The relationship between mobile addiction and nomophobia: What role does age play?

Over recent decades, smartphones have undoubtedly meant great progress for contemporary society and have changed our daily lives. They have involved not only benefits but also some problems, such as nomophobia and mobile addiction. Nomophobia represents the fear of being unreachable via one's smartphone; whereas mobile addiction is understood as chronic or periodic obsessions with mobile use, which may lead to intense and sustained demand and reliance. Although they are different phenomena, they have been interchangeably used in the research, and their potential relationship has been unexplored. Accordingly, the present study aims to clarify the relationship (and overlap) between nomophobia and mobile addiction, and also to provide additional evidence on the possible intervening factors in these phenomena and their relationship, such as age.

The opportunity sampling was used to collect the sample. Spanish workers (n = 366) participated in this study. 44.54% were men (n = 163) and 55.46% women (n = 203). Their ages ranged from 18 to 99 years (mean = 40.43; SD = 13.31).

The concepts of mobile addiction and nomophobia are capable of capturing a pathological relationship between people and their smartphones. The results showed differences in nomophobia and mobile addiction levels between older and younger people. The latter being the ones that present a more problematic use of the mobile, since it is the generation that has grown up together with technology. Finally, age played a moderator role in the relationship between both phenomena.

Our study evidenced that age is a critical factor for nomophobia and mobile addiction and their relationship. Finally, it is critical to study them as distinct but related constructs to advance in their understanding in future research.