Nomophobia

ovel sensory, social, enjoyable activity, and self-reactive incentives. In the field of
smartphone use, different types of expected outcomes might be predicted, considering
cognitive benefits of using a smartphone. Important expected outcomes
phones are information seeking, social contact, entertainment activity and selfreactive
Due to its regular interplay with internet access, seeking information can be an
important motive for smartphone use (Wei, 2008). Broadband mobile network
and strong software-enabled apps have supported the distribution of knowledge to
smartphone users (White, 2010, cited in Youn, 2016). Undeniably, most of the people,
especially students, in this mobile age have been using smartphones as the main source
Social contact is also among the main reasons for using mobile phones. There are
many popular social networking sites in smartphones through which young people can
social benefits such as relief from loneliness or social anxiety, fulfilment of social
positive social influence and so on. Likewise, Leung and Wei (2000) identified social
interaction as an important motive for smartphone use.
Entertainment activity can also be a significant motivation for smartphone use.
Digital media files can be accessed by users for listening to music, watching videos,
games or taking images. Users can keep themselves amused by enjoying thousands of
or offline apps in smartphones.
such kinds of expected outcomes as information seeking, social contact, entertainment
activity and self-reactive functions in mind.
On the other hand, Bowlby as cited by Youn (2016) described an attachment as an
emotion-laden and target-specific relationship between a person and a specific person
object. Attachments can be moulded with varying intensity and linked to different
such as love, enthusiasm, anxiety, and concern (Aron & Westbay, 1996; Brennan et al.,
When a person develops an attachment bond with another person or a particular
object, he will surely experience four attachment-related behaviours such as proximity
maintenance, safe haven, emotional security and separation distress (Ainsworth et al.,
Hazan & Shaver, 1994; Segrin & Flora, 2005 as cited in Youn, 2016). Proximity
maintenance means a desire to be near the object attached. People tend to maintain a
relatively close proximity to an attachment object. Safe haven refers to a person’s
return to the object attached for comfort and safety, particularly when he experiences
down or stressed. Emotional security refers to feelings of security from the surrounding
environment when they can be near the object attached. Separation distress refers to
of anxiety or concerns that arise in the absence of the object of attachment.
Smartphone users generally view their mobile devices as the extension of themselves
(Vincent et al., 2005). The smartphones provide opportunities and comfort for users: as
maintain close attachment with the mobile phones. Moreover, smartphones can assist
in accomplishment of tasks and acquirement of continuous connection with distant
significant others. In the presence of mobile smartphones, these smartphone users,
become to have a sense of comfort and safety in daily livings. Besides, they become
emotionally secure with the presence of smartphones because they can alleviate
Unfortunately, one can experience excessive fear of being without access to mobile
phones because without these devices, they cannot utilize affordances they provide.
users, even if the disconnection was temporary due to battery exhaustion or failed
connection, felt anxious when they were not connected to conversations on their
devices (Vincent & Harper, 2003, as cited in Youn, 2016). The proximity of the
contact with other people and being unable to utilize services required for immediate
one's online identity. Individuals experience feelings such as nervousness, discomfort,
awkwardness in the situations of losing connection with their perceived online society,
being able to stay up to date with social media, and not checking for updatenotifications
“Not being able to access information” dimension refers to feeling helpless in a
state of not being able to search for required information through one’s smartphone.
Individuals feel frustrated if they ay addicted to video games on
(Nay, 2019), and the students’ internet addiction was the highest among all universitynds, and not k
2.4. Smartphone usage behaviors and nomophobia
According to social cognitive theory, human behavior including phobia can be
explained by mutual causality of personal factors, environmental factors and behavior
(Bandura, 1982). It informs that in a virtual environment like social media, individuals
fear from missing update information, social activities and immediate rewards may
anxious or smartphone usage behaviors like nomophobia. According to
Gratifications theory and Compensatory Internet Use theory, higher levels of
related processes and use of social media should be correlated with more problematic
smartphone behaviors (Elhai et al., 2017; Kim & Haridakis, 2009). Normal phone
habits for social messages provide an important road to problematic mobile phone use
al., 2014; Oulasvirta et al., 2012). Social messages result in instant gratification which
for more phone use including even problematic usage (Oulasvirta et al., 2012).
Previous researches have studied the impact of phone usage behaviors on
nomophobia such as adolescents’ daily smartphone usage and nomophobic behaviours
et al., 2019; Gezgin et al., 2018; Gonçalves et al., 2020), nomophobia and the most used
applications (Gonçalves et al., 2020), and social media usage and nomophobia (Ayar et
2018). Therefore, this study also aimed to investigate the effect of duration of daily
The target population for this study was undergraduate students from Sagaing
University of Education. There were 354 first year students, 425 second year students,
2020 academic year at SUOE. For guaranteeing equal representation of each study
group, this study used the equal stratified random sampling method to make accurate
generalizations about the whole population. Thus, the stratified variable is the
study level. In order to get about 200 students in each study level group, the sample of
1000 undergraduate students was randomly selected from five strata of first year to
level students enrolled in SUOE during the 2019 – 2020 academic year. The obtained roup, 82
students (8.20%) was in the mild level of NOMO group, majority of the students, 565
students (56.5%), were in the moderate level of NOMO group and unfortunately
352 students (35.2%) were in the severe level of NOMO group. Therefore, it can be
interpreted that generally majority of the students (91.7 %) in the current study showed
moderate level or severe level of nomophobia.
When examining the responses of students to individual items, respondents have the
Capabilities of smartphones such as getting information, ease of mobility,ous or smartpho
Gratifications theory and Compensatory Internet Use theory,University of Education.
emotion-laden and target-specific relationship between a person and a specific person
object. Attachments can be moulded with varying intensity and linked to different
such as love, enthusiasm, anxiety, and concern (Aron & Westbay, 1996; Brennan et al.,
When a person develops an attachment bond with another person or a particular
object, he will surely experience four attachment-related behaviours such as proximity
maintenance, safe haven, emotional security and separation distress (Ainsworth et al.,
Hazan & Shaver, 1994; Segrin & Flora, 2005 as cited in Youn, 2016). Proximity
maintenance means a desire to be near the object attached. People tend to maintain a
relatively close proximity to an attachment object. Safe haven refers to a person’s
return to the object attached for comfort and safety, particularly when he experiences
down or stressed. Emotional security refers to feelings of security from the surrounding
environment when they can be near the object attached. Separation distress refers to
of anxiety or concerns that arise in the absence of the object of attachment.
Smartphone users generally view their mobile devices as the extension of themselves
(Vincent et al., 2005). The smartphones provide opportunities and comfort for users: as
maintain close attachment with the mobile phones. Moreover, smartphones can assist
in accomplishment of tasks and acquirement of continuous connection with distant
significant others. In the presence of mobile smartphones, these smartphone users,
become to have a sense of comfort and safety in daily livings. Besides, they become
emotionally secure with the presence of smartphones because they can alleviate
Unfortunately, one can experience excessive fear of being without access to mobile
phones because without these devices, they cannot utilize affordances they provide.
users, even if the disconnection was temporary due to battery exhaustion or failed
connection, felt anxious when they were not connected to conversations on their
devices (Vincent & Harper, 2003, as cited in Youn, 2016). The proximity of the
contact with other people and being unable to utilize services required for immediate
one's online identity. Individuals experience feelings such as nervousness, discomfort,
awkwardness in the situations of losing connection with their perceived online society,
being able to stay up to date with social media, and not checking for updatenotifications
“Not being able to access information” dimension refers to feeling helpless in a
state of not being able to search for required information through one’s smartphone.
Individuals feel frustrated if they ay addicted to video games on
(Nay, 2019), and the students’ internet addiction was the highest among all universitynds, and not k
2.4. Smartphone usage behaviors and nomophobia
According to social cognitive theory, human behavior including phobia can be
explained by mutual causality of personal factors, environmental factors and behavior
(Bandura, 1982). It informs that in a virtual environment like social media, individuals
fear from missing update information, social activities and immediate rewards may
anxious or smartphone usage behaviors like nomophobia. According to
Gratifications theory and Compensatory Internet Use theory, higher levels of
related processes and use of social media should be correlated with more problematic
smartphone behaviors (Elhai et al., 2017; Kim & Haridakis, 2009). Normal phone
habits for social messages provide an important road to problematic mobile phone use
al., 2014; Oulasvirta et al., 2012). Social messages result in instant gratification which
for more phone use including even problematic usage (Oulasvirta et al., 2012).
Previous researches have studied the impact of phone usage behaviors on
nomophobia such as adolescents’ daily smartphone usage and nomophobic behaviours
et al., 2019; Gezgin et al., 2018; Gonçalves et al., 2020), nomophobia and the most used
applications (Gonçalves et al., 2020), and social media usage and nomophobia (Ayar et
2018). Therefore, this study also aimed to investigate the effect of duration of daily
The target population for this study was undergraduate students from Sagaing
University of Education. There were 354 first year students, 425 second year students,
2020 academic year at SUOE. For guaranteeing equal representation of each study
group, this study used the equal stratified random sampling method to make accurate
generalizations about the whole population. Thus, the stratified variable is the
study level. In order to get about 200 students in each study level group, the sample of
1000 undergraduate students was randomly selected from five strata of first year to
level students enrolled in SUOE during the 2019 – 2020 academic year. The obtained roup, 82
students (8.20%) was in the mild level of NOMO group, majority of the students, 565
students (56.5%), were in the moderate level of NOMO group and unfortunately
352 students (35.2%) were in the severe level of NOMO group. Therefore, it can be
interpreted that generally majority of the students (91.7 %) in the current study showed
moderate level or severe level of nomophobia.
When examining the responses of students to individual items, respondents have the
Capabilities of smartphones such as getting information, ease of mobility,ous or smartpho
Gratifications theory and Compensatory Internet Use theory,University of Education.ovel s e
smartphone use, different types of expected outcomes might be predicted, considering
cognitive benefits of using a smartphone. Important expected outcomes
phones are information seeking, social contact, entertainment activity and selfreactive
Due to its regular interplay with internet access, seeking information can be an
important motive for smartphone use (Wei, 2008). Broadband mobile network
and strong software-enabled apps have supported the distribution of knowledge to
smartphone users (White, 2010, cited in Youn, 2016). Undeniably, most of the people,
especially students, in this mobile age have been using smartphones as the main source
Social contact is also among the main reasons for using mobile phones. There are
many popular social networking sites in smartphones through which young people can
social benefits such as relief from loneliness or social anxiety, fulfilment of social
positive social influence and so on. Likewise, Leung and Wei (2000) identified social
interaction as an important motive for smartphone use.
Entertainment activity can also be a significant motivation for smartphone use.
Digital media files can be accessed by users for listening to music, watching videos,
games or taking images. Users can keep themselves amused by enjoying thousands of
or offline apps in smartphones.
such kinds of expected outcomes as information seeking, social contact, entertainment
activity and self-reactive functions in mind.
On the other hand, Bowlby as cited by Youn (2016) described an attachment as an
emotion-laden and target-specific relationship between a person and a specific person
object. Attachments can be moulded with varying intensity and linked to different
such as love, enthusiasm, anxiety, and concern (Aron & Westbay, 1996; Brennan et al.,
When a person develops an attachment bond with another person or a particular
object, he will surely experience four attachment-related behaviours such as proximity
maintenance, safe haven, emotional security and separation distress (Ainsworth et al.,
Hazan & Shaver, 1994; Segrin & Flora, 2005 as cited in Youn, 2016). Proximity
maintenance means a desire to be near the object attached. People tend to maintain a
relatively close proximity to an attachment object. Safe haven refers to a person’s
return to the object attached for comfort and safety, particularly when he experiences
down or stressed. Emotional security refers to feelings of security from the surrounding
environment when they can be near the object attached. Separation distress refers to
of anxiety or concerns that arise in the absence of the object of attachment.
Smartphone users generally view their mobile devices as the extension of themselves
(Vincent et al., 2005). The smartphones provide opportunities and comfort for users: as
maintain close attachment with the mobile phones. Moreover, smartphones can assist
in accomplishment of tasks and acquirement of continuous connection with distant
significant others. In the presence of mobile smartphones, these smartphone users,
become to have a sense of comfort and safety in daily livings. Besides, they become
emotionally secure with the presence of smartphones because they can alleviate
Unfortunately, one can experience excessive fear of being without access to mobile
phones because without these devices, they cannot utilize affordances they provide.
users, even if the disconnection was temporary due to battery exhaustion or failed
connection, felt anxious when they were not connected to conversations on their
devices (Vincent & Harper, 2003, as cited in Youn, 2016). The proximity of the
contact with other people and being unable to utilize services required for immediate
one's online identity. Individuals experience feelings such as nervousness, discomfort,
awkwardness in the situations of losing connection with their perceived online society,
being able to stay up to date with social media, and not checking for updatenotifications
“Not being able to access information” dimension refers to feeling helpless in a
state of not being able to search for required information through one’s smartphone.
Individuals feel frustrated if they ay addicted to video games on
(Nay, 2019), and the students’ internet addiction was the highest among all universitynds, and not k
2.4. Smartphone usage behaviors and nomophobia
According to social cognitive theory, human behavior including phobia can be
explained by mutual causality of personal factors, environmental factors and behavior
(Bandura, 1982). It informs that in a virtual environment like social media, individuals
fear from missing update information, social activities and immediate rewards may
anxious or smartphone usage behaviors like nomophobia. According to
Gratifications theory and Compensatory Internet Use theory, higher levels of
related processes and use of social media should be correlated with more problematic
smartphone behaviors (Elhai et al., 2017; Kim & Haridakis, 2009). Normal phone
habits for social messages provide an important road to problematic mobile phone use
al., 2014; Oulasvirta et al., 2012). Social messages result in instant gratification which
for more phone use including even problematic usage (Oulasvirta et al., 2012).
Previous researches have studied the impact of phone usage behaviors on
nomophobia such as adolescents’ daily smartphone usage and nomophobic behaviours
et al., 2019; Gezgin et al., 2018; Gonçalves et al., 2020), nomophobia and the most used
applications (Gonçalves et al., 2020), and social media usage and nomophobia (Ayar et
2018). Therefore, this study also aimed to investigate the effect of duration of daily
The target population for this study was undergraduate students from Sagaing
University of Education. There were 354 first year students, 425 second year students,
2020 academic year at SUOE. For guaranteeing equal representation of each study
group, this study used the equal stratified random sampling method to make accurate
generalizations about the whole population. Thus, the stratified variable is the
study level. In order to get about 200 students in each study level group, the sample of
1000 undergraduate students was randomly selected from five strata of first year to
level students enrolled in SUOE during the 2019 – 2020 academic year. The obtained roup, 82
students (8.20%) was in the mild level of NOMO group, majority of the students, 565
students (56.5%), were in the moderate level of NOMO group and unfortunately
352 students (35.2%) were in the severe level of NOMO group. Therefore, it can be
interpreted that generally majority of the students (91.7 %) in the current study showed
moderate level or severe level of nomophobia.
When examining the responses of students to individual items, respondents have the
Capabilities of smartphones such as getting information, ease of mobility,ous or smartpho
Gratifications theory and Compensatory Internet Use theory,University of Education.
emotion-laden and target-specific relationship between a person and a specific person
object. Attachments can be moulded with varying intensity and linked to different
such as love, enthusiasm, anxiety, and concern (Aron & Westbay, 1996; Brennan et al.,
When a person develops an attachment bond with another person or a particular
object, he will surely experience four attachment-related behaviours such as proximity
maintenance, safe haven, emotional security and separation distress (Ainsworth et al.,
Hazan & Shaver, 1994; Segrin & Flora, 2005 as cited in Youn, 2016). Proximity
maintenance means a desire to be near the object attached. People tend to maintain a
relatively close proximity to an attachment object. Safe haven refers to a person’s
return to the object attached for comfort and safety, particularly when he experiences
down or stressed. Emotional security refers to feelings of security from the surrounding
environment when they can be near the object attached. Separation distress refers to
of anxiety or concerns that arise in the absence of the object of attachment.
Smartphone users generally view their mobile devices as the extension of themselves
(Vincent et al., 2005). The smartphones provide opportunities and comfort for users: as
maintain close attachment with the mobile phones. Moreover, smartphones can assist
in accomplishment of tasks and acquirement of continuous connection with distant
significant others. In the presence of mobile smartphones, these smartphone users,
become to have a sense of comfort and safety in daily livings. Besides, they become
emotionally secure with the presence of smartphones because they can alleviate
Unfortunately, one can experience excessive fear of being without access to mobile
phones because without these devices, they cannot utilize affordances they provide.
users, even if the disconnection was temporary due to battery exhaustion or failed
connection, felt anxious when they were not connected to conversations on their
devices (Vincent & Harper, 2003, as cited in Youn, 2016). The proximity of the
contact with other people and being unable to utilize services required for immediate
one's online identity. Individuals experience feelings such as nervousness, discomfort,
awkwardness in the situations of losing connection with their perceived online society,
being able to stay up to date with social media, and not checking for updatenotifications
“Not being able to access information” dimension refers to feeling helpless in a
state of not being able to search for required information through one’s smartphone.
Individuals feel frustrated if they ay addicted to video games on
(Nay, 2019), and the students’ internet addiction was the highest among all universitynds, and not k
2.4. Smartphone usage behaviors and nomophobia
According to social cognitive theory, human behavior including phobia can be
explained by mutual causality of personal factors, environmental factors and behavior
(Bandura, 1982). It informs that in a virtual environment like social media, individuals
fear from missing update information, social activities and immediate rewards may
anxious or smartphone usage behaviors like nomophobia. According to
Gratifications theory and Compensatory Internet Use theory, higher levels of
related processes and use of social media should be correlated with more problematic
smartphone behaviors (Elhai et al., 2017; Kim & Haridakis, 2009). Normal phone
habits for social messages provide an important road to problematic mobile phone use
al., 2014; Oulasvirta et al., 2012). Social messages result in instant gratification which
for more phone use including even problematic usage (Oulasvirta et al., 2012).
Previous researches have studied the impact of phone usage behaviors on
nomophobia such as adolescents’ daily smartphone usage and nomophobic behaviours
et al., 2019; Gezgin et al., 2018; Gonçalves et al., 2020), nomophobia and the most used
applications (Gonçalves et al., 2020), and social media usage and nomophobia (Ayar et
2018). Therefore, this study also aimed to investigate the effect of duration of daily
The target population for this study was undergraduate students from Sagaing
University of Education. There were 354 first year students, 425 second year students,
2020 academic year at SUOE. For guaranteeing equal representation of each study
group, this study used the equal stratified random sampling method to make accurate
generalizations about the whole population. Thus, the stratified variable is the
study level. In order to get about 200 students in each study level group, the sample of
1000 undergraduate students was randomly selected from five strata of first year to
level students enrolled in SUOE during the 2019 – 2020 academic year. The obtained roup, 82
students (8.20%) was in the mild level of NOMO group, majority of the students, 565
students (56.5%), were in the moderate level of NOMO group and unfortunately
352 students (35.2%) were in the severe level of NOMO group. Therefore, it can be
interpreted that generally majority of the students (91.7 %) in the current study showed
moderate level or severe level of nomophobia.
When examining the responses of students to individual items, respondents have the
Capabilities of smartphones such as getting information, ease of mobility,ous or smartpho
Gratifications theory and Compensatory Internet Use theory,University of Education

