Phubbing Behavior, Mindfulness and Interpersonal Relationships among University Students

Abstract

The study aimed to explore the relationship between Phubbing Behavior, mindfulness, and interpersonal relationships among undergraduate students. A cross-sectional design was preferred. For conducting the study, a convenience sampling technique was used. A sample of 305 undergraduate individuals, ranging from 18 to 24 years, was selected from different departments of different University. The Generic Scale of Phubbing (GSP) developed by Chotpitayasunondh and Douglas (2018), Mindful Attention Awareness Scale (MAAS) developed by Brown and Ryan (2003), and FIAT-Q by Darrow, Callaghan, Bonow, and Follette (2014), was used for the assessment of phubbing behavior, mindfulness, and interpersonal relationship respectively. The purpose of the study was to see how phubbing behavior influences interpersonal relationships and what role mindfulness will play in mitigating this relationship, and how they are connected among students. The results of study showed that phubbing behavior was found to be significantly negatively correlated with mindfulness whereas, phubbing behavior was also found to be significantly positively correlated with interpersonal relationships, specifying that higher phubbing leads to disturbed interpersonal relationships. The study highlighted the importance of phubbing behavior, mindfulness, and interpersonal relationship among students, aiming to enrich existing literature on the study. By gaining an understanding of these dynamics, this study also aims in the development of new strategies for reducing phubbing and in the development of strategies and interventions that promote more mindful social interactions among students in the digital era. As, such interventions could serve as a valuable foundation for future research.