Determinants of nomophobia and its relationship with loneliness in adolescents: A cross-sectional study

Abstract

Aim: This study was conducted to examine the determinants of nomophobia and its relationship with loneliness among adolescents. Method: This cross-sectional study was conducted with 506 adolescents in four high schools in a province in the Western Black Sea Region of Türkiye between February 10 and April 14, 2025. Results: The ages of the adolescents who participated in the study ranged from 14 to 17 years. The mean score (SD) on the Nomophobia Scale for the Nine-to-Eighteen Age Group was 70.20 (23.01) and the mean score (SD) on the UCLA Loneliness Scale was 14.91 (3.98). A significant positive correlation was found between loneliness and the total nomophobia score (r=0.264, p=0.000). According to the results of the multiple linear regression analysis, younger age, female gender, longer duration of phone use, having more friends on social media than in real life, the habit of checking the phone first thing in the morning, and a high sense of loneliness were identified as significant factors contributing to increased levels of nomophobia (F=17.473, p=0.000, R²=0.246). Conclusion: This study shows that the level of nomophobia in adolescents is significantly related to loneliness as well as individual (age, gender, phone usage) and social factors (number of social media friends, social habits), emphasizing the importance of addressing these dimensions together in the fight against digital addiction. To redefine adolescents' relationship with digital devices, social awareness campaigns and educational programs should highlight the decisive role that modifiable factors such as phone usage habits and loneliness play in the development of nomophobia.