Influence of Nomophobia on Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University Students’ Academic Activities

Abstract

Nomophobia, which means “no mobile phone phobia,” is the fear and anxiety of being without a mobile phone or disconnected from connectivity like no signal, low battery, and low internet. Studies have shown that addiction to the smart phone among students is a global issue with adverse impact on sleep, mental health, and academics due to poor concentration, and procrastination. Whether nomophobia affects academic activities among students of Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University (COOU) is yet to be ascertained. Four objectives formulated to guide the study are: to ascertain the level of nomophobia experienced by COOU students, discover whether students in a particular course of study are more prone to nomophobia, examine the specific Smartphone activities that aggravate nomophobia, and evaluate how nomophobia affects students’ academic activities. The Technological Determinism Theory was used as theoretical framework for the study. The Focus Group Discussion (FGD) method was utilized to study 66 students who admitted they experience nomophobia; they were selected using purposive sampling technique. The study found that COOU students were experiencing high level of nomophobia; that course of study does not affect nomophobia; that the specific activities aggravating nomophobia are frequent checking of notifications and messages, too much social media exposure, and internet browsing and calls for extended periods, and that normophobia affects their academic activities like poor study habits, attending lectures late, and poor concentration in class due to sleep disturbances, anxiety and stress. The study therefore recommends awareness creation across schools on the harmful effects of nomophobia and withdrawal strategies.