This study aimed to examine the mediating roles of psychological resilience and perceived social support in the association between phubbing and psychological distress among adolescents. The sample consisted of high school adolescents. Participants completed the General Phubbing Scale, Depression Anxiety Stress Scale 21 (DASS-21), Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS), and Brief Resilience Scale (BRS). The findings indicated phubbing was positively associated with psychological distress. In addition, psychological resilience and perceived social support demonstrated significant indirect associations in the relationship between phubbing and psychological distress. Specifically, higher levels of phubbing were associated