Effect of a Psycho-Educational Program on Mitigating Nomophobia and Social Media Addiction among Undergraduate Nursing Students.
Abstract
Background: Nomophobia, arising from discomfort or anxiety triggered by the inability to send or receive text messages, make phone calls, access the internet, engage with social networking platforms, or retrieve online information, is a growing concern. Aim of the study: This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of a psycho-educational program on nomophobia and social media addiction among undergraduate nursing student at Mansoura University. Research design: Employing a nonrandomized quasi-experimental (pre-post one-group) design, the research was conducted at the Faculty of Nursing, Mansoura University, Egypt. Sample: A total of 260 students participated, selected through stratification based on academic year (from first to fourth year), with two clusters chosen systematically from the available lists. Tools for data collection: All students within the clusters partook in the psychoeducational program, completing pre- and post-intervention questionnaires encompassing demographic questionnair, the Nomophobia Questionnaire, and the Social Media Addiction Scale. Results: Pre-intervention, all students exhibited moderate to high levels of nomophobia. Post-intervention, these levels shifted to moderate, signifying substantial statistical disparities in overall nomophobia scores. Likewise, significant variations were observed in pre- and post-intervention regarding social media addiction scores, with this trend holding true even in a stratified analysis of variable categories. Conclusion: The psychoeducation program is effective to alleviate nomophobia and social media addiction among undergraduate nursing students. Recommendations: Incorporating interventions that address technology-related challenges into nursing education, can better prepare future nurses to manage technology-induced psychological issues, thus enhancing their overall well-being and capacity to provide holistic patient care.