elatively close proximity to an attachment object. Safe haven refers to a person’s
return to the object attached for comfort and safety, particularly when he experiences
down or stressed. Emotional security refers to feelings of security from the surrounding
environment when they can be near the object attached. Separation distress refers to
of anxiety or concerns that arise in the absence of the object of attachment.
Smartphone users generally view their mobile devices as the extension of themselves
(Vincent et al., 2005). The smartphones provide opportunities and comfort for users: as
maintain close attachment with the mobile phones. Moreover, smartphones can assist
in accomplishment of tasks and acquirement of continuous connection with distant
significant others. In the presence of mobile smartphones, these smartphone users,
become to have a sense of comfort and safety in daily livings. Besides, they become
emotionally secure with the presence of smartphones because they can alleviate
Unfortunately, one can experience excessive fear of being without access to mobile
phones because without these devices, they cannot utilize affordances they provide.
users, even if the disconnection was temporary due to battery exhaustion or failed
connection, felt anxious when they were not connected to conversations on their
devices (Vincent & Harper, 2003, as cited in Youn, 2016). The proximity of the
contact with other people and being unable to utilize services required for immediate
one's online identity. Individuals experience feelings such as nervousness, discomfort,
awkwardness in the situations of losing connection with their perceived online society,
being able to stay up to date with social media, and not checking for updatenotifications
“Not being able to access information” dimension refers to feeling helpless in a
state of not being able to search for required information through one’s smartphone.
Individuals feel frustrated if they ay addicted to video games on
(Nay, 2019), and the students’ internet addiction was the highest among all universitynds, and not k
According to social cognitive theory, human behavior including phobia can be
explained by mutual causality of personal factors, environmental factors and behavior
(Bandura, 1982). It informs that in a virtual environment like social media, individuals
fear from missing update information, social activities and immediate rewards may
anxious or smartphone usage behaviors like nomophobia. According to
Gratifications theory and Compensatory Internet Use theory, higher levels of
related processes and use of social media should be correlated with more problematic
smartphone behaviors (Elhai et al., 2017; Kim & Haridakis, 2009). Normal phone
habits for social messages provide an important road to problematic mobile phone use
al., 2014; Oulasvirta et al., 2012). Social messages result in instant gratification which
for more phone use including even problematic usage (Oulasvirta et al., 2012).
Previous researches have studied the impact of phone usage behaviors on
nomophobia such as adolescents’ daily smartphone usage and nomophobic behaviours
et al., 2019; Gezgin et al., 2018; Gonçalves et al., 2020), nomophobia and the most used
applications (Gonçalves et al., 2020), and social media usage and nomophobia (Ayar et
2018). Therefore, this study also aimed to investigate the effect of duration of daily
The target population for this study was undergraduate students from Sagaing
University of Education. There were 354 first year students, 425 second year students,
2020 academic year at SUOE. For guaranteeing equal representation of each study
group, this study used the equal stratified random sampling method to make accurate
generalizations about the whole population. Thus, the stratified variable is the
study level. In order to get about 200 students in each study level group, the sample of
1000 undergraduate students was randomly selected from five strata of first year to
level students enrolled in SUOE during the 2019 – 2020 academic year. The obtained roup, 82
students (8.20%) was in the mild level of NOMO group, majority of the students, 565
students (56.5%), were in the moderate level of NOMO group and unfortunately
352 students (35.2%) were in the severe level of NOMO group. Therefore, it can be
interpreted that generally majority of the students (91.7 %) in the current study showed
When examining the responses of students to individual items, respondents have the
highest mean scores (5.43) in item 10 (communication with family and friends), item 7
mean of 5.29 (connect Wi-Fi or Internet access), item 4 with mean of 5.13 (use
and/ or capabilities), item 2 with mean of 5.06 (get novel information), and item 15 with
mean of 5.06 (constant connection with family and friends). Students excessively use
smartphones, and feel incomplete and anxious without smartphones because of their
to communicate with family and friends, use capabilities of smartphone and get novel
A review of nineteen studies conducted in eleven countries reported that percentages
between 4 and 5 hours are assumed to have higher level of nomophobia. There was also
significant difference between the users under the below 2 hours and the over 5 hours
(p<.05). Therefore, students who use smartphone over 5 hours are assumed to have
Capabilities of smartphones such as getting information, ease of mobility,
convenience and safety, facilitating in the process of communicating and passing time
alleviation make people more dependent on smartphones (LaRose & Eastine, 2004).
benefits offered by smartphone may also cause students to depend on smartphones for
network enables users to escape from feelings of loneliness (Byun et al., 2009; Esen,
cited in Gezgin et al. 2018). Students in Sagaing University of Education have high level
loneliness (Ei Ei Shorn Aung, 2019). Therefore, excessive social media usage help
escape from lonely feelings as it offer a variety of rewards, such as self-efficacy and
satisfaction, resulting to continued and increased use and addictions, which lead to
This study examined the nomophobia of the undergraduate students at Sagaing
University of Education. It also compared the nomphobia of the students by gender and
smartphone usage behaviors such as duration of daily smartphone checking time, type
most frequently used application in smartphone, and duration of daily smartphone
According to the result of the descriptive analysis, majority of the students in Sagaing
University of Education suffer from moderate to severe level of nomoFor guaranteeing equal re
group, this study used the equal stratified random sampling method to make accurate
generalizations about the whole population. Thus, the ducation. It is anticipated that the present
cess information. The independent samples t-test result showed that gender was not a
bject, he will surely experience four attachment-related behaviours such as proximity
maintenance, safe haven, emotional security and separation distress (Ainsworth et al.,
Hazan & Shaver, 1994; Segrin & Flora, 2005 as cited in Youn, 2016). Proximity
maintenance means a desire to be near the object attached. People tend to maintain a
relatively close proximity to an attachment object. Safe haven refers to a person’s
return to the object attached for comfort and safety, particularly when he experiences
down or stressed. Emotional security refers to feelings of security from the surrounding
environment when they can be near the object attached. Separation distress refers to
of anxiety or concerns that arise in the absence of the object of attachment.
Smartphone users generally view their mobile devices as the extension of themselves
(Vincent et al., 2005). The smartphones provide opportunities and comfort for users: as
maintain close attachment with the mobile phones. Moreover, smartphones can assist
in accomplishment of tasks and acquirement of continuous connection with distant
significant others. In the presence of mobile smartphones, these smartphone users,
become to have a sense of comfort and safety in daily livings. Besides, they become
emotionally secure with the presence of smartphones because they can alleviate
Unfortunately, one can experience excessive fear of being without access to mobile
phones because without these devices, they cannot utilize affordances they provide.
users, even if the disconnection was temporary due to battery exhaustion or failed
connection, felt anxious when they were not connected to conversations on their
devices (Vincent & Harper, 2003, as cited in Youn, 2016). The proximity of the
contact with other people and being unable to utilize services required for immediate
one's online identity. Individuals experience feelings such as nervousness, discomfort,
awkwardness in the situations of losing connection with their perceived online society,
being able to stay up to date with social media, and not checking for updatenotifications
“Not being able to access information” dimension refers to feeling helpless in a
state of not being able to search for required information through one’s smartphone.
Individuals feel frustrated if they ay addicted to video games on
(Nay, 2019), and the students’ internet addiction was the highest among all universitynds, and not k
rding to social cognitive theory, human behavior including phobia can be
exomophobia such as adolescents’ daily smartphone usage and nomophobic behaviours
et al., 2019; Gezgin et al., 2018; Gonçalves et al., 2020), nomophobia and the most used
applications (Gonçalves et al., 2020), and social media usage and nomophobia (Ayar et
2018). Therefore, this study also aimed to investigate the effect of duration of daily
The target population for this study was undergraduate students from Sagaing
University of Education. There were 354 first year students, 425 second year students,
2020 academic year at SUOE. For guaranteeing equal representation of each study
group, this study used the equal stratified random sampling method to make accurate
generalizations about the whole population. Thus, the stratified variable is the
study level. In order to get about 200 students in each study level group, the sample of
1000 undergraduate students was randomly selected from five strata of first year to
level students enrolled in SUOE during the 2019 – 2020 academic year. The obtained roup, 82
students (8.20%) was in the mild level of NOMO group, majority of the students, 565
students (56.5%), were in the moderate level of NOMO group and unfortunately
352 students (35.2%) were in the severe level of NOMO group. Therefore, it can be
interpreted that generally majority of the students (91.7 %) in the current study showed
When examining the responses of students to individual items, respondents have the
highest mean scores (5.43) in item 10 (communication with family and friends), item 7
to communicate with family and friends, use capabilities of smartphone and get novel
A review of nineteen studies conducted in eleven countries reported that percentages
between 4 and 5 hours are assumed to have higher level of nomophobia. There was also
significant difference between the users under the below 2 hours and the over 5 hours
(p<.05). Therefore, students who use smartphone over 5 hours are assumed to have
Capabilities of smartphones such as getting information, ease of mobility,
convenience and safety, facilitating in the process of communicating and passing time
alleviation make people more dependent on smartphones (LaRose & Eastine, 2004).
benefits offered by smartphone may also cause students to depend on smartphones for
network enables users to escape from feelings of loneliness (Byun et al., 2009; Esen,
cited in Gezgin et al. 2018). Students in Sagaing University of Education have high level
loneliness (Ei Ei Shorn Aung, 2019). Therefore, excessive social media usage help
escape from lonely feelings as it offer a variety of rewards, such as self-efficacy and
satisfaction, resulting to continued and increased use and addictions, which lead to
This study examined the nomophobia of the undergraduate students at Sagaing
University of Education. It also compared the nomphobia of the students by gender and
smartphone usage behaviors such as duration of daily smartphone checking time, type
most frequently used application in smartphone, and duration of daily smartphone
According to the result of the descriptive analysis, majority of the students in Sagaing
University of Education suffer from moderate to severe level of nomoFor guaranteeing equal re
group, this study used the equal stratified random sampling method to make accurate
generalizations about the whole population. Thus, the ducation. It is anticipated that the present
cess information. The independent samples t-test result showed that gender was not aelatively
return to the object attached for comfort and safety, particularly when he experiences
down or stressed. Emotional security refers to feelings of security from the surrounding
environment when they can be near the object attached. Separation distress refers to
of anxiety or concerns that arise in the absence of the object of attachment.
Smartphone users generally view their mobile devices as the extension of themselves
(Vincent et al., 2005). The smartphones provide opportunities and comfort for users: as
maintain close attachment with the mobile phones. Moreover, smartphones can assist
in accomplishment of tasks and acquirement of continuous connection with distant
significant others. In the presence of mobile smartphones, these smartphone users,
become to have a sense of comfort and safety in daily livings. Besides, they become
emotionally secure with the presence of smartphones because they can alleviate
Unfortunately, one can experience excessive fear of being without access to mobile
phones because without these devices, they cannot utilize affordances they provide.
users, even if the disconnection was temporary due to battery exhaustion or failed
connection, felt anxious when they were not connected to conversations on their
devices (Vincent & Harper, 2003, as cited in Youn, 2016). The proximity of the
contact with other people and being unable to utilize services required for immediate
one's online identity. Individuals experience feelings such as nervousness, discomfort,
awkwardness in the situations of losing connection with their perceived online society,
being able to stay up to date with social media, and not checking for updatenotifications
“Not being able to access information” dimension refers to feeling helpless in a
state of not being able to search for required information through one’s smartphone.
Individuals feel frustrated if they ay addicted to video games on
(Nay, 2019), and the students’ internet addiction was the highest among all universitynds, and not k
According to social cognitive theory, human behavior including phobia can be
explained by mutual causality of personal factors, environmental factors and behavior
(Bandura, 1982). It informs that in a virtual environment like social media, individuals
fear from missing update information, social activities and immediate rewards may
anxious or smartphone usage behaviors like nomophobia. According to
Gratifications theory and Compensatory Internet Use theory, higher levels of
related processes and use of social media should be correlated with more problematic
smartphone behaviors (Elhai et al., 2017; Kim & Haridakis, 2009). Normal phone
habits for social messages provide an important road to problematic mobile phone use
al., 2014; Oulasvirta et al., 2012). Social messages result in instant gratification which
for more phone use including even problematic usage (Oulasvirta et al., 2012).
Previous researches have studied the impact of phone usage behaviors on
nomophobia such as adolescents’ daily smartphone usage and nomophobic behaviours
et al., 2019; Gezgin et al., 2018; Gonçalves et al., 2020), nomophobia and the most used
applications (Gonçalves et al., 2020), and social media usage and nomophobia (Ayar et
2018). Therefore, this study also aimed to investigate the effect of duration of daily
The target population for this study was undergraduate students from Sagaing
University of Education. There were 354 first year students, 425 second year students,
2020 academic year at SUOE. For guaranteeing equal representation of each study
group, this study used the equal stratified random sampling method to make accurate
generalizations about the whole population. Thus, the stratified variable is the
study level. In order to get about 200 students in each study level group, the sample of
1000 undergraduate students was randomly selected from five strata of first year to
level students enrolled in SUOE during the 2019 – 2020 academic year. The obtained roup, 82
students (8.20%) was in the mild level of NOMO group, majority of the students, 565
students (56.5%), were in the moderate level of NOMO group and unfortunately
352 students (35.2%) were in the severe level of NOMO group. Therefore, it can be
interpreted that generally majority of the students (91.7 %) in the current study showed
When examining the responses of students to individual items, respondents have the
highest mean scores (5.43) in item 10 (communication with family and friends), item 7
mean of 5.29 (connect Wi-Fi or Internet access), item 4 with mean of 5.13 (use
and/ or capabilities), item 2 with mean of 5.06 (get novel information), and item 15 with
mean of 5.06 (constant connection with family and friends). Students excessively use
smartphones, and feel incomplete and anxious without smartphones because of their
to communicate with family and friends, use capabilities of smartphone and get novel
A review of nineteen studies conducted in eleven countries reported that percentages
between 4 and 5 hours are assumed to have higher level of nomophobia. There was also
significant difference between the users under the below 2 hours and the over 5 hours
(p<.05). Therefore, students who use smartphone over 5 hours are assumed to have
Capabilities of smartphones such as getting information, ease of mobility,
convenience and safety, facilitating in the process of communicating and passing time
alleviation make people more dependent on smartphones (LaRose & Eastine, 2004).
benefits offered by smartphone may also cause students to depend on smartphones for
network enables users to escape from feelings of loneliness (Byun et al., 2009; Esen,
cited in Gezgin et al. 2018). Students in Sagaing University of Education have high level
loneliness (Ei Ei Shorn Aung, 2019). Therefore, excessive social media usage help
escape from lonely feelings as it offer a variety of rewards, such as self-efficacy and
satisfaction, resulting to continued and increased use and addictions, which lead to
This study examined the nomophobia of the undergraduate students at Sagaing
University of Education. It also compared the nomphobia of the students by gender and
smartphone usage behaviors such as duration of daily smartphone checking time, type
most frequently used application in smartphone, and duration of daily smartphone
According to the result of the descriptive analysis, majority of the students in Sagaing
University of Education suffer from moderate to severe level of nomoFor guaranteeing equal re
group, this study used the equal stratified random sampling method to make accurate
generalizations about the whole population. Thus, the ducation. It is anticipated that the present
cess information. The independent samples t-test result showed that gender was not a
bject, he will surely experience four attachment-related behaviours such as proximity
maintenance, safe haven, emotional security and separation distress (Ainsworth et al.,
Hazan & Shaver, 1994; Segrin & Flora, 2005 as cited in Youn, 2016). Proximity
maintenance means a desire to be near the object attached. People tend to maintain a
relatively close proximity to an attachment object. Safe haven refers to a person’s
return to the object attached for comfort and safety, particularly when he experiences
down or stressed. Emotional security refers to feelings of security from the surrounding
environment when they can be near the object attached. Separation distress refers to
of anxiety or concerns that arise in the absence of the object of attachment.
Smartphone users generally view their mobile devices as the extension of themselves
(Vincent et al., 2005). The smartphones provide opportunities and comfort for users: as
maintain close attachment with the mobile phones. Moreover, smartphones can assist
in accomplishment of tasks and acquirement of continuous connection with distant
significant others. In the presence of mobile smartphones, these smartphone users,
become to have a sense of comfort and safety in daily livings. Besides, they become
emotionally secure with the presence of smartphones because they can alleviate
Unfortunately, one can experience excessive fear of being without access to mobile
phones because without these devices, they cannot utilize affordances they provide.
users, even if the disconnection was temporary due to battery exhaustion or failed
connection, felt anxious when they were not connected to conversations on their
devices (Vincent & Harper, 2003, as cited in Youn, 2016). The proximity of the
contact with other people and being unable to utilize services required for immediate
one's online identity. Individuals experience feelings such as nervousness, discomfort,
awkwardness in the situations of losing connection with their perceived online society,
being able to stay up to date with social media, and not checking for updatenotifications
“Not being able to access information” dimension refers to feeling helpless in a
state of not being able to search for required information through one’s smartphone.
Individuals feel frustrated if they ay addicted to video games on
(Nay, 2019), and the students’ internet addiction was the highest among all universitynds, and not k
rding to social cognitive theory, human behavior including phobia can be
exomophobia such as adolescents’ daily smartphone usage and nomophobic behaviours
et al., 2019; Gezgin et al., 2018; Gonçalves et al., 2020), nomophobia and the most used
applications (Gonçalves et al., 2020), and social media usage and nomophobia (Ayar et
2018). Therefore, this study also aimed to investigate the effect of duration of daily
The target population for this study was undergraduate students from Sagaing
University of Education. There were 354 first year students, 425 second year students,
2020 academic year at SUOE. For guaranteeing equal representation of each study
group, this study used the equal stratified random sampling method to make accurate
generalizations about the whole population. Thus, the stratified variable is the
study level. In order to get about 200 students in each study level group, the sample of
1000 undergraduate students was randomly selected from five strata of first year to
level students enrolled in SUOE during the 2019 – 2020 academic year. The obtained roup, 82
students (8.20%) was in the mild level of NOMO group, majority of the students, 565
students (56.5%), were in the moderate level of NOMO group and unfortunately
352 students (35.2%) were in the severe level of NOMO group. Therefore, it can be
interpreted that generally majority of the students (91.7 %) in the current study showed
When examining the responses of students to individual items, respondents have the
highest mean scores (5.43) in item 10 (communication with family and friends), item 7
to communicate with family and friends, use capabilities of smartphone and get novel
A review of nineteen studies conducted in eleven countries reported that percentages
between 4 and 5 hours are assumed to have higher level of nomophobia. There was also
significant difference between the users under the below 2 hours and the over 5 hours
(p<.05). Therefore, students who use smartphone over 5 hours are assumed to have
Capabilities of smartphones such as getting information, ease of mobility,
convenience and safety, facilitating in the process of communicating and passing time
alleviation make people more dependent on smartphones (LaRose & Eastine, 2004).
benefits offered by smartphone may also cause students to depend on smartphones for
network enables users to escape from feelings of loneliness (Byun et al., 2009; Esen,
cited in Gezgin et al. 2018). Students in Sagaing University of Education have high level
loneliness (Ei Ei Shorn Aung, 2019). Therefore, excessive social media usage help
escape from lonely feelings as it offer a variety of rewards, such as self-efficacy and
satisfaction, resulting to continued and increased use and addictions, which lead to
This study examined the nomophobia of the undergraduate students at Sagaing
University of Education. It also compared the nomphobia of the students by gender and
smartphone usage behaviors such as duration of daily smartphone checking time, type
most frequently used application in smartphone, and duration of daily smartphone
According to the result of the descriptive analysis, majority of the students in Sagaing
University of Education suffer from moderate to severe level of nomoFor guaranteeing equal re
group, this study used the equal stratified random sampling method to make accurate
generalizations about the whole population. Thus, the ducation. It is anticipated that the present

