Social Comparison as a Moderator of the Relationships Between Romantic Partner Phubbing and Mental Health Among Hispanic Emerging Adults

Romantic partner phubbing (RPP) is when one ignores their romantic partner in favor of one's smartphone. Although RPP may be related to poorer mental health, less is known whether social comparison moderates this association. The present study investigated how social comparison moderates the associations between RPP and depressive, anxiety, and stress (DAS) symptoms in Hispanic emerging adults. Hispanic emerging adult college students (<i>n</i> = 210) completed a survey assessing demographics, RPP, social comparison, and DAS symptoms. Results indicated a significant interaction between RPP and social comparison such that lower levels of social comparison (i.e., increased upward comparison) strengthened the positive associations between RPP and DAS symptoms. The clinical implications of these findings are discussed; future prospective studies are warranted to assess temporality.