Impact of Nomophobia and Screen Time on Late Adolescents’ Physical Activity

A fear of being without smartphone, Nomophobia has emerged as a serious digital concern in late adolescents that may influence their physical activity and screen use. This study aims to investigate the relationship between nomophobia, screen time, and physical activity among late adolescents in Lahore, Pakistan. A sample of N = 195 was recruited using convenience sampling from various public and private colleges/high schools in Lahore. The current study used Nomophobia Questionnaire (NMP-Q) (Yildirim & Correia, 2015), Questionnaire for Screen Time of Adolescents (QueST) (Knebel et al., 2020), and Physical Activity Questionnaire (PAQ-A) (Kowalski et al., 1997) to measure respective variables among late adolescents. The findings suggest that nomophobia and physical activity are negatively correlated, although the correlation is not statistically significant. Moreover, regression analysis showed that nomophobia and screen time negatively predict physical activity, but the effect size was non-significant. Male participants were found to be significantly more physically active than females. The findings concluded that the higher score of nomophobia might be associated with lower physical activity in youngsters, impacting their physical and mental health. The research suggested that parents, educational institutions, and technology experts should develop policies, interventions, and technologies that promote healthier digital habits and encourage an active lifestyle among youngsters.