phobia

Phobias have always existed, but there are some that have only emerged in recent decades, especially with the onset of the internet and social media

fear of being without a mobile phone

nomo

of something. It is normal that people are haunted by all kinds of fears unless they turn into an obsession and start to interfere with our lives.

We are all afraid

nomo

phobia

LONELINESS in THE DIGITAL AGE

Tacit TOLL OF CONNECTIVITY

Fears in today’s world

THE PERPETUAL SCROLL

living life through the phone screen

fear of being without a mobile phone

the fear of constant annoying notifications

the fear of not being able to fit into the information picture of the world

Fears in today’s world

The crazy dance of information, the onset of new technologies and the frantic rhythm have given rise to a whole range of new phobias

duoluminaphobia

likephobia

topiciphobia

selfiphobia

Notificophobia

wabecophobia

In recent years in many countries there has been a significant increase in the number of patients suffering from various phobias

nightmare of ruined selfies

fear of one's own Internet past

Moreover, the recent fasion trends have exacerbated the already heavy-laden burden of fears.

when the number of likes in a social network does not meet expectations

the fear of making a mistake while chatting, especially at work

Living Life Through the Phone Screen

One of the most serious fears of recent decades has been nomophobia, or the fear of being without a phone

However, this particular phobia was not brought about by the smartphones but rather by the spread of mobile Internet: the fear arises not from the lack of mobile communication as such, but from the lack of access to Internet services and social networks.

