Nomopobia and phubbing: examining affective smartphone communication and family cohesion among youths

ABSTRACT

In the context of smartphone-mediated family communication, the study investigates relationships of nomophobia and phubbing with affective effects of smartphone use among emerging adults. This web survey examines 714 Taiwanese young users utilising smartphones to communicate with parents. Structural equation modelling results show that nomophobia is positively associated with affective benefit (presence-in-absence) and cost (unwanted obligation and threat to privacy) of using smartphone, while phubbing is positively related to unwanted obligation and threat to privacy. Additionally, presence-in-absence shows a positive association with family cohesion, while unwanted obligation has a negative relationship, and threat to privacy shows no influence. Moreover, the study develops a nomophobia measure with sub-dimensions (information anxiety, social panic and losing online connectedness). Gender is the only demographic factor affecting nomophobia. Implications of smartphone’s ABCCT impacts on family cohesion are discussed.

KEYWORDS:

• Nomophobia
• phubbing
• affective benefit and cost of communication technologies
• family cohesion
• smartphone communication
• presence-in-absence
• threat to privacy

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).