Introduction
Know-how performs an important function in fashionable life, and what enhances our immersion in it more and more are smartphones. They’ve turn into indispensable as a result of they’re the quickest technique of communication and the best solution to entry the web and acquire info. Simply as telephones have indispensable advantages geared toward human consolation, their overuse has lately proven us psychological and bodily penalties that in the end result in adjustments in varied elements of life. Not too long ago, the hurt brought on by expertise has attracted the eye of many researchers all over the world, wanting into issues similar to impaired focus,1 weight problems,2 impaired cognitive operate,3 dizziness,4 and nomophobia.5
Nomophobia is a psychological dysfunction wherein an individual experiences unjustified anxiousness and worry if he/she can not use his/her telephone for some time, and this worry is adopted by a sense of frustration, anticipation and obsessive ideas.1 Nomophobia is dysfunction of this century attributable to its damaging influence on adolescents. A number of indicators and signs my accompany nomophobia together with anxiousness, respiratory alterations, trembling, perspiration, agitation, disorientation, and tachycardia.6 It’s fairly widespread amongst adults and adolescents in Saudi Arabia7,8 A number of research have proven that nomophobia is widespread amongst college students of the healthcare disciplines, and it’s prevalence have been ranging between 83% and 85% amongst medical,9–11 75% amongst pharmacy,12 97% amongst respiratory remedy students13 and 88% amongst nursing college students,14 particularly throughout medical coaching. Regardless of the advantages of utilizing the telephone within the medical setting for the supply of references {and professional} pointers and the benefit of trying to find and acquiring info, the overuse of smartphones could distract college students throughout their medical coaching, resulting in psychological distraction, issue in concentrating, consideration deficit, poor high quality of sufferers’ care and a scarcity of skill to recollect medical info.15 Extreme use of smartphones could result in nomophobia, particularly as college students’ progress with their tutorial ranges and through medical coaching. Nomophobia is often assessed by questionnaires, such because the NMP-Q questionnaire.16
Because it has beforehand been reported, a number of research reported the prevalence of nomophobia amongst college students and its affiliation with tutorial efficiency. Lepp et al reported a relationship between low grade level common and better cellular phone utilization amongst faculty college students in the US.17 Moreover, it has been reported that larger tutorial efficiency was related to larger nomophobia scores.13,18 Nevertheless, no earlier examine has been carried out and has reported on the prevalence of nomophobia amongst physiotherapy college students, and the extent of its affiliation with tutorial efficiency in Saudi Arabia. Due to this fact, this examine goals to find out the prevalence of nomophobia and assess its affiliation with tutorial efficiency of physiotherapy college students in Saudi Arabia. Furthermore, the connection between nomophobia and sociodemographic components, similar to gender, smoking standing and residing preparations, can be examined.
Strategies
Research Design
Between 22 December 2022 and 30 January 2023, a cross-sectional survey was carried out and disseminated utilizing an internet platform (Survey Monkey).
Questionnaire
A questionnaire comprising 32 multiple-choice closed questions was formulated and developed to attain the examine goals. The questionnaire consisted of two sections; the primary part contained 12 multiple-choice closed questions associated to gender, age, geographical location, marital and smoking standing, residing preparations, college sector, cumulative GPA, tutorial yr, variety of absent days throughout final semester, tutorial warnings, and the variety of hours spent learning per week. The second part consisted of the nomophobia questionnaire (NMP-Q). It concerned 20 statements that had been formulated and validated by Yildirim and Correia.16 The NMP-Q included 4 fundamental domains: the “not having the ability to entry info” area, which comprised 4 statements; the “giving up comfort” area, which comprised 5 statements; the “not having the ability to talk” area, which comprised six statements, and the “dropping connectedness” area, which comprised 5 statements. The questionnaire employed a seven-point Likert scale the place 1 was “strongly disagree” and seven was “strongly agree”. The NMP-Q affords a rating starting from 20 to 140, the place a better rating corresponds to a better severity of nomophobia.19 A rating of 20 represents the absence of nomophobia; a rating between 21 and 59 represents gentle nomophobia; a rating between 60 and 99 signifies average nomophobia, and a rating between 100 and 140 represents extreme nomophobia. This examine used the Cronbach alpha reliability take a look at, which was 0.95, indicating that the NMP-Q had glorious inner consistency. Moreover, the questionnaire was despatched to 10 PT college students, not included within the complete pattern, in addition to with examine goals for his or her suggestions.