People with this phobia constantly check their smartphones, take them with them everywhere they go (including the toilet and bathroom), and feel a sense of helplessness when they are deprived of their gadgets.

This study investigated the prevalence of nomophobia among undergraduate students inSagaing University of Education. Moreover, it also investigated the differences in thethe university studentsNowadays, technologies such as mobile smartphones and the internet are rapidlygrowing. The smartphones, as the latest
technologies (ICTs), have signaled the start of the mobile age (Yildirim & Correia, 2015).
Mobile smartphones constitute the greatest inventions in the modern world. Because of
convenience and ease of use, most people in developed and developing countries use
smartphones. According to Global Digital 2019 report, there are 5.11 billion active
subscriptions in the world with an official population of 7.7 billion (Kemp, 2019). This
informs that smartphone mobile technology has spread rapidly around the globe.
Smartphones facilitate the process of communication and provi in the
nomophobia by gender and smartphone usage behaviors such as duration of daily smartpho
changes in community interaction with the world, perceptions of real interactions and
smartphone interaction. The psychological impact of the use of this technology on
individuals, groups and society is generally associated with changes in behavior and
before and after the existence of smartphones (King et al., 2013). Individuals cannot
relationships with smartphones, and this greatly affects their interpersonal behavior
social habits. Thus, this situation confirms that a person has become more dependent
mobile phones in their daily lives.This dependency has also resulted in the emergence of new phobias and
exceed the total population with more than 56.57 million subscriptions compared to a
population of 54.10 million. There is a high penetration rate of smartphones (105
all mobile owners) in Myanmar, indicating smartphone mobile devices are almost
to Myanmar young people. However, rooting research in nomophobia is rarely found in
Myanmar. In previous years, studies conducted in Sagaing University of Education
indicated that all samples of students have smartphones and are mostly addicted to
(Ei, 2019), majority of the students are moderately addicted to video games on
(Nay, 2019), and the students’ internet addiction was the highest among all university
students in Sagaing District (Theint, 2019). These studies pointed out that SUOE
contact with other people and being unable to utilize services required for immediate
communication. Absence of communication induces anxiety or nervousness. Individuals feelunsafe
“Losing connectedness” dimension refers to feelings of being disconnected from
one's online identity. Individuals experience feelings such as nervousness, discomfort,
awkwardness in the situations of losing connection with their perceived online society,
being able to stay up to date with social media, and not checking for updatenotifications
“Not being able to access information” dimension refers to feeling helpless in a
state of not being able to search for required information through one’s smartphone.s.“Giving up c
novel sensory, social, enjoyable activity, and self-reactive incentives. In the field of
smartphone use, different types of expected outcomes might be predicted, considering
cognitive benefits of using a smartphone. Important expected outcomes
phones are information seeking, social contact, entertainment activity and selfreactive
Due to its regular interplay with internet access, seeking information can be an
important motive for smartphone use (Wei, 2008). Broadband mobile network
and strong software-enabled apps have supported the distribution of knowledge to
smartphone users (White, 2010, cited in Youn, 2016). Undeniably, most of the people,
especially students, in this mobile age have been using smartphones as the main source
Social contact is also among the main reasons for using mobile phones. There are
many popular social networking sites in smartphones through which young people can
social benefits such as relief from loneliness or social anxiety, fulfilment of social
positive social influence and so on. Likewise, Leung and Wei (2000) identified social
interaction as an important motive for smartphone use.
Entertainment activity can also be a significant motivation for smartphone use.
Digital media files can be accessed by users for listening to music, watching videos,
games or taking images. Users can keep themselves amused by enjoying thousands of
or offline apps in smartphones.
such kinds of expected outcomes as information seeking, social contact, entertainment
activity and self-reactive functions in mind.
On the other hand, Bowlby as cited by Youn (2016) described an attachment as an
emotion-laden and target-specific relationship between a person and a specific person
object. Attachments can be moulded with varying intensity and linked to different
such as love, enthusiasm, anxiety, and concern (Aron & Westbay, 1996; Brennan et al.,
When a person develops an attachment bond with another person or a particular
object, he will surely experience four attachment-related behaviours such as proximity
maintenance, safe haven, emotional security and separation distress (Ainsworth et al.,
Hazan & Shaver, 1994; Segrin & Flora, 2005 as cited in Youn, 2016). Proximity
maintenance means a desire to be near the object attached. People tend to maintain a
relatively close proximity to an attachment object. Safe haven refers to a person’s
return to the object attached for comfort and safety, particularly when he experiences
down or stressed. Emotional security refers to feelings of security from the surrounding
environment when they can be near the object attached. Separation distress refers to
of anxiety or concerns that arise in the absence of the object of attachment.
Smartphone users generally view their mobile devices as the extension of themselves
(Vincent et al., 2005). The smartphones provide opportunities and comfort for users: as
maintain close attachment with the mobile phones. Moreover, smartphones can assist
in accomplishment of tasks and acquirement of continuous connection with distant
significant others. In the presence of mobile smartphones, these smartphone users,
become to have a sense of comfort and safety in daily livings. Besides, they become
emotionally secure with the presence of smartphones because they can alleviate
Unfortunately, one can experience excessive fear of being without access to mobile
phones because without these devices, they cannot utilize affordances they provide.
users, even if the disconnection was temporary due to battery exhaustion or failed
connection, felt anxious when they were not connected to conversations on their
devices (Vincent & Harper, 2003, as cited in Youn, 2016). The proximity of the
contact with other people and being unable to utilize services required for immediate
one's online identity. Individuals experience feelings such as nervousness, discomfort,
awkwardness in the situations of losing connection with their perceived online society,
being able to stay up to date with social media, and not checking for updatenotifications
“Not being able to access information” dimension refers to feeling helpless in a
state of not being able to search for required information through one’s smartphone.
Individuals feel frustrated if they ay addicted to video games on
(Nay, 2019), and the students’ internet addiction was the highest among all universitynds, and not k
2.4. Smartphone usage behaviors and nomophobia
According to social cognitive theory, human behavior including phobia can be
explained by mutual causality of personal factors, environmental factors and behavior
(Bandura, 1982). It informs that in a virtual environment like social media, individuals
fear from missing update information, social activities and immediate rewards may
anxious or smartphone usage behaviors like nomophobia. According to
Gratifications theory and Compensatory Internet Use theory, higher levels of
related processes and use of social media should be correlated with more problematic
smartphone behaviors (Elhai et al., 2017; Kim & Haridakis, 2009). Normal phone
habits for social messages provide an important road to problematic mobile phone use
al., 2014; Oulasvirta et al., 2012). Social messages result in instant gratification which
for more phone use including even problematic usage (Oulasvirta et al., 2012).
Previous researches have studied the impact of phone usage behaviors on
nomophobia such as adolescents’ daily smartphone usage and nomophobic behaviours
et al., 2019; Gezgin et al., 2018; Gonçalves et al., 2020), nomophobia and the most used
applications (Gonçalves et al., 2020), and social media usage and nomophobia (Ayar et
2018). Therefore, this study also aimed to investigate the effect of duration of daily
The target population for this study was undergraduate students from Sagaing
University of Education. There were 354 first year students, 425 second year students,
2020 academic year at SUOE. For guaranteeing equal representation of each study
group, this study used the equal stratified random sampling method to make accurate
generalizations about the whole population. Thus, the stratified variable is the
study level. In order to get about 200 students in each study level group, the sample of
1000 undergraduate students was randomly selected from five strata of first year to
level students enrolled in SUOE during the 2019 – 2020 academic year. The obtained roup, 82
students (8.20%) was in the mild level of NOMO group, majority of the students, 565
students (56.5%), were in the moderate level of NOMO group and unfortunately
352 students (35.2%) were in the severe level of NOMO group. Therefore, it can be
interpreted that generally majority of the students (91.7 %) in the current study showed
moderate level or severe level of nomophobia.
When examining the responses of students to individual items, respondents have the
highest mean scores (5.43) in item 10 (communication with family and friends), item 7
mean of 5.29 (connect Wi-Fi or Internet access), item 4 with mean of 5.13 (use
and/ or capabilities), item 2 with mean of 5.06 (get novel information), and item 15 with
mean of 5.06 (constant connection with family and friends). Students excessively use
smartphones, and feel incomplete and anxious without smartphones because of their
to communicate with family and friends, use capabilities of smartphone and get novel
information through smartphones.
A review of nineteen studies conducted in eleven countries reported that percentages
between 4 and 5 hours are assumed to have higher level of nomophobia. There was also
significant difference between the users under the below 2 hours and the over 5 hours
(p<.05). Therefore, students who use smartphone over 5 hours are assumed to have
level of nomophobia. For this result, it can be interpreted that students who use
over 4 hours in a day have higher level of nomophobia.
Capabilities of smartphones such as getting information, ease of mobility,
convenience and safety, facilitating in the process of communicating and passing time
alleviation make people more dependent on smartphones (LaRose & Eastine, 2004).
benefits offered by smartphone may also cause students to depend on smartphones for
network enables users to escape from feelings of loneliness (Byun et al., 2009; Esen,
cited in Gezgin et al. 2018). Students in Sagaing University of Education have high level
loneliness (Ei Ei Shorn Aung, 2019). Therefore, excessive social media usage help
escape from lonely feelings as it offer a variety of rewards, such as self-efficacy and
satisfaction, resulting to continued and increased use and addictions, which lead to
This study examined the nomophobia of the undergraduate students at Sagaing
University of Education. It also compared the nomphobia of the students by gender and
smartphone usage behaviors such as duration of daily smartphone checking time, type
most frequently used application in smartphone, and duration of daily smartphone
According to the result of the descriptive analysis, majority of the students in Sagaing
University of Education suffer from moderate to severe level of nomoFor guaranteeing equal re
group, this study used the equal stratified random sampling method to make accurate
generalizations about the whole population. Thus, the ducation. It is anticipated that the present
cess information. The independent samples t-test result showed that gender was not a
factor that can predict nomophobia. Furthermore, the results of one-way
the duration of daily smartphone checking time, type of most frequently used
smartphone and duration of daily social media usage significantly affect nomophobia of
students. These results indicated that the excessive smartphone use for social
as Facebook increase the level of nomophobia.
Nomophobia is becoming a problem among the SUOE population. Such a great
development of information and communication technology also poses a big threat to
students. Thus the use of mobile phones in teaching and learning adds both advantages
disadvantages. These mobile devices can facilitate or distract learning. Since it was
out that mobile learning and nomophobia are positively correlated, every online
developers in the context of higher education, especially SUOE, should be aware of this
possible problem of nomophobia. Therefore, administrators and practitioners in SUOE
consider to control this problem through intervention programs like mindfulness-based
intervention and cognitive behavior therapy. Relative to this, the teacher also play vital
in reducing nomophobia among the students. As they have direct contact with their
they can encourage them to control their smartphone use, entice them to access novel
information via TV, magazines, books, journals, etc. rather than smartphones, inform
value face-to-face communication with family and friends than virtual communication,
inform them ways to limit the amount of social media usage time (e.g, facebook and
encourage them to have new hobbies, participates in sports, social and cultural
reduce loneliness, and hold many different academic and athletic competitions to gain
rewards, self-efficacy and satisfaction.
This research was conducted by cross-sectional survey design. Therefore, it cannot
provide strong evidence of cause and effect relation between smartphone usage
and nomophobia. Moreover, using a single questionnaire with close-ended questions
provide participants’ accurate honest answers and reasons for each response, thus
the validity of results. To give more accurate results, this quantitative study should be
combined with qualitative tools such as observation checklists and open-ended
which can examine the problems experienced by students displaying nomophobic
To theoretically confirm the relation between smartphone usage behaviors and
This study investigated the prevalence of nomophobia among undergraduate students inSagaing University of Education. Moreover, it also investigated the differences in thethe university studentsNowadays, technologies such as mobile smartphones and the internet are rapidlygrowing. The smartphones, as the latest
technologies (ICTs), have signaled the start of the mobile age (Yildirim & Correia, 2015).
Mobile smartphones constitute the greatest inventions in the modern world. Because of
convenience and ease of use, most people in developed and developing countries use
smartphones. According to Global Digital 2019 report, there are 5.11 billion active
subscriptions in the world with an official population of 7.7 billion (Kemp, 2019). This
informs that smartphone mobile technology has spread rapidly around the globe.
Smartphones facilitate the process of communication and provi in the
nomophobia by gender and smartphone usage behaviors such as duration of daily smartpho
changes in community interaction with the world, perceptions of real interactions and
smartphone interaction. The psychological impact of the use of this technology on
individuals, groups and society is generally associated with changes in behavior and
before and after the existence of smartphones (King et al., 2013). Individuals cannot
relationships with smartphones, and this greatly affects their interpersonal behavior
social habits. Thus, this situation confirms that a person has become more dependent
mobile phones in their daily lives.This dependency has also resulted in the emergence of new phobias and
exceed the total population with more than 56.57 million subscriptions compared to a
population of 54.10 million. There is a high penetration rate of smartphones (105
all mobile owners) in Myanmar, indicating smartphone mobile devices are almost
to Myanmar young people. However, rooting research in nomophobia is rarely found in
Myanmar. In previous years, studies conducted in Sagaing University of Education
indicated that all samples of students have smartphones and are mostly addicted to
(Ei, 2019), majority of the students are moderately addicted to video games on
(Nay, 2019), and the students’ internet addiction was the highest among all university
students in Sagaing District (Theint, 2019). These studies pointed out that SUOE
contact with other people and being unable to utilize services required for immediate
communication. Absence of communication induces anxiety or nervousness. Individuals feelunsafe
“Losing connectedness” dimension refers to feelings of being disconnected from
one's online identity. Individuals experience feelings such as nervousness, discomfort,
awkwardness in the situations of losing connection with their perceived online society,
being able to stay up to date with social media, and not checking for updatenotifications
“Not being able to access information” dimension refers to feeling helpless in a
state of not being able to search for required information through one’s smartphone.s.“Giving up c
novel sensory, social, enjoyable activity, and self-reactive incentives. In the field of
smartphone use, different types of expected outcomes might be predicted, considering
cognitive benefits of using a smartphone. Important expected outcomes
phones are information seeking, social contact, entertainment activity and selfreactive
Due to its regular interplay with internet access, seeking information can be an
important motive for smartphone use (Wei, 2008). Broadband mobile network
and strong software-enabled apps have supported the distribution of knowledge to
smartphone users (White, 2010, cited in Youn, 2016). Undeniably, most of the people,
especially students, in this mobile age have been using smartphones as the main source
Social contact is also among the main reasons for using mobile phones. There are
many popular social networking sites in smartphones through which young people can
social benefits such as relief from loneliness or social anxiety, fulfilment of social
positive social influence and so on. Likewise, Leung and Wei (2000) identified social
interaction as an important motive for smartphone use.
Entertainment activity can also be a significant motivation for smartphone use.
Digital media files can be accessed by users for listening to music, watching videos,
games or taking images. Users can keep themselves amused by enjoying thousands of
or offline apps in smartphones.
such kinds of expected outcomes as information seeking, social contact, entertainment
activity and self-reactive functions in mind.
On the other hand, Bowlby as cited by Youn (2016) described an attachment as an
emotion-laden and target-specific relationship between a person and a specific person
object. Attachments can be moulded with varying intensity and linked to different
such as love, enthusiasm, anxiety, and concern (Aron & Westbay, 1996; Brennan et al.,
When a person develops an attachment bond with another person or a particular
object, he will surely experience four attachment-related behaviours such as proximity
maintenance, safe haven, emotional security and separation distress (Ainsworth et al.,
Hazan & Shaver, 1994; Segrin & Flora, 2005 as cited in Youn, 2016). Proximity
maintenance means a desire to be near the object attached. People tend to maintain a
relatively close proximity to an attachment object. Safe haven refers to a person’s
return to the object attached for comfort and safety, particularly when he experiences
down or stressed. Emotional security refers to feelings of security from the surrounding
environment when they can be near the object attached. Separation distress refers to
of anxiety or concerns that arise in the absence of the object of attachment.
Smartphone users generally view their mobile devices as the extension of themselves
(Vincent et al., 2005). The smartphones provide opportunities and comfort for users: as
maintain close attachment with the mobile phones. Moreover, smartphones can assist
in accomplishment of tasks and acquirement of continuous connection with distant
significant others. In the presence of mobile smartphones, these smartphone users,
become to have a sense of comfort and safety in daily livings. Besides, they become
emotionally secure with the presence of smartphones because they can alleviate
