No-mobile-phone phobia and cognitive and social− emotional development: evidence from a three-wave longitudinal study

Abstract

Nomophobia, characterized by anxiety when out of mobile phone contact, has emerged as a pervasive issue in this digital age, with negative consequences across various domains. Prior studies have been limited by reliance on cross-sectional designs that restrict causal inference and by insufficient exploration of the mechanisms linking nomophobia to developmental outcomes. This study addressed these gaps by employing longitudinal research designs to explore the effect of nomophobia on academic achievement and mental health, with a particular focus on the mediating effects of the I-self (e.g., self-control) and the Me-self (e.g., self-esteem). A sample of 499 secondary students completed the Nomophobia Questionnaire, Self-Control Scale, Rosenberg Self-esteem Scale, and Kessler Psychological Distress Scale across three waves over 18 months. Structural equation modeling showed that after controlling for baseline levels, nomophobia negatively predicted self-control six months later, which in turn significantly predicted academic achievement another six months later. Similarly, nomophobia predicted subsequent self-esteem, which in turn predicted subsequent mental health. These findings provide longitudinal evidence of the detrimental effects of nomophobia and highlight the importance of the self-system processes. Altogether, this study underscores the need for interventions aimed at reducing nomophobia symptoms and strengthening self-system processes to support adolescents’ psychological development.