The aim of the examine, confidentiality statements and the contact particulars of the lead investigator in case any questions arose have been offered to the contributors earlier than they began to reply the questionnaire. Moreover, voluntary participation was ensured by asking if the contributors have been comfortable to finish the survey or not. An extra assertion was offered within the survey:
By answering ‘sure’ to finishing the survey questionnaire, you voluntarily conform to take part on this examine and provides your consent to make use of your nameless knowledge for analysis functions.
Three to 5 minutes was assumed to be the time required to finish the survey.
Sampling Technique
This examine utilized a comfort sampling approach to strategy all governmental and personal PT packages throughout the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Moreover, the survey hyperlink was despatched to a number of school members of PT packages throughout the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to disseminate the survey to their undergraduate PT college students.
Pattern Measurement
Primarily based on the WHO suggestions for the minimal pattern measurement wanted for a prevalence examine,20 utilizing 95% confidence interval, a normal deviation of 0.5, and a margin of error of 5%. The required pattern measurement was 385 contributors.
Moral Approval
The Institutional Evaluate Board of King Abdulaziz College authorized the examine, reference quantity (435–22).
Statistical Evaluation
Knowledge have been collected and analyzed utilizing the Statistical Bundle for Social Sciences (SPSS software program, Model 28). The normality of distributions of quantitative variables was examined utilizing the Kolmogorov–Smirnov take a look at and histogram. Because the variables weren’t usually distributed, the Mann–Whitney U-test and the Kruskal–Wallis take a look at have been used to look at the variations between the median nomophobia scores amongst contributors from totally different demographic teams. The explicit variables have been reported and offered in percentages and frequencies. Statistical significance was thought-about if the p < 0.05 with a 95% confidence interval. Outcomes A complete of 806 PT college students took half on this survey. The vast majority of the contributors have been male, accounting for 494 (61%) of the overall responses. The imply customary deviation of the contributors’ age was (M±SD 21 ± 1) years previous, with the bulk, 692 (86%), being single. The respondents got here from varied areas of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia: 286 (35%) have been from the Southern Area, 203 (25%) have been from the Western Area, 166 (21%) have been from the Central Area, 136 (17%) have been from the Jap Area and 15 (2%) have been from the Northern Area. The vast majority of respondents have been non-smokers 616 (77%), residing with their households 591 (73%), with a majority, 804 (99%), enrolled in public universities. Greater than half of the respondents, 497 (61.7%), reported a cumulative GPA of three.50–4.49, whereas 276 (34.2%) spent greater than 5 hours every week learning. The bulk, 589 (73.1%), reported that they'd not acquired any tutorial warnings. Full particulars of the sociodemographic knowledge are offered in Desk 1. Desk 1 Demographic Knowledge of Physiotherapy College students (N= 806) The Prevalence of Nomophobia Amongst Physiotherapy College students The survey knowledge revealed a prevalence of nomophobia (98.4%) among the many complete respondents. The imply customary deviation of the overall scores of the NMP-Q questionnaire was 49 (±17), indicating a light stage of nomophobia. The information from this questionnaire additionally revealed that greater than half of the respondents, 603 (74.8%), had a light stage of nomophobia, whereas 183 (22.7%) of the respondents had a average stage of nomophobia. Solely seven (0.9%) of the respondents reported a extreme nomophobia stage, whereas 13 (1.6%) had an absence of nomophobia (Desk 2). The median and interquartile ranges (IQR) of every nomophobia subscale are reported in Desk 3. Desk 2 Prevalence of Nomophobia Amongst Physiotherapy College students (N= 806) Desk 3 Physiotherapy College students’ Scores for Every NMP-Q Subscale (N= 806) Nomophobia and Sociodemographic Variables Amongst Physiotherapy College students The survey knowledge revealed that the feminine college students had a considerably larger nomophobia rating than the male college students (feminine: med: 47 (IQR: 39–65); male: med: 44 (IQR: 38–52); (p <0.001)). The contributors who had by no means smoked had a considerably larger nomophobia rating in comparison with those that did (non-smokers: med: 46 (IQR: 38–61); people who smoke: med: 44 (IQR: 38–49); (p = 0.004)). Furthermore, the survey knowledge confirmed