factors for phubbing behavior. However, scarce research has examined the potential influence of emotional support from social media on phubbing behavior, and little is known regarding the mediating mechanisms underlying this relationship. The present study examined the predictive role of emotional support from social media on phubbing behavior among college students and investigated whether fear of missing out and problematic social media use both mediated the relationship between emotional support from social media and phubbing behavior. A sample of 501 Chinese college students (aged 17-23, M_age = 19.6 years, SD = 1.24) completed questionnaires regarding emotional support from social media, fear of missing out, problematic social media use, and phubbing behavior. The results indicated that (a) emotional support from social media was positively associated with phubbing behavior; (b) both fear of missing out and problematic social media use mediated the relationship between emotional support from social media and phubbing behavior; and (c) fear of missing out and problematic social media use sequentially mediated the relationship between emotional support from social media and phubbing behavior. These findings have important implications for the prevention and intervention of phubbing behavior among college students.