The Relationship Between Phubbing and Mental Health Among Adolescents
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Objective: This study examined the relationship between phubbing behavior and mental health among adolescents and tested whether phubbing statistically predicted depression, anxiety, stress, and overall psychological distress.
Methods and Materials: A quantitative cross-sectional survey was conducted with 350 adolescents aged 13-18 years recruited from three secondary schools. Participants completed the Generic Scale of Phubbing (GSP) and the Depression Anxiety Stress Scales-21 (DASS-21). Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, Cronbach's alpha, an independent-samples t test, Pearson correlations, and simple linear regression.
Findings: Mean phubbing was 3.26 (SD = 0.68). Phubbing was positively associated with depression (r = .24), anxiety (r = .29), stress (r = .35), and overall psychological distress (r = .38). In separate regression models, phubbing explained 5.8% of the variance in depression, 8.4% in anxiety, 12.3% in stress, and 14.4% in psychological distress (all p < .001). No significant gender difference in phubbing was observed, t(348) = 0.75, p = .45.
Conclusion: Higher phubbing was associated with greater psychological distress among adolescents. Because the design was cross-sectional, the findings do not establish causality. School- and family-based digital well-being initiatives that promote attentive face-to-face interaction and healthier smartphone habits may be useful preventive strategies.
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