that PT college students situated within the Northern Area of the dominion had the very best nomophobia rating in comparison with all different areas (Northern Area: med 57 (IQR: 45–76); Western Area: med: 47 (IQR: 37–72); Southern Area: med: 45 (IQR: 45–63); Jap Area: med: 45 (IQR: 42–52); Central Area: med: 42 (IQR: 38–50); (p <0.001)). Nevertheless, no distinction was discovered within the nomophobia rating between the contributors who have been single or married (single: med: 45 (IQR: 38–58); married: med: 45 (IQR: 40–45); (p = 0.99)), or those that have been residing with their household and people who have been residing exterior their household dwelling (residing with household: med: 45 (IQR: 38–59); residing exterior the household dwelling med: 45 (IQR: 41–52); (p = 0.68)). Nomophobia and Educational Efficiency Amongst Physiotherapy College students The information from this survey indicated that PT college students with a cumulative GPA of lower than 3.49 had a considerably larger nomophobia rating in comparison with different college students (GPA of < 3.49: 51 (43–74); GPA of three.50–4.49: 45 (39–56); GPA 4.50–5.00: 43 (37–57); (p <0.001)). The contributors who have been in a bridging physiotherapy program had the very best nomophobia rating in comparison with all tutorial teams (first yr: 43 (38–50); second yr: 45 (39–54); third yr: 44 (36–55); fourth yr: 47 (39–67); internship: 50 (41–55); bridging program: 51 (34–76); (p = 0.023)). Furthermore, the information confirmed that the contributors who reported no tutorial warnings had the very best nomophobia rating amongst all of the teams (no warnings: 46 (42–50); one warning: 45 (38–62); ≥ two warnings: 42 (28–53); (p = 0.023)). Lastly, the scholars who spent 5 hours learning or extra per week had the very best nomophobia rating in comparison with all teams (lower than an hour: 43 (28–48); one to 2 hours: 43 (38–47); three to 4 hours: 44 (38–59); 5 hours or extra: 54 (42–68); (p <0.001)). Dialogue To the perfect of our data, solely restricted research have investigated the incidence price of nomophobia and its affiliation with tutorial achievement amongst college students of varied instructional ranges all over the world.21,22 Nevertheless, this examine is the primary to evaluate the prevalence of nomophobia and its affiliation with tutorial efficiency amongst undergraduate PT college students within the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Our examine has demonstrated that nomophobia is a standard psychological situation amongst these college students, with the preponderance of examine contributors reporting gentle ranges of nomophobia. Moreover, the nomophobia rating was considerably larger amongst feminine, non-smoker, bridging PT program college students who have been from the Northern Area of the dominion, had acquired no tutorial warnings, spent many hours learning, and had a cumulative GPA of lower than 3.49. Over current years, expertise has witnessed a fast unfold and has turn into ingrained in our day by day lives. That is notably so with the smartphone, which contributes positively to communication, leisure, and training.23 Conversely, some research have reported that overexposure and the extreme utilization of smartphones are intently linked to a number of damaging penalties associated to nomophobia, together with psychological misery, emotional loneliness, and sleep disturbance.4,24 Additional, a examine carried out amongst 200 Indian medical college students discovered that extreme use of cellphones was a distractor that compromised tutorial efficiency by impairing focus and interfering with the educational course of.25 Our examine outcomes demonstrated that the prevalence price of nomophobia was about 98% throughout all respondents, with most of them (74.8%) manifesting gentle nomophobic habits. These findings are in line with a number of associated research that used the identical evaluation instrument, which is the NMP-Q. These findings are comparatively in line with a current examine by Aldhahir et al that examined a large pattern (n=1428) of respiratory remedy college students in Saudi Arabia and revealed that nomophobia was prevalent in almost 97% of them, with round 48% of them experiencing average ranges of nomophobia.13 Corroborating our findings, many current research carried out amongst undergraduate medical college students in Brazil and India indicated that roughly 99% of your entire inhabitants skilled nomophobia, with round 64–67% of the general contributors having a average stage of nomophobia.10,26,27 Equally, different associated research amongst college college students in India and Ghana have proven a prevalence price estimated at 96–99%, with 59% of the overall respondents enduring a average stage of nomophobia.28,29 Furthermore, a cross-sectional examine carried