Unfortunately, one can experience excessive fear of being without access to mobile
phones because without these devices, they cannot utilize affordances they provide.
users, even if the disconnection was temporary due to battery exhaustion or failed
connection, felt anxious when they were not connected to conversations on their
devices (Vincent & Harper, 2003, as cited in Youn, 2016). The proximity of the
contact with other people and being unable to utilize services required for immediate
one's online identity. Individuals experience feelings such as nervousness, discomfort,
awkwardness in the situations of losing connection with their perceived online society,
being able to stay up to date with social media, and not checking for updatenotifications
“Not being able to access information” dimension refers to feeling helpless in a
state of not being able to search for required information through one’s smartphone.
Individuals feel frustrated if they ay addicted to video games on
(Nay, 2019), and the students’ internet addiction was the highest among all universitynds, and not k
2.4. Smartphone usage behaviors and nomophobia
According to social cognitive theory, human behavior including phobia can be
explained by mutual causality of personal factors, environmental factors and behavior
(Bandura, 1982). It informs that in a virtual environment like social media, individuals
fear from missing update information, social activities and immediate rewards may
anxious or problematic smartphone usage behaviors like nomophobia. According to
Gratifications theory and Compensatory Internet Use theory, higher levels of
related processes and use of social media should be correlated with more problematic
smartphone behaviors (Elhai et al., 2017; Kim & Haridakis, 2009). Normal phone
habits for social messages provide an important road to problematic mobile phone use
al., 2014; Oulasvirta et al., 2012). Social messages result in instant gratification which
for more phone use including even problematic usage (Oulasvirta et al., 2012).
Previous researches have studied the impact of phone usage behaviors on
nomophobia such as adolescents’ daily smartphone usage and nomophobic behaviours
et al., 2019; Gezgin et al., 2018; Gonçalves et al., 2020), nomophobia and the most used
applications (Gonçalves et al., 2020), and social media usage and nomophobia (Ayar et
2018). Therefore, this study also aimed to investigate the effect of duration of daily
The target population for this study was undergraduate students from Sagaing
University of Education. There were 354 first year students, 425 second year students,
2020 academic year at SUOE. For guaranteeing equal representation of each study
group, this study used the equal stratified random sampling method to make accurate
generalizations about the whole population. Thus, the stratified variable is the
study level. In order to get about 200 students in each study level group, the sample of
1000 undergraduate students was randomly selected from five strata of first year to
level students enrolled in SUOE during the 2019 – 2020 academic year. The obtained roup, 82
students (8.20%) was in the mild level of NOMO group, majority of the students, 565
students (56.5%), were in the moderate level of NOMO group and unfortunately
352 students (35.2%) were in the severe level of NOMO group. Therefore, it can be
interpreted that generally majority of the students (91.7 %) in the current study showed
moderate level or severe level of nomophobia.
When examining the responses of students to individual items, respondents have the
highest mean scores (5.43) in item 10 (communication with family and friends), item 7
mean of 5.29 (connect Wi-Fi or Internet access), item 4 with mean of 5.13 (use
and/ or capabilities), item 2 with mean of 5.06 (get novel information), and item 15 with
mean of 5.06 (constant connection with family and friends). Students excessively use
smartphones, and feel incomplete and anxious without smartphones because of their
to communicate with family and friends, use capabilities of smartphone and get novel
information through smartphones.
A review of nineteen studies conducted in eleven countries reported that percentages
between 4 and 5 hours are assumed to have higher level of nomophobia. There was also
significant difference between the users under the below 2 hours and the over 5 hours
(p<.05). Therefore, students who use smartphone over 5 hours are assumed to have
level of nomophobia. For this result, it can be interpreted that students who use
over 4 hours in a day have higher level of nomophobia.
Capabilities of smartphones such as getting information, ease of mobility,
convenience and safety, facilitating in the process of communicating and passing time
alleviation make people more dependent on smartphones (LaRose & Eastine, 2004).
benefits offered by smartphone may also cause students to depend on smartphones for
network enables users to escape from feelings of loneliness (Byun et al., 2009; Esen,
cited in Gezgin et al. 2018). Students in Sagaing University of Education have high level
loneliness (Ei Ei Shorn Aung, 2019). Therefore, excessive social media usage help
escape from lonely feelings as it offer a variety of rewards, such as self-efficacy and
satisfaction, resulting to continued and increased use and addictions, which lead to
This study examined the nomophobia of the undergraduate students at Sagaing
University of Education. It also compared the nomphobia of the students by gender and
smartphone usage behaviors such as duration of daily smartphone checking time, type
most frequently used application in smartphone, and duration of daily smartphone
According to the result of the descriptive analysis, majority of the students in Sagaing
University of Education suffer from moderate to severe level of nomoFor guaranteeing equal re
group, this study used the equal stratified random sampling method to make accurate
generalizations about the whole population. Thus, the ducation. It is anticipated that the present
cess information. The independent samples t-test result showed that gender was not a
factor that can predict nomophobia. Furthermore, the results of one-way
the duration of daily smartphone checking time, type of most frequently used
smartphone and duration of daily social media usage significantly affect nomophobia of
students. These results indicated that the excessive smartphone use for social
as Facebook increase the level of nomophobia.
Nomophobia is becoming a problem among the SUOE population. Such a great
development of information and communication technology also poses a big threat to
students. Thus the use of mobile phones in teaching and learning adds both advantages
disadvantages. These mobile devices can facilitate or distract learning. Since it was
out that mobile learning and nomophobia are positively correlated, every online
developers in the context of higher education, especially SUOE, should be aware of this
possible problem of nomophobia. Therefore, administrators and practitioners in SUOE
consider to control this problem through intervention programs like mindfulness-based
intervention and cognitive behavior therapy. Relative to this, the teacher also play vital
in reducing nomophobia among the students. As they have direct contact with their
they can encourage them to control their smartphone use, entice them to access novel
information via TV, magazines, books, journals, etc. rather than smartphones, inform
value face-to-face communication with family and friends than virtual communication,
inform them ways to limit the amount of social media usage time (e.g, facebook and
encourage them to have new hobbies, participates in sports, social and cultural
reduce loneliness, and hold many different academic and athletic competitions to gain
rewards, self-efficacy and satisfaction.
This research was conducted by cross-sectional survey design. Therefore, it cannot
provide strong evidence of cause and effect relation between smartphone usage
and nomophobia. Moreover, using a single questionnaire with close-ended questions
provide participants’ accurate honest answers and reasons for each response, thus
the validity of results. To give more accurate results, this quantitative study should be
combined with qualitative tools such as observation checklists and open-ended
which can examine the problems experienced by students displaying nomophobic
To theoretically confirm the relation between smartphone usage behaviors and
other populations than SUOE should also be examined.other populations than SUOE should also be examined.This study investigated the prevalence of nomophobia among undergraduate students inSagaing University of Education. Moreover, it also investigated the differences in thethe university studentsNowadays, technologies such as mobile smartphones and the internet are rapidlygrowing. The smartphones, as the latest
technologies (ICTs), have signaled the start of the mobile age (Yildirim & Correia, 2015).
Mobile smartphones constitute the greatest inventions in the modern world. Because of
convenience and ease of use, most people in developed and developing countries use
smartphones. According to Global Digital 2019 report, there are 5.11 billion active
subscriptions in the world with an official population of 7.7 billion (Kemp, 2019). This
informs that smartphone mobile technology has spread rapidly around the globe.
Smartphones facilitate the process of communication and provi in the
nomophobia by gender and smartphone usage behaviors such as duration of daily smartpho
changes in community interaction with the world, perceptions of real interactions and
smartphone interaction. The psychological impact of the use of this technology on
individuals, groups and society is generally associated with changes in behavior and
before and after the existence of smartphones (King et al., 2013). Individuals cannot
relationships with smartphones, and this greatly affects their interpersonal behavior
social habits. Thus, this situation confirms that a person has become more dependent
mobile phones in their daily lives.This dependency has also resulted in the emergence of new phobias and
exceed the total population with more than 56.57 million subscriptions compared to a
population of 54.10 million. There is a high penetration rate of smartphones (105
all mobile owners) in Myanmar, indicating smartphone mobile devices are almost
to Myanmar young people. However, rooting research in nomophobia is rarely found in
Myanmar. In previous years, studies conducted in Sagaing University of Education
indicated that all samples of students have smartphones and are mostly addicted to
(Ei, 2019), majority of the students are moderately addicted to video games on
(Nay, 2019), and the students’ internet addiction was the highest among all university
students in Sagaing District (Theint, 2019). These studies pointed out that SUOE
contact with other people and being unable to utilize services required for immediate
communication. Absence of communication induces anxiety or nervousness. Individuals feelunsafe
“Losing connectedness” dimension refers to feelings of being disconnected from
one's online identity. Individuals experience feelings such as nervousness, discomfort,
awkwardness in the situations of losing connection with their perceived online society,
being able to stay up to date with social media, and not checking for updatenotifications
“Not being able to access information” dimension refers to feeling helpless in a
state of not being able to search for required information through one’s smartphone.s.“Giving up c
novel sensory, social, enjoyable activity, and self-reactive incentives. In the field of
smartphone use, different types of expected outcomes might be predicted, considering
cognitive benefits of using a smartphone. Important expected outcomes
phones are information seeking, social contact, entertainment activity and selfreactive
Due to its regular interplay with internet access, seeking information can be an
important motive for smartphone use (Wei, 2008). Broadband mobile network
and strong software-enabled apps have supported the distribution of knowledge to
smartphone users (White, 2010, cited in Youn, 2016). Undeniably, most of the people,
especially students, in this mobile age have been using smartphones as the main source
Social contact is also among the main reasons for using mobile phones. There are
many popular social networking sites in smartphones through which young people can
social benefits such as relief from loneliness or social anxiety, fulfilment of social
positive social influence and so on. Likewise, Leung and Wei (2000) identified social
interaction as an important motive for smartphone use.
Entertainment activity can also be a significant motivation for smartphone use.
Digital media files can be accessed by users for listening to music, watching videos,
games or taking images. Users can keep themselves amused by enjoying thousands of
or offline apps in smartphones.
such kinds of expected outcomes as information seeking, social contact, entertainment
activity and self-reactive functions in mind.
On the other hand, Bowlby as cited by Youn (2016) described an attachment as an
emotion-laden and target-specific relationship between a person and a specific person
object. Attachments can be moulded with varying intensity and linked to different
such as love, enthusiasm, anxiety, and concern (Aron & Westbay, 1996; Brennan et al.,
When a person develops an attachment bond with another person or a particular
object, he will surely experience four attachment-related behaviours such as proximity
maintenance, safe haven, emotional security and separation distress (Ainsworth et al.,
Hazan & Shaver, 1994; Segrin & Flora, 2005 as cited in Youn, 2016). Proximity
maintenance means a desire to be near the object attached. People tend to maintain a
relatively close proximity to an attachment object. Safe haven refers to a person’s
return to the object attached for comfort and safety, particularly when he experiences
down or stressed. Emotional security refers to feelings of security from the surrounding
environment when they can be near the object attached. Separation distress refers to
of anxiety or concerns that arise in the absence of the object of attachment.This study investigated the prevalence of nomophobia among undergraduate students inSagaing University of Education. Moreover, it also investigated the differences in thethe university studentsNowadays, technologies such as mobile smartphones and the internet are rapidlygrowing. The smartphones, as the latest
technologies (ICTs), have signaled the start of the mobile age (Yildirim & Correia, 2015).
Mobile smartphones constitute the greatest inventions in the modern world. Because of
convenience and ease of use, most people in developed and developing countries use
smartphones. According to Global Digital 2019 report, there are 5.11 billion active
subscriptions in the world with an official population of 7.7 billion (Kemp, 2019). This
informs that smartphone mobile technology has spread rapidly around the globe.
Smartphones facilitate the process of communication and provi in the
nomophobia by gender and smartphone usage behaviors such as duration of daily smartpho
changes in community interaction with the world, perceptions of real interactions and
smartphone interaction. The psychological impact of the use of this technology on
individuals, groups and society is generally associated with changes in behavior and
before and after the existence of smartphones (King et al., 2013). Individuals cannot
relationships with smartphones, and this greatly affects their interpersonal behavior
social habits. Thus, this situation confirms that a person has become more dependent
mobile phones in their daily lives.This dependency has also resulted in the emergence of new phobias and
exceed the total population with more than 56.57 million subscriptions compared to a
population of 54.10 million. There is a high penetration rate of smartphones (105
all mobile owners) in Myanmar, indicating smartphone mobile devices are almost
to Myanmar young people. However, rooting research in nomophobia is rarely found in
Myanmar. In previous years, studies conducted in Sagaing University of Education
indicated that all samples of students have smartphones and are mostly addicted to
(Ei, 2019), majority of the students are moderately addicted to video games on
(Nay, 2019), and the students’ internet addiction was the highest among all university
students in Sagaing District (Theint, 2019). These studies pointed out that SUOE
contact with other people and being unable to utilize services required for immediate
communication. Absence of communication induces anxiety or nervousness. Individuals feelunsafe
“Losing connectedness” dimension refers to feelings of being disconnected from
one's online identity. Individuals experience feelings such as nervousness, discomfort,
awkwardness in the situations of losing connection with their perceived online society,
being able to stay up to date with social media, and not checking for updatenotifications
“Not being able to access information” dimension refers to feeling helpless in a
state of not being able to search for required information through one’s smartphone.s.“Giving up c
novel sensory, social, enjoyable activity, and self-reactive incentives. In the field of
smartphone use, different types of expected outcomes might be predicted, considering
cognitive benefits of using a smartphone. Important expected outcomes
phones are information seeking, social contact, entertainment activity and selfreactive
Due to its regular interplay with internet access, seeking information can be an
important motive for smartphone use (Wei, 2008). Broadband mobile network
and strong software-enabled apps have supported the distribution of knowledge to
smartphone users (White, 2010, cited in Youn, 2016). Undeniably, most of the people,
especially students, in this mobile age have been using smartphones as the main source
Social contact is also among the main reasons for using mobile phones. There are
many popular social networking sites in smartphones through which young people can
social benefits such as relief from loneliness or social anxiety, fulfilment of social
positive social influence and so on. Likewise, Leung and Wei (2000) identified social
interaction as an important motive for smartphone use.
Entertainment activity can also be a significant motivation for smartphone use.
Digital media files can be accessed by users for listening to music, watching videos,
games or taking images. Users can keep themselves amused by enjoying thousands of
or offline apps in smartphones.
smartphone users (White, 2010, cited in Youn, 2016). Undeniably, most of the people,
especially students, in this mobile age have been using smartphones as the main source
Social contact is also among the main reasons for using mobile phones. There are
many popular social networking sites in smartphones through which young people canay, 2019), and the students’ internet addiction was the highest among all university
students in Sagaing District (Theint, 2019). These studies pointed out that SUOE
contact with other people and being unable to utilize services required for immediate
communication. Absence of communication induces anxiety or nervousness. Individuals feelunsafe
“Losing connectedness” dimension refers to feelings of being disconnected from
one's online identity. Individuals experience feelings such as nervousness, discomfort,
awkwardness in the situations of losing connection with their perceived online society,
being able to stay up to date with social media, and not checking for updatenotifications
“Not being able to access information” dimension refers to feeling helpless in a
state of not being able to search for required information through one’s smartphone.s.“Giving up c
novel sensory, social, enjoyable activity, and self-reactive incentives. In the field of
smartphone use, different types of expected outcomes might be predicted, considering
cognitive benefits of using a smartphone. Important expected outcomes
phones are information seeking, social contact, entertainment activity and selfreactive
Due to its regular interplay with internet access, seeking information can be an
important motive for smartphone use (Wei, 2008). Broadband mobile network
and strong software-enabled apps have supported the distribution of knowledge to
smartphone users (White, 2010, cited in Youn, 2016). Undeniably, most of the people,
especially students, in this mobile age have been using smartphones as the main source
Social contact is also among the main reasons for using mobile phones. There are
many popular social networking sites in smartphones through which young people can
social benefits such as relief from loneliness or social anxiety, fulfilment of social
positive social influence and so on. Likewise, Leung and Wei (2000) identified social
interaction as an important motive for smartphone use.
Entertainment activity can also be a significant motivation for smartphone use.
Digital media files can be accessed by users for listening to music, watching videos,
games or taking images. Users can keep themselves a

