Authors: Farah Fazlinda Mohamad 1, *, Siti Nor Amalina Ahmad Tajuddin 1, Ramlee Mustapha 2, Sara Shakilla Mohd Salim 3, Melati Sumari 4, Masliya Yahya 1
Affiliations:
1Department of Communication and Media, Faculty of Languages and Communication, Sultan Idris Education University, 35900 Tanjong Malim, Perak, Malaysia
2Faculty of Technical and Vocational Education, Sultan Idris Education University, 35900 Tanjong Malim, Perak, Malaysia
3Department of Moral Studies, Civics and Character Building, Faculty of Human Sciences, Sultan Idris Education University, 35900 Tanjong Malim, Perak, Malaysia
4Department of Educational Psychology and Counseling, Faculty of Education, University Malaya, 50603 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Technological advancements have significantly increased the efficiency of daily tasks, with smartphones emerging as the most commonly used devices among Malaysian youths. However, this widespread usage has led to behavioral concerns such as phubbing and nomophobia. Phubbing refers to the tendency to ignore others in favor of smartphone use, while nomophobia describes the anxiety experienced when individuals are disconnected from their smartphones or mobile networks. Nomophobia manifests through various social, psychological, and physical symptoms, reflecting a growing dependence on mobile devices. Smartphones now serve multiple functions, including internet browsing, social media access, entertainment, online shopping, photography, and navigation, making their use a defining trait of modern youth. Despite this, research on phubbing and nomophobia in Malaysia remains limited. This study aims to examine the influence of social media addiction, smartphone addiction, nomophobia, internet addiction, and other digital-based behavioral addictions on phubbing behavior among Malaysian youths. Data were collected through a questionnaire-based survey and analyzed using SPSS. The findings reveal that social media addiction, smartphone use, and nomophobia are strong predictors of phubbing behavior, while internet addiction and other digital distractions show moderate associations. Additionally, a moderate positive relationship was found between smartphone distraction and nomophobia in relation to phubbing behavior.
Social media addiction, Smartphone use, Nomophobia, Phubbing behavior, Youth digital habits
https://doi.org/10.21833/ijaas.2025.08.004
Mohamad, F. F., Tajuddin, S. N. A. A., Mustapha, R., Salim, S. S. M., Sumari, M., & Yahya, M. (2025). Smartphone distraction and its behavioral outcomes: Phubbing and nomophobia among Malaysian youths. International Journal of Advanced and Applied Sciences, 12(8), 42–52. https://doi.org/10.21833/ijaas.2025.08.004