The Global Grip of Nomophobia: A Comparative Study of Malaysia, Indonesia, Kosovo, and South Africa

Nomophobia, an excessive fear of losing access to mobile phones, has become an increasingly relevant global phenomenon. This study highlights a gap in cross-cultural research on nomophobia, particularly in Malaysia, Indonesia, Kosovo, and South Africa. The main objective is to explore variations in nomophobia levels based on the social and cultural contexts of these four countries. The study involved a sample of 1,525 university students selected through stratified and purposive sampling. Measurements were conducted using the culturally adapted Nomophobia Questionnaire (NMP-Q). Data were analyzed using univariate ANOVA and bootstrapping techniques. The results revealed significant differences in nomophobia levels across countries (F = 105.216, p < 0.001). South Africa recorded the highest level (mean 53.67), followed by Malaysia (52.14), Kosovo (38.53), and Indonesia (37.02). These variations reflect differences in technological infrastructure, cultural norms, and socioeconomic conditions. More than half of the participants (59.41%) exhibited moderate levels of nomophobia, while 19.67% fell into the high category. These findings underscore the need for educational interventions to raise awareness about healthy mobile phone use. The study recommends the development of culturally tailored prevention programs to mitigate the negative impacts of nomophobia and further research on cross-cultural interventions to understand this phenomenon in a global context.