Nomofobia en estudiantes universitarios gallegos: Análisis de la prevalencia y factores influyentes

Pablo-César Muñoz-Carril; Isabel Dans Álvarez de Sotomayor

doi:10.31637/epsir-2025-987

Authors

Pablo-César Muñoz-Carril University of Santiago de Compostela https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5417-8136
Isabel Dans Álvarez de Sotomayor University of Santiago de Compostela https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0676-4127

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.31637/epsir-2025-987

Keywords:

Nomophobia, Smartphones, NMP-Q, Students, Higher education, mobile, addiction, digitization

Abstract

Introduction: The current study examines the prevalence and contributing factors of nomophobia among university students in Galicia. Methodology: A cross-sectional quantitative study was conducted, surveying 774 higher education students using the Nomophobia Questionnaire (NMP-Q). Results: Women and younger students exhibited higher levels of nomophobia. The frequency of internet connection via mobile phone was also significantly associated with higher levels of nomophobia. The NMP-Q proved to be a valid and reliable tool for measuring nomophobia in the university population, demonstrating its suitability for assessing this phenomenon based on four dimensions: "access to information," "renunciation of convenience," "inability to communicate," and "loss of connection." Discussion: Nomophobia can negatively impact individuals' mental, physical, and emotional health due to excessive dependence on their smartphones. Predictive variables include gender, age, and connection frequency. Conclusions: In light of the obtained results, it is advisable for university institutions to implement educational support programs to promote appropriate management of smartphone use, aiming to develop habits based on well-being and the ability to digitally disconnect.

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Author Biographies

Pablo-César Muñoz-Carril, University of Santiago de Compostela

Lecturer in the area of Didactics and School Organisation in the Faculty of Teacher Training at the University of Santiago de Compostela. He is coordinator of the Educational Research Group MESTURA. He has participated in numerous national and international research projects. He has also published more than 175 research papers and articles. He has been an advisor to the Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Technology (MESCyT) of the Dominican Republic and has collaborated as an evaluator in several Spanish quality agencies. His research interests focus on teacher training, e-learning, digital education, digital competence, learning ecologies and online collaborative work.

Isabel Dans Álvarez de Sotomayor, University of Santiago de Compostela

Isabel Dans holds a PhD in educational innovation and currently works as a lecturer at the University of Santiago de Compostela. She belongs to the area of Didactics and School Organisation of the Department of Pedagogy and Didactics of the Faculty of Education Sciences. Member of the educational research group Mestura. Researcher in teacher training, youth and technology. She has been visiting professor in Italy, Portugal, Poland and Morocco. Consultant for the Ministry of Education in the Dominican Republic. She has teaching experience at various educational levels, both face-to-face and distance, where she has designed courses and sessions on digital education for teachers, families and teenagers. She coordinates service-learning innovation projects in collaboration with social entities.

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