This study investigated the prevalence of nomophobia among undergraduate students inSagaing University of Education. Moreover, it also investigated the differences in thethe university studentsNowadays, technologies such as mobile smartphones and the internet are rapidlygrowing. The smartphones, as the latest
technologies (ICTs), have signaled the start of the mobile age (Yildirim & Correia, 2015).
Mobile smartphones constitute the greatest inventions in the modern world. Because of
convenience and ease of use, most people in developed and developing countries use
smartphones. According to Global Digital 2019 report, there are 5.11 billion active
subscriptions in the world with an official population of 7.7 billion (Kemp, 2019). This
informs that smartphone mobile technology has spread rapidly around the globe.
Smartphones facilitate the process of communication and provi in the
nomophobia by gender and smartphone usage behaviors such as duration of daily smartpho
changes in community interaction with the world, perceptions of real interactions and
smartphone interaction. The psychological impact of the use of this technology on
individuals, groups and society is generally associated with changes in behavior and
before and after the existence of smartphones (King et al., 2013). Individuals cannot
relationships with smartphones, and this greatly affects their interpersonal behavior
social habits. Thus, this situation confirms that a person has become more dependent
mobile phones in their daily lives.This dependency has also resulted in the emergence of new phobias and
exceed the total population with more than 56.57 million subscriptions compared to a
population of 54.10 million. There is a high penetration rate of smartphones (105
all mobile owners) in Myanmar, indicating smartphone mobile devices are almost
to Myanmar young people. However, rooting research in nomophobia is rarely found in
Myanmar. In previous years, studies conducted in Sagaing University of Education
indicated that all samples of students have smartphones and are mostly addicted to
(Ei, 2019), majority of the students are moderately addicted to video games on
(Nay, 2019), and the students’ internet addiction was the highest among all university
students in Sagaing District (Theint, 2019). These studies pointed out that SUOE
contact with other people and being unable to utilize services required for immediate
communication. Absence of communication induces anxiety or nervousness. Individuals feelunsafe
“Losing connectedness” dimension refers to feelings of being disconnected from
one's online identity. Individuals experience feelings such as nervousness, discomfort,
awkwardness in the situations of losing connection with their perceived online society,
being able to stay up to date with social media, and not checking for updatenotifications
“Not being able to access information” dimension refers to feeling helpless in a
state of not being able to search for required information through one’s smartphone.s.“Giving up c
novel sensory, social, enjoyable activity, and self-reactive incentives. In the field of
smartphone use, different types of expected outcomes might be predicted, considering
cognitive benefits of using a smartphone. Important expected outcomes
phones are information seeking, social contact, entertainment activity and selfreactive
Due to its regular interplay with internet access, seeking information can be an
important motive for smartphone use (Wei, 2008). Broadband mobile network
and strong software-enabled apps have supported the distribution of knowledge to
smartphone users (White, 2010, cited in Youn, 2016). Undeniably, most of the people,
especially students, in this mobile age have been using smartphones as the main source
Social contact is also among the main reasons for using mobile phones. There are
many popular social networking sites in smartphones through which young people can
social benefits such as relief from loneliness or social anxiety, fulfilment of social
positive social influence and so on. Likewise, Leung and Wei (2000) identified social
interaction as an important motive for smartphone use.
Entertainment activity can also be a significant motivation for smartphone use.
Digital media files can be accessed by users for listening to music, watching videos,
games or taking images. Users can keep themselves amused by enjoying thousands of
or offline apps in smartphones.
such kinds of expected outcomes as information seeking, social contact, entertainment
activity and self-reactive functions in mind.
On the other hand, Bowlby as cited by Youn (2016) described an attachment as an
emotion-laden and target-specific relationship between a person and a specific person
object. Attachments can be moulded with varying intensity and linked to different
such as love, enthusiasm, anxiety, and concern (Aron & Westbay, 1996; Brennan et al.,
When a person develops an attachment bond with another person or a particular
object, he will surely experience four attachment-related behaviours such as proximity
maintenance, safe haven, emotional security and separation distress (Ainsworth et al.,
Hazan & Shaver, 1994; Segrin & Flora, 2005 as cited in Youn, 2016). Proximity
maintenance means a desire to be near the object attached. People tend to maintain a
relatively close proximity to an attachment object. Safe haven refers to a person’s
return to the object attached for comfort and safety, particularly when he experiences
down or stressed. Emotional security refers to feelings of security from the surrounding
environment when they can be near the object attached. Separation distress refers to
of anxiety or concerns that arise in the absence of the object of attachment.
Smartphone users generally view their mobile devices as the extension of themselves
(Vincent et al., 2005). The smartphones provide opportunities and comfort for users: as
maintain close attachment with the mobile phones. Moreover, smartphones can assist
in accomplishment of tasks and acquirement of continuous connection with distant
significant others. In the presence of mobile smartphones, these smartphone users,
become to have a sense of comfort and safety in daily livings. Besides, they become
emotionally secure with the presence of smartphones because they can alleviate
Unfortunately, one can experience excessive fear of being without access to mobile
phones because without these devices, they cannot utilize affordances they provide.
users, even if the disconnection was temporary due to battery exhaustion or failed
connection, felt anxious when they were not connected to conversations on their
devices (Vincent & Harper, 2003, as cited in Youn, 2016). The proximity of the
contact with other people and being unable to utilize services required for immediate
one's online identity. Individuals experience feelings such as nervousness, discomfort,
awkwardness in the situations of losing connection with their perceived online society,
being able to stay up to date with social media, and not checking for updatenotifications
“Not being able to access information” dimension refers to feeling helpless in a
state of not being able to search for required information through one’s smartphone.
Individuals feel frustrated if they ay addicted to video games on
(Nay, 2019), and the students’ internet addiction was the highest among all universitynds, and not k
2.4. Smartphone usage behaviors and nomophobia
According to social cognitive theory, human behavior including phobia can be
explained by mutual causality of personal factors, environmental factors and behavior
(Bandura, 1982). It informs that in a virtual environment like social media, individuals
fear from missing update information, social activities and immediate rewards may
anxious or smartphone usage behaviors like nomophobia. According to
Gratifications theory and Compensatory Internet Use theory, higher levels of
related processes and use of social media should be correlated with more problematic
smartphone behaviors (Elhai et al., 2017; Kim & Haridakis, 2009). Normal phone
habits for social messages provide an important road to problematic mobile phone use
al., 2014; Oulasvirta et al., 2012). Social messages result in instant gratification which
for more phone use including even problematic usage (Oulasvirta et al., 2012).
Previous researches have studied the impact of phone usage behaviors on
nomophobia such as adolescents’ daily smartphone usage and nomophobic behaviours
et al., 2019; Gezgin et al., 2018; Gonçalves et al., 2020), nomophobia and the most used
applications (Gonçalves et al., 2020), and social media usage and nomophobia (Ayar et
2018). Therefore, this study also aimed to investigate the effect of duration of daily
The target population for this study was undergraduate students from Sagaing
University of Education. There were 354 first year students, 425 second year students,
2020 academic year at SUOE. For guaranteeing equal representation of each study
group, this study used the equal stratified random sampling method to make accurate
generalizations about the whole population. Thus, the stratified variable is the
study level. In order to get about 200 students in each study level group, the sample of
1000 undergraduate students was randomly selected from five strata of first year to
level students enrolled in SUOE during the 2019 – 2020 academic year. The obtained roup, 82
students (8.20%) was in the mild level of NOMO group, majority of the students, 565
students (56.5%), were in the moderate level of NOMO group and unfortunately
352 students (35.2%) were in the severe level of NOMO group. Therefore, it can be
interpreted that generally majority of the students (91.7 %) in the current study showed
moderate level or severe level of nomophobia.
When examining the responses of students to individual items, respondents have the
highest mean scores (5.43) in item 10 (communication with family and friends), item 7
mean of 5.29 (connect Wi-Fi or Internet access), item 4 with mean of 5.13 (use
and/ or capabilities), item 2 with mean of 5.06 (get novel information), and item 15 with
mean of 5.06 (constant connection with family and friends). Students excessively use
smartphones, and feel incomplete and anxious without smartphones because of their
to communicate with family and friends, use capabilities of smartphone and get novel
information through smartphones.
A review of nineteen studies conducted in eleven countries reported that percentages
between 4 and 5 hours are assumed to have higher level of nomophobia. There was also
significant difference between the users under the below 2 hours and the over 5 hours
(p<.05). Therefore, students who use smartphone over 5 hours are assumed to have
level of nomophobia. For this result, it can be interpreted that students who use
over 4 hours in a day have higher level of nomophobia.
Capabilities of smartphones such as getting information, ease of mobility,
convenience and safety, facilitating in the process of communicating and passing time
alleviation make people more dependent on smartphones (LaRose & Eastine, 2004).
benefits offered by smartphone may also cause students to depend on smartphones for
network enables users to escape from feelings of loneliness (Byun et al., 2009; Esen,
cited in Gezgin et al. 2018). Students in Sagaing University of Education have high level
loneliness (Ei Ei Shorn Aung, 2019). Therefore, excessive social media usage help
escape from lonely feelings as it offer a variety of rewards, such as self-efficacy and
satisfaction, resulting to continued and increased use and addictions, which lead to
This study examined the nomophobia of the undergraduate students at Sagaing
University of Education. It also compared the nomphobia of the students by gender and
smartphone usage behaviors such as duration of daily smartphone checking time, type
most frequently used application in smartphone, and duration of daily smartphone
According to the result of the descriptive analysis, majority of the students in Sagaing
University of Education suffer from moderate to severe level of nomoFor guaranteeing equal re
group, this study used the equal stratified random sampling method to make accurate
generalizations about the whole population. Thus, the ducation. It is anticipated that the present
cess information. The independent samples t-test result showed that gender was not a
factor that can predict nomophobia. Furthermore, the results of one-way
the duration of daily smartphone checking time, type of most frequently used
smartphone and duration of daily social media usage significantly affect nomophobia of
students. These results indicated that the excessive smartphone use for social
as Facebook increase the level of nomophobia.
Nomophobia is becoming a problem among the SUOE population. Such a great
development of information and communication technology also poses a big threat to
students. Thus the use of mobile phones in teaching and learning adds both advantages
disadvantages. These mobile devices can facilitate or distract learning. Since it was
out that mobile learning and nomophobia are positively correlated, every online
developers in the context of higher education, especially SUOE, should be aware of this
possible problem of nomophobia. Therefore, administrators and practitioners in SUOE
consider to control this problem through intervention programs like mindfulness-based
intervention and cognitive behavior therapy. Relative to this, the teacher also play vital
in reducing nomophobia among the students. As they have direct contact with their
they can encourage them to control their smartphone use, entice them to access novel
information via TV, magazines, books, journals, etc. rather than smartphones, inform
value face-to-face communication with family and friends than virtual communication,
inform them ways to limit the amount of social media usage time (e.g, facebook and
encourage them to have new hobbies, participates in sports, social and cultural
reduce loneliness, and hold many different academic and athletic competitions to gain
rewards, self-efficacy and satisfaction.
This research was conducted by cross-sectional survey design. Therefore, it cannot
provide strong evidence of cause and effect relation between smartphone usage
and nomophobia. Moreover, using a single questionnaire with close-ended questions
provide participants’ accurate honest answers and reasons for each response, thus
the validity of results. To give more accurate results, this quantitative study should be
combined with qualitative tools such as observation checklists and open-ended
which can examine the problems experienced by students displaying nomophobic
To theoretically confirm the relation between smartphone usage behaviors and
technologies (ICTs), have signaled the start of the mobile age (Yildirim & Correia, 2015).
Mobile smartphones constitute the greatest inventions in the modern world. Because of
convenience and ease of use, most people in developed and developing countries use
smartphones. According to Global Digital 2019 report, there are 5.11 billion active
subscriptions in the world with an official population of 7.7 billion (Kemp, 2019). This
informs that smartphone mobile technology has spread rapidly around the globe.
Smartphones facilitate the process of communication and provi in the
nomophobia by gender and smartphone usage behaviors such as duration of daily smartpho
changes in community interaction with the world, perceptions of real interactions and
smartphone interaction. The psychological impact of the use of this technology on
individuals, groups and society is generally associated with changes in behavior and
before and after the existence of smartphones (King et al., 2013). Individuals cannot
relationships with smartphones, and this greatly affects their interpersonal behavior
social habits. Thus, this situation confirms that a person has become more dependent
mobile phones in their daily lives.This dependency has also resulted in the emergence of new phobias and
exceed the total population with more than 56.57 million subscriptions compared to a
population of 54.10 million. There is a high penetration rate of smartphones (105
all mobile owners) in Myanmar, indicating smartphone mobile devices are almost
to Myanmar young people. However, rooting research in nomophobia is rarely found in
Myanmar. In previous years, studies conducted in Sagaing University of Education
indicated that all samples of students have smartphones and are mostly addicted to
(Ei, 2019), majority of the students are moderately addicted to video games on
(Nay, 2019), and the students’ internet addiction was the highest among all university
students in Sagaing District (Theint, 2019). These studies pointed out that SUOE
contact with other people and being unable to utilize services required for immediate
communication. Absence of communication induces anxiety or nervousness. Individuals feelunsafe
“Losing connectedness” dimension refers to feelings of being disconnected from
one's online identity. Individuals experience feelings such as nervousness, discomfort,
awkwardness in the situations of losing connection with their perceived online society,
being able to stay up to date with social media, and not checking for updatenotifications
“Not being able to access information” dimension refers to feeling helpless in a
state of not being able to search for required information through one’s smartphone.s.“Giving up c
novel sensory, social, enjoyable activity, and self-reactive incentives. In the field of
smartphone use, different types of expected outcomes might be predicted, considering
cognitive benefits of using a smartphone. Important expected outcomes
phones are information seeking, social contact, entertainment activity and selfreactive
Due to its regular interplay with internet access, seeking information can be an
important motive for smartphone use (Wei, 2008). Broadband mobile network
and strong software-enabled apps have supported the distribution of knowledge to
smartphone users (White, 2010, cited in Youn, 2016). Undeniably, most of the people,
especially students, in this mobile age have been using smartphones as the main source
Social contact is also among the main reasons for using mobile phones. There are
many popular social networking sites in smartphones through which young people can
social benefits such as relief from loneliness or social anxiety, fulfilment of social
positive social influence and so on. Likewise, Leung and Wei (2000) identified social
interaction as an important motive for smartphone use.
Entertainment activity can also be a significant motivation for smartphone use.
Digital media files can be accessed by users for listening to music, watching videos,
games or taking images. Users can keep themselves amused by enjoying thousands of
or offline apps in smartphones.
such kinds of expected outcomes as information seeking, social contact, entertainment
activity and self-reactive functions in mind.
On the other hand, Bowlby as cited by Youn (2016) described an attachment as an
emotion-laden and target-specific relationship between a person and a specific person
object. Attachments can be moulded with varying intensity and linked to different
such as love, enthusiasm, anxiety, and concern (Aron & Westbay, 1996; Brennan et al.,
When a person develops an attachment bond with another person or a particular
object, he will surely experience four attachment-related behaviours such as proximity
maintenance, safe haven, emotional security and separation distress (Ainsworth et al.,
Hazan & Shaver, 1994; Segrin & Flora, 2005 as cited in Youn, 2016). Proximity
maintenance means a desire to be near the object attached. People tend to maintain a
relatively close proximity to an attachment object. Safe haven refers to a person’s
return to the object attached for comfort and safety, particularly when he experiences
down or stressed. Emotional security refers to feelings of security from the surrounding
environment when they can be near the object attached. Separation distress refers to
of anxiety or concerns that arise in the absence of the object of attachment.
Smartphone users generally view their mobile devices as the extension of themselves
(Vincent et al., 2005). The smartphones provide opportunities and comfort for users: as
maintain close attachment with the mobile phones. Moreover, smartphones can assist
in accomplishment of tasks and acquirement of continuous connection with distant
significant others. In the presence of mobile smartphones, these smartphone users,
become to have a sense of comfort and safety in daily livings. Besides, they become