out amongst well being sciences college students at King Khalid College in Saudi Arabia discovered that the incidence proportion of nomophobia was 85.3%, with 22.1% experiencing extreme nomophobia and 63.2% affected by gentle nomophobia.30 Nevertheless, college students of utilized medical sciences have been extra weak to extreme nomophobia in comparison with college students of drugs (34.4% vs 16.3%, respectively).31 Regarding the relative impact of sociodemographic variables on nomophobia, it was discovered that the imply scores of feminine PT college students on the nomophobia scale have been considerably larger on the nomophobia scale in comparison with male college students. This could be a results of cellular phone dependence, which raises the likelihood of creating smartphone dependancy. These findings are similar to a scientific evaluation of 40 articles collated by Notara et al, which revealed a statistically vital distinction in nomophobia rating by way of gender, as feminine college students reported a better rating than their male counterparts.32 Just like our examine, a current examine by Schwaiger & Tahir discovered that there was a major relationship between gender and nomophobia scores amongst Pakistani college students, exhibiting that feminine college students had larger nomophobia ranges than male college students.19 Additional research illustrated comparable outcomes in Turkey, Spain, and India.33–36 Conversely, a number of earlier research indicated that the degrees of nomophobia amongst college students differed considerably from one another by gender, in favor of males as they tended to make use of smartphones to develop their stage of independence, whereas females utilized the expertise for communication.8,37,38 These outcomes are additional contradicted by different research in India and Iran, which demonstrated a non-significant affiliation between a nomophobia rating and gender.39,40 Relating to the problem of smoking, our present examine found that non-smokers have been extra liable to creating nomophobia. Whereas some research amongst college college students in Oman and Turkey revealed no vital distinction between nomophobia and smoking habits, this can be attributable to a small pattern measurement or a scarcity of smoker contributors.21,41 Equally, Dib et al present in a examine among the many Lebanese inhabitants that nomophobia and smoking have been unrelated. Nevertheless, a major correlation was reported between nomophobia and waterpipes due to the size of time spent utilizing a hookah.42 Regarding the location of the contributors, college students in Saudi Arabia’s Northern Area scored larger on nomophobia than their friends in different places. Whereas a cross-sectional examine carried out amongst Saudi Arabian respiratory remedy college students indicated that college students who lived away from their households had considerably larger nomophobia scores than college students who resided with their households.13 Our examine outcomes could have been a results of psychological stress and smartphone dependancy. Based on Pavithra et al, medical college students expertise profound stress in the event that they lose their cellular phone, run out of battery energy, or can not entry the web community. This may occasionally lead to problematic behaviors.43 Tams et al additionally confirmed that people with nomophobia have better stress ranges.44 Moreover, a related examine discovered that using smartphones within the classroom has useful implications for the academic course of. Nevertheless, extreme smartphone use could detrimentally influence college students’ tutorial efficiency.45 Based on our findings, college students with cumulative GPAs beneath 3.49 had considerably larger nomophobia scores. These outcomes are analogous to these of a associated examine by Erdem et al, which discovered that nomophobia detrimentally affected the tutorial success of Turkish college college students.46 Likewise, a number of research carried out on college students of various instructional ranges illustrated a major impact of nomophobia on cumulative GPA. In the meantime, college students who didn't expertise nomophobia reported glorious tutorial efficiency.22,29 Cheever et al famous that college students with nomophobia could manifest suspicious behaviors that impede cognition and focus, which negatively have an effect on tutorial achievement.47 In a scientific evaluation carried out by Devi et al, it was identified that extreme use of smartphones is considerably correlated with college students’ poor tutorial efficiency. As well as, it induces detrimental psychological signs, together with anxiousness and low vanity.48 In a cross-sectional examine amongst nursing college students in Turkey, it was discovered that utilizing smartphones in courses diverts college