EFFECT ON NOMOPHOBIA ON SLEEP PATTERNS AND PERSONALITY TRAITS IN YOUNG ADULTS

Abstract

This study investigated the association between nomophobia (the fear of being without a mobile phone) and personality and sleep status of young adults. As mobile phone use and internet connectivity has increased markedly, mobile device dependence has become a primary behavioural problem which affects psychological well-being and daily life. This study explores whether nomophobia is related to poor quality of sleep and some personality aspects. The data was trained using a quantitative research design, and standardized instruments like the Nomophobia Questionnaire (NMP-Q) (to assess mobile phone dependence), Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) (to assess sleep quality and disturbances) and the Big Five Inventory (BFI) (to assess personality traits). Regression analysis was conducted to assess individual’s nomophobia predictive power on sleep quality and personality traits. We reported a significant positive association between high nomophobia levels and significant sleep disturbances with regard to the degree over which individuals reported having disturbed sleep, the delay of the onset of sleep, and poor quality of sleep relative to others without nomophobia. Additionally, nomophobia was related to personality – indicating that individual variance in personality (e.g., neuroticism, conscientiousness, emotional stability) may contribute to a risk for smartphone addiction. Nomophobia is not an exclusively technology use trend, but a psychologically relevant and informative construct with implications for behavioral and personality-related functioning. The present work highlights the importance of aiding youths' digital wellness and emotion regulation and healthy sleep habits for prevention of the detrimental consequences that arise from the excessive prevalence of smartphone usage in this age group.