emotionally secure with the presence of smartphones because they can alleviate
Unfortunately, one can experience excessive fear of being without access to mobile
phones because without these devices, they cannot utilize affordances they provide.
users, even if the disconnection was temporary due to battery exhaustion or failed
connection, felt anxious when they were not connected to conversations on their
devices (Vincent & Harper, 2003, as cited in Youn, 2016). The proximity of the
contact with other people and being unable to utilize services required for immediate
one's online identity. Individuals experience feelings such as nervousness, discomfort,
awkwardness in the situations of losing connection with their perceived online society,
being able to stay up to date with social media, and not checking for updatenotifications
“Not being able to access information” dimension refers to feeling helpless in a
state of not being able to search for required information through one’s smartphone.
Individuals feel frustrated if they ay addicted to video games on
(Nay, 2019), and the students’ internet addiction was the highest among all universitynds, and not k
2.4. Smartphone usage behaviors and nomophobia
According to social cognitive theory, human behavior including phobia can be
explained by mutual causality of personal factors, environmental factors and behavior
(Bandura, 1982). It informs that in a virtual environment like social media, individuals
fear from missing update information, social activities and immediate rewards may
anxious or problematic smartphone usage behaviors like nomophobia. According to
Gratifications theory and Compensatory Internet Use theory, higher levels of
related processes and use of social media should be correlated with more problematic
smartphone behaviors (Elhai et al., 2017; Kim & Haridakis, 2009). Normal phone
habits for social messages provide an important road to problematic mobile phone use
al., 2014; Oulasvirta et al., 2012). Social messages result in instant gratification which
for more phone use including even problematic usage (Oulasvirta et al., 2012).
Previous researches have studied the impact of phone usage behaviors on
nomophobia such as adolescents’ daily smartphone usage and nomophobic behaviours
et al., 2019; Gezgin et al., 2018; Gonçalves et al., 2020), nomophobia and the most used
applications (Gonçalves et al., 2020), and social media usage and nomophobia (Ayar et
2018). Therefore, this study also aimed to investigate the effect of duration of daily
The target population for this study was undergraduate students from Sagaing
University of Education. There were 354 first year students, 425 second year students,
2020 academic year at SUOE. For guaranteeing equal representation of each study
group, this study used the equal stratified random sampling method to make accurate
generalizations about the whole population. Thus, the stratified variable is the
study level. In order to get about 200 students in each study level group, the sample of
1000 undergraduate students was randomly selected from five strata of first year to
level students enrolled in SUOE during the 2019 – 2020 academic year. The obtained roup, 82
students (8.20%) was in the mild level of NOMO group, majority of the students, 565
students (56.5%), were in the moderate level of NOMO group and unfortunately
352 students (35.2%) were in the severe level of NOMO group. Therefore, it can be
interpreted that generally majority of the students (91.7 %) in the current study showed
moderate level or severe level of nomophobia.
When examining the responses of students to individual items, respondents have the
highest mean scores (5.43) in item 10 (communication with family and friends), item 7
mean of 5.29 (connect Wi-Fi or Internet access), item 4 with mean of 5.13 (use
and/ or capabilities), item 2 with mean of 5.06 (get novel information), and item 15 with
mean of 5.06 (constant connection with family and friends). Students excessively use
smartphones, and feel incomplete and anxious without smartphones because of their
to communicate with family and friends, use capabilities of smartphone and get novel
information through smartphones.
A review of nineteen studies conducted in eleven countries reported that percentages
between 4 and 5 hours are assumed to have higher level of nomophobia. There was also
significant difference between the users under the below 2 hours and the over 5 hours
(p<.05). Therefore, students who use smartphone over 5 hours are assumed to have
level of nomophobia. For this result, it can be interpreted that students who use
over 4 hours in a day have higher level of nomophobia.
Capabilities of smartphones such as getting information, ease of mobility,
convenience and safety, facilitating in the process of communicating and passing time
alleviation make people more dependent on smartphones (LaRose & Eastine, 2004).
benefits offered by smartphone may also cause students to depend on smartphones for
network enables users to escape from feelings of loneliness (Byun et al., 2009; Esen,
cited in Gezgin et al. 2018). Students in Sagaing University of Education have high level
loneliness (Ei Ei Shorn Aung, 2019). Therefore, excessive social media usage help
escape from lonely feelings as it offer a variety of rewards, such as self-efficacy and
satisfaction, resulting to continued and increased use and addictions, which lead to
This study examined the nomophobia of the undergraduate students at Sagaing
University of Education. It also compared the nomphobia of the students by gender and
smartphone usage behaviors such as duration of daily smartphone checking time, type
most frequently used application in smartphone, and duration of daily smartphone
According to the result of the descriptive analysis, majority of the students in Sagaing
University of Education suffer from moderate to severe level of nomoFor guaranteeing equal re
group, this study used the equal stratified random sampling method to make accurate
generalizations about the whole population. Thus, the ducation. It is anticipated that the present
cess information. The independent samples t-test result showed that gender was not a
factor that can predict nomophobia. Furthermore, the results of one-way
the duration of daily smartphone checking time, type of most frequently used
smartphone and duration of daily social media usage significantly affect nomophobia of
students. These results indicated that the excessive smartphone use for social
as Facebook increase the level of nomophobia.
Nomophobia is becoming a problem among the SUOE population. Such a great
development of information and communication technology also poses a big threat to
students. Thus the use of mobile phones in teaching and learning adds both advantages
disadvantages. These mobile devices can facilitate or distract learning. Since it was
out that mobile learning and nomophobia are positively correlated, every online
developers in the context of higher education, especially SUOE, should be aware of this
possible problem of nomophobia. Therefore, administrators and practitioners in SUOE
consider to control this problem through intervention programs like mindfulness-based
intervention and cognitive behavior therapy. Relative to this, the teacher also play vital
in reducing nomophobia among the students. As they have direct contact with their
they can encourage them to control their smartphone use, entice them to access novel
information via TV, magazines, books, journals, etc. rather than smartphones, inform
value face-to-face communication with family and friends than virtual communication,
inform them ways to limit the amount of social media usage time (e.g, facebook and
encourage them to have new hobbies, participates in sports, social and cultural
reduce loneliness, and hold many different academic and athletic competitions to gain
rewards, self-efficacy and satisfaction.
This research was conducted by cross-sectional survey design. Therefore, it cannot
provide strong evidence of cause and effect relation between smartphone usage
and nomophobia. Moreover, using a single questionnaire with close-ended questions
provide participants’ accurate honest answers and reasons for each response, thus
the validity of results. To give more accurate results, this quantitative study should be
combined with qualitative tools such as observation checklists and open-ended
which can examine the problems experienced by students displaying nomophobic
To theoretically confirm the relation between smartphone usage behaviors and
other populations than SUOE should
technologies (ICTs), have signaled the start of the mobile age (Yildirim & Correia, 2015).
Mobile smartphones constitute the greatest inventions in the modern world. Because of
convenience and ease of use, most people in developed and developing countries use
smartphones. According to Global Digital 2019 report, there are 5.11 billion active
subscriptions in the world with an official population of 7.7 billion (Kemp, 2019). This
informs that smartphone mobile technology has spread rapidly around the globe.
Smartphones facilitate the process of communication and provi in the
nomophobia by gender and smartphone usage behaviors such as duration of daily smartpho
changes in community interaction with the world, perceptions of real interactions and
smartphone interaction. The psychological impact of the use of this technology on
individuals, groups and society is generally associated with changes in behavior and
before and after the existence of smartphones (King et al., 2013). Individuals cannot
relationships with smartphones, and this greatly affects their interpersonal behavior
social habits. Thus, this situation confirms that a person has become more dependent
mobile phones in their daily lives.This dependency has also resulted in the emergence of new phobias and
exceed the total population with more than 56.57 million subscriptions compared to a
population of 54.10 million. There is a high penetration rate of smartphones (105
all mobile owners) in Myanmar, indicating smartphone mobile devices are almost
to Myanmar young people. However, rooting research in nomophobia is rarely found in
Myanmar. In previous years, studies conducted in Sagaing University of Education
indicated that all samples of students have smartphones and are mostly addicted to
(Ei, 2019), majority of the students are moderately addicted to video games on
(Nay, 2019), and the students’ internet addiction was the highest among all university
students in Sagaing District (Theint, 2019). These studies pointed out that SUOE
contact with other people and being unable to utilize services required for immediate
communication. Absence of communication induces anxiety or nervousness. Individuals feelunsafe
“Losing connectedness” dimension refers to feelings of being disconnected from
one's online identity. Individuals experience feelings such as nervousness, discomfort,
awkwardness in the situations of losing connection with their perceived online society,
being able to stay up to date with social media, and not checking for updatenotifications
“Not being able to access information” dimension refers to feeling helpless in a
state of not being able to search for required information through one’s smartphone.s.“Giving up c
novel sensory, social, enjoyable activity, and self-reactive incentives. In the field of
smartphone use, different types of expected outcomes might be predicted, considering
cognitive benefits of using a smartphone. Important expected outcomes
phones are information seeking, social contact, entertainment activity and selfreactive
Due to its regular interplay with internet access, seeking information can be an
important motive for smartphone use (Wei, 2008). Broadband mobile network
and strong software-enabled apps have supported the distribution of knowledge to
smartphone users (White, 2010, cited in Youn, 2016). Undeniably, most of the people,
especially students, in this mobile age have been using smartphones as the main source
Social contact is also among the main reasons for using mobile phones. There are
many popular social networking sites in smartphones through which young people can
social benefits such as relief from loneliness or social anxiety, fulfilment of social
positive social influence and so on. Likewise, Leung and Wei (2000) identified social
interaction as an important motive for smartphone use.
Entertainment activity can also be a significant motivation for smartphone use.
Digital media files can be accessed by users for listening to music, watching videos,
games or taking images. Users can keep themselves amused by enjoying thousands of
or offline apps in smartphones.
such kinds of expected outcomes as information seeking, social contact, entertainment
activity and self-reactive functions in mind.
On the other hand, Bowlby as cited by Youn (2016) described an attachment as an
emotion-laden and target-specific relationship between a person and a specific person
object. Attachments can be moulded with varying intensity and linked to different
such as love, enthusiasm, anxiety, and concern (Aron & Westbay, 1996; Brennan et al.,
When a person develops an attachment bond with another person or a particular
object, he will surely experience four attachment-related behaviours such as proximity
maintenance, safe haven, emotional security and separation distress (Ainsworth et al.,
Hazan & Shaver, 1994; Segrin & Flora, 2005 as cited in Youn, 2016). Proximity
maintenance means a desire to be near the object attached. People tend to maintain a
relatively close proximity to an attachment object. Safe haven refers to a person’s
return to the object attached for comfort and safety, particularly when he experiences
down or stressed. Emotional security refers to feelings of security from the surrounding
environment when they can be near the object attached. Separation distress refers to
of anxiety or concerns that arise in the absence of the object of attachment.The smartphones, as the latest
technologies (ICTs), have signaled the start of the mobile age (Yildirim & Correia, 2015).
Mobile smartphones constitute the greatest inventions in the modern world. Because of
convenience and ease of use, most people in developed and developing countries use
smartphones. According to Global Digital 2019 report, there are 5.11 billion active
subscriptions in the world with an official population of 7.7 billion (Kemp, 2019). This
informs that smartphone mobile technology has spread rapidly around the globe.
Smartphones facilitate the process of communication and provi in the
nomophobia by gender and smartphone usage behaviors such as duration of daily smartpho
changes in community interaction with the world, perceptions of real interactions and
smartphone interaction. The psychological impact of the use of this technology on
individuals, groups and society is generally associated with changes in behavior and
before and after the existence of smartphones (King et al., 2013). Individuals cannot
relationships with smartphones, and this greatly affects their interpersonal behavior
social habits. Thus, this situation confirms that a person has become more dependent
mobile phones in their daily lives.This dependency has also resulted in the emergence of new phobias and
exceed the total population with more than 56.57 million subscriptions compared to a
population of 54.10 million. There is a high penetration rate of smartphones (105
all mobile owners) in Myanmar, indicating smartphone mobile devices are almost
to Myanmar young people. However, rooting research in nomophobia is rarely found in
Myanmar. In previous years, studies conducted in Sagaing University of Education
indicated that all samples of students have smartphones and are mostly addicted to
(Ei, 2019), majority of the students are moderately addicted to video games on
(Nay, 2019), and the students’ internet addiction was the highest among all university
students in Sagaing District (Theint, 2019). These studies pointed out that SUOE
contact with other people and being unable to utilize services required for immediate
communication. Absence of communication induces anxiety or nervousness. Individuals feelunsafe
“Losing connectedness” dimension refers to feelings of being disconnected from
one's online identity. Individuals experience feelings such as nervousness, discomfort,
awkwardness in the situations of losing connection with their perceived online society,
being able to stay up to date with social media, and not checking for updatenotifications
“Not being able to access information” dimension refers to feeling helpless in a
state of not being able to search for required information through one’s smartphone.s.“Giving up c
novel sensory, social, enjoyable activity, and self-reactive incentives. In the field of
smartphone use, different types of expected outcomes might be predicted, considering
cognitive benefits of using a smartphone. Important expected outcomes
phones are information seeking, social contact, entertainment activity and selfreactive
Due to its regular interplay with internet access, seeking information can be an
important motive for smartphone use (Wei, 2008). Broadband mobile network
and strong software-enabled apps have supported the distribution of knowledge to
smartphone users (White, 2010, cited in Youn, 2016). Undeniably, most of the people,
especially students, in this mobile age have been using smartphones as the main source
Social contact is also among the main reasons for using mobile phones. There are
many popular social networking sites in smartphones through which young people can
social benefits such as relief from loneliness or social anxiety, fulfilment of social
positive social influence and so on. Likewise, Leung and Wei (2000) identified social
interaction as an important motive for smartphone use.
Entertainment activity can also be a significant motivation for smartphone use.
Digital media files can be accessed by users for listening to music, watching videos,
games or taking images. Users can keep themselves amused by enjoying thousands of
or offline apps in smartphones.
such kinds of expected outcomes as information seeking, social contact, entertainment
activity and self-reactive functions in mind.t.ung people. However, rooting research in nomophobia is rarely found in
Myanmar. In previous years, studies conducted in Sagaing University of Education
indicated that all samples of students have smartphones and are mostly addicted to
(Ei, 2019), majority of the students are moderately addicted to video games on
(Nay, 2019), and the students’ internet addiction was the highest among all university
students in Sagaing District (Theint, 2019). These studies pointed out that SUOE
contact with other people and being unable to utilize services required for immediate
communication. Absence of communication induces anxiety or nervousness. Individuals feelunsafe
“Losing connectedness” dimension refers to feelings of being disconnected from
is also among the main reasons for using mobile phones. There are
many popular social networking sites in smartphones through which young people can
social benefits such as relief from loneliness or social anxiety, fulfilment of social
positive social influence and so on. Likewise, Leung and Wei (2000) identified social
interaction as an important motive for smartphone use.
Entertainment activity can also be a significant motivation for smartphone use.
Digital media files can be accessed by users for listening to music, watching videos,
games or taking images. Users can keep themselves amused by enjoying thousands of
or offline apps in smartphones.
such kinds of expected outcomes as information seeking, social contact, entertainment
activity and self-reactive functions in mind.
On the other hand, Bowlby as cited by Youn (2016) described an attachment as an
emotion-laden and target-specific relationship between a person and a specific person
object. Attachments can be moulded with varying intensity and linked to different
such as love, enthusiasm, anxiety, and concern (Aron & Westbay, 1996; Brennan et al.,
When a person develops an attachment bond with another person or a particular
object, he will surely experience four attachment-related behaviours such as proximity
maintenance, safe haven, emotional security and separation distress (Ainsworth et al.,
Hazan & Shaver, 1994; Segrin & Flora, 2005 as cited in Youn, 201one's online identity. Individuals experience feelings such as nervousness, discomfort,awkwardness in the situations of losing connection with their

