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Nomophobia Questionnaire

Do you control your smartphone, or does your smartphone control you? Take this test to find out.

Mark Travers, Ph.D.

By Mark Travers, Ph.D.

December 21, 2023

Mark Travers, Ph.D., is the lead psychologist at Awake Therapy, responsible for new client intake and placement. Mark received his B.A. in psychology, magna cum laude, from Cornell University and his M.A. and Ph.D. from the University of Colorado Boulder. His academic research has been published in leading psychology journals and has been featured in The New York Times and The New Yorker, among other popular publications. He is a regular contributor for Forbes and Psychology Today, where he writes about psycho-educational topics such as happiness, relationships, personality, and life meaning. Click here to schedule an initial consultation with Mark or another member of the Awake Therapy team. Or, you can drop him a note here.

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Nomophobia, a portmanteau derived from "no mo bile pho ne phobia ," encapsulates the growing fear and anxiety associated with being without one's smartphone. In an era where digital connectivity is ubiquitous, this fear has become increasingly prevalent, impacting individuals across diverse demographics.

While not officially recognized as a distinct mental disorder, nomophobia has garnered attention from researchers and psychologists who seek to understand its implications on mental well-being in the context of our technology-dependent society. The pervasive influence of smartphones in our daily lives raises the question of how significantly nomophobia may be affecting individuals.

Identifying and measuring nomophobia is essential for quantifying the prevalence of this fear. Gaining insight into the scale of its impact on different demographics can help prompt a broader conversation about the societal implications of our dependence on technology.

Developed through rigorous psychological research, the Nomophobia Questionnaire comprises carefully crafted questions that delve into the emotional and behavioral aspects of smartphone dependency. By providing a standardized measure, the questionnaire enables researchers, psychologists, healthcare professionals and the general public to gain a comprehensive understanding of nomophobia's complexities.

References: Yildrim, C. & Correia A. (2015). Exploring the dimensions of nomophobia: Development and validation of a self-reported questionnaire. Computers in Human Behavior, 49(2015). 130-137. doi:10.1016/j.chb.2015.02.059

Step 1: Rate the following statements based on how much you agree with them on a scale of strongly disagree to strongly agree.

1. I would feel uncomfortable without constant access to information through my smartphone.

2. I would be annoyed if I could not look information up on my smartphone when I wanted to do so.

3. Being unable to get the news (e.g., happenings, weather, etc.) on my smartphone would make me nervous.

4. I would be annoyed if I could not use my smartphone and/or its capabilities when I wanted to do so.

5. Running out of battery in my smartphone would scare me.

6. If I were to run out of credits or hit my monthly data limit, I would panic.

7. If I did not have a data signal or could not connect to Wi-Fi, then I would constantly check to see if I had a signal or could find a Wi-Fi network.

8. If I could not use my smartphone, I would be afraid of getting stranded somewhere.

9. If I could not check my smartphone for a while, I would feel a desire to check it.

10. If I did not have my smartphone with me, I would feel anxious because I could not instantly communicate with my family and/or friends.

11. If I did not have my smartphone with me, I would be worried because my family and/or friends could not reach me.

12. If I did not have my smartphone with me, I would feel nervous because I would not be able to receive text messages and calls.

13. If I did not have my smartphone with me, I would be anxious because I could not keep in touch with my family and/or friends.

14. If I did not have my smartphone with me, I would be nervous because I could not know if someone had tried to get a hold of me.

15. If I did not have my smartphone with me, I would feel anxious because my constant connection to my family and friends would be broken.

16. If I did not have my smartphone with me, I would be nervous because I would be disconnected from my online identity.

17. If I did not have my smartphone with me, I would be uncomfortable because I could not stay up-to-date with social media and online networks.

18. If I did not have my smartphone with me, I would feel awkward because I could not check my notifications for updates from my connections and online networks.

19. If I did not have my smartphone with me, I would feel anxious because I could not check my email messages.

20. If I did not have my smartphone with me, I would feel weird because I would not know what to do.

0 of 0 questions answered

Step 2: Enter your age, gender, region, and first name so we can provide you with a detailed report that compares your test scores with people similar to you.

What is your age?

What is your gender?

What region of the world do you live in?

What is your first name?

Step 3: Check to make sure you've provided answers to all of the statements/questions above. Once you've done that, click the button below to send your responses to Awake Therapy's Lead Psychologist, Mark Travers, Ph.D. He will provide you with an overview of how you scored relative to others (all answers are anonymized and confidential to protect users' privacy). He can also answer any follow-up questions you may have.