students’ consideration away from theoretical classes.49 Due to this fact, our examine outcomes offered invaluable insights to the society because it revealed the implications of nomophobia on college students’ tutorial efficiency, which necessitates the implementation of preventive measures to scale back this phenomenon. Moreover, our examine confirmed that PT college students within the bridging program had a considerably larger nomophobia rating in comparison with different tutorial classes. In a examine carried out by Gupta et al on medical college students in India, it was discovered that first-year college students had the very best nomophobia scores, whereas interns had the bottom scores.50 Whereas a lately revealed examine on RT college students in Saudi Arabia reported that third-year college students scored larger than their friends on the nomophobia scale.13 In distinction, some research have reported that there isn't a statistically vital affiliation between the rating of nomophobia and tutorial stage.21,29,51 Inconsistency within the outcomes could also be attributable to totally different psychological elements, similar to despair and anxiousness. Research have revealed that ranges of despair and anxiousness are vital indicators of the nomophobia rating amongst college college students.52,53 In a examine carried out by Kim et al, college students continuously used their telephones for prolonged durations to counteract the damaging impacts of despair.54 Based on Inexperienced et al, people who're hooked on utilizing their smartphones excessively are morelikely to expertise despair, which exposes them to psychosocial misery.55 As such, Kliestik et al revealed that utilizing a smartphone continuously could be a problematic habits because it contributes negatively to inducing signs of tension and despair.56 Curiously, our examine findings reported that college students with no tutorial warnings and a weekly examine time of 5 hours or extra scored larger on the nomophobia scale than their friends. These findings are congruent with these of Al Aldhahir et al, who noticed that RT college students who didn't obtain any tutorial warnings and who spent 5 hours learning per week had better nomophobia scores than their counterparts.13 Our examine outcomes could also be associated to digital studying on digital platforms. Based on quite a few research, utilizing smartphone expertise in instructional spheres has favorable impacts because it offers immediate entry to evidence-based supplies, scientific journals, and medical functions.57–59 Alternatively, a examine by Jamal et al indicated that the extreme use of smartphones amongst medical college students was intently linked to a number of damaging influences, together with sleep disturbances, complications, impaired reminiscence, and focus ranges.60 Furthermore, Awasthi et al discovered that 42% of Indian undergraduate medical college students have been hooked on their telephones, which had a serious impact on their high quality of life.61 Additional examine is required to establish efficient interventions to mitigate the widespread of nomophobia amongst PT college students. Moreover, anxiousness and despair ranges related to nomophobic PT college students are warranted. Power and Limitations Being the primary examine to discover the prevalence of nomophobia and its affiliation with tutorial efficiency amongst undergraduate PT college students in Saudi Arabia is a major power. Moreover, the examine includes a big pattern measurement of the goal inhabitants from varied areas to generalize the analysis outcomes throughout Saudi Arabia. Nevertheless, the examine is proscribed as a result of it used a comfort sampling approach and a self-reported questionnaire to gather knowledge to judge the impact of nomophobia on tutorial efficiency, which might result in recall bias on account of college students failing to report the reality. Moreover, our survey was distributed on-line; due to this fact, our respondents possibly the PT undergraduate college students who have been extra energetic or utilizing their smartphones. Additional research are wanted to judge the causes of nomophobia and its affiliation with tutorial efficiency amongst physiotherapy college students in Saudi Arabia. Conclusion Nomophobia is widespread amongst undergraduate PT college students, with the bulk experiencing a light stage. A number of related sociodemographic elements similar to being feminine, and being a non-smoker have been related to larger nomophobia ranges. Furthermore, tutorial efficiency indicated by tutorial warnings, examine time, and cumulative GPA have been related elements with the situation. Efficient interventions to mitigate the widespread of average and extreme ranges of nomophobia amongst faculty college students is crucially wanted.