Effects of Nomophobia, Academic Distress and Introvert Personality on Academic - Achievement among Dilla, Hawassa and Wachamo University Students

In today’s digital age, the pervasive use of smartphones has given rise to nomophobia, or the fear of being without one’s mobile device. This study investigates the impact of nomophobia, academic distress, and introverted personality traits on the academic achievement of university students at Dilla, Hawassa, and Wachamo Universities. A correlational design was utilized, employing stratified and simple random sampling to select 432 participants from 17,280 students, alongside 9 purposively selected teachers for interviews. Data analysis using SPSS Version 25.0 revealed significant effects of nomophobia, academic distress, and introverted personality on academic achievement (F (3, 406) = 7.52, p =.032). Notably, nomophobia scores differed between males (M = 3.81, SD = 2.23, N = 254) and females (M = 3.12, SD = 3.41, N = 157), as did academic achievement scores (males: M = 4.13, SD = 4.091, N = 253; females: M = 4.85, SD = 3.950, N = 157), both at the.05 significance level. These findings underscore the need for interventions to mitigate the impacts of nomophobia and academic distress, particularly for introverted students, suggesting that universities implement workshops and counseling services focused on digital wellness and stress management to enhance academic performance and contribute to students’ long-term success.