The Perpetual Scroll

The allure of immediate connectivity keeps us glued to our screens beyond working hours, impacting our sleep and daily routines

In today's symphony of life, the phone has become an ever-present maestro, orchestrating our existence through the perpetual scroll

The smartphone has gradually invaded one area of our life after another, becoming no longer just a productivity tool

but a master orchestrator that offers convenience and efficiency, blurring the lines bertween our professional and private life.

The crazy dance of information, the constant onset of new technologies and the frantic rhythm have all given rise to a whole range of new phobias

While our lives seem vibrant through the digital lens, the tangible face-to-face interactions tend to diminish. The allure of a seemingly busy life, curated through 'likes' and notifications, becomes a stage where genuine connections wane.

loneliness in the digital age

Behind the vibrant curtain of online activity, a subtle transformation occurs — an era where virtual abundance coexists with profound loneliness, depriving us of the depth that once defined our relationships

loneliness in the digital age

The crazy dance of information, the constant onset of new technologies and the frantic rhythm have all given rise to a whole range of new phobias

Tacit Toll of Connectivity

The damage wrought by the digital age is both visible and unseen

Excessive smartphone screen time can lead to visual strain and eyesight deterioration, often causing symptoms such as eye fatigue, dryness, and potential long-term impact on our eyesight.

Excessive use of smartphones, particularly during prolonged periods of typing or scrolling, may contribute to joint aches as well as a feeling of discomfort in fingers, wrists, and neck. Poor posture while using the phone can exacerbate these problems.

The silent struggles unfold in a symphony of physical discomfort and psychological battles, leaving an indelible mark on the well-being of individuals pursuing constant connectivity.

Over-reliance on smartphones may impact cognitive development, especially in younger people. Excessive screen time, particularly while using social media or gaming, can reduce one’s attention spans, critical thinking, and creativity.

Yet, a deeper problem lies in silent psychological struggles, fostering depression and anxiety. This mental battlefield, intensified by incessant notifications, often leads to phobias like the fear of unplugging.

Excessive smartphone screen time can lead to visual strain and eyesight deterioration, often causing symptoms such as eye fatigue, dryness, and potential long-term impact on our eyesight.

The silent struggles unfold in a symphony of physical discomfort and psychological battles, leaving an indelible mark on the well-being of individuals pursuing constant connectivity.

In the subtle dance of balance, we traverse the expanse of freedoms and the enchanting allure of the digital realm. Each step is a personal choice representing a fine balance between the digital and the real world

I have already made my choice

Have you?