When Smartphones Come Between Us

As smartphone use becomes increasingly pervasive, the phenomenon of partner phubbing (Pphubbing) – diverting attention to a smartphone while in the presence of a romantic partner – has received growing empirical attention. This study addresses gaps in the literature by introducing the Perceived Neglect due to Partner Phubbing Scale (PNPS), the first psychological measure specifically designed to assess feelings of neglect stemming from Pphubbing in romantic relationships. A sample of 102 Canadian adults who reported being in a romantic relationship completed the Partner Phubbing Scale (a behavioural measure), the newly developed PNPS, a relationship satisfaction measure, and demographic items. Reliability analyses, inter-item correlations, and principal components analysis were conducted to reduce the number of items on the PNPS, resulting in a two-component structure with reliable subscales. In accordance with the hypothesized relationships, PNPS scores were positively associated with the behaviour of Pphubbing and negatively associated with relationship satisfaction. These findings provide preliminary support for the PNPS’ construct validity. Supporting an exploratory hypothesis, results indicated that women reported significantly greater perceived neglect than men. These findings align with prior literature, suggesting that women experience stronger emotional reactions to Pphubbing. Limitations and future directions associated with the current study are outlined. Future research should utilize the PNPS to examine additional correlational relationships with variables such as attachment styles, communication patterns, and personality traits. Moreover, incorporating diverse methodologies, such as diary-based designs, may offer nuanced understanding of how individuals in romantic relationships experience perceived neglect due to Pphubbing over time.