The relationship between post-earthquake post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms and nomophobia

Aim: Cell phones are one of the most important tools that enable people to communicate with each other and follow current news. Excessive use of phones due to technological developments has also brought some biopsychosocial problems. Nomophobia, which is also defined as the fear of being separated from the cell phone, is one of them. People who experience post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms may show symptoms of restlessness, irritability and anxiety. It is thought that people who have been exposed to trauma may have more desire and need to communicate and be accessible by phone when they need it. Therefore, it was thought that post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms could be a risk factor that could increase nomophobia levels. This study aims to examine the relationship between post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms and nomophobia. Materials and Methods: Within the scope of the study, 329 literate, voluntary individuals aged between 18 and 65 who applied to Ekin Family Health Center between 25.04.2023 and 25.06.2023 participated in the study. Those who had cognitive impairment at a level that would prevent them from continuing the study and those who had mental or physical limitations were excluded. Participants filled out the sociodemographic data form, Turkish Nomophobia Scale and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Checklist for DSM-5 (PCL-5) scales. Results: The mean age of the participants was 39.52±11.72 years, and the ratio of women was 52.6% and men was 47.4%. When the scores obtained from the nomophobia scale were examined in our study, it was determined that 2 participants (0.6%) did not have nomophobia, 128 participants (39.02%) had mild level, 141 participants (42.98%) had moderate level, and 58 participants (17.68) had severe level of nomophobia. The mean PCL-5 score of the participants was 2.98 and a moderate level of stress disorder was observed in the participants. A moderate positive correlation was found between nomophobia and PCL-5 scores in the participants. Conclusion: This study examined the relationship between post-traumatic stress disorder and nomophobia after an earthquake and the findings showed that post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms could increase the level of nomophobia. In this context, it is thought that future studies and policy recommendations for understanding and solving these two important issues could be more comprehensive. Keywords: Earthquake, Nomophobia, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder