Factors Associated with Nomophobia among Nursing Students in a Private College of Nursing

Abstract

Aims: This study aimed to determine the level of nomophobia and identify the demographic and behavioral factors associated with it among nursing students. Specifically, this study aims to answer the following questions: (1) What is the profile of nursing students in terms of sex, year level, number of hours of daily smartphone use, and main reason for smartphone use; (2) What is the level of nomophobia among nursing students ; and (3) Is there a significant difference in the level of nomophobia when grouped according to sex, year level, number of hours of daily smartphone use, and main reason for smartphone use. Study Design: Quantitative descriptive research design. Place and Duration of Study: Private college of nursing located in Iloilo City, Philippines, from January 15 and January 28, 2026. Methodology: A total of 292 nursing students were selected using stratified random sampling. Data were collected using the Nomophobia Questionnaire (NMP-Q). Descriptive statistics( Mean, Standard Deviation, Frequency and Percentage) and non-parametric tests (Mann-Whitney U and Kruskal-Wallis) were used for analysis. Results: The findings revealed that respondents exhibited a positive level of nomophobia (overall mean = 4.33). Among the domains, inability to access information (M = 4.72) and loss of connectedness (M = 4.42) showed the highest levels. Significant differences were found according to sex (p = 0.013), year level (p = 0.021), and daily smartphone use (p = 0.028), indicating that these factors are associated with nomophobia. However, no significant difference was observed based on the main reason for smartphone use (p = 0.628). Conclusion: Nomophobia is prevalent among undergraduate nursing students and is significantly influenced by demographic and behavioral factors, particularly sex, academic year level, and duration of smartphone use. These findings highlight the need for institutional interventions that promote responsible smartphone use, digital well-being, and effective coping strategies to reduce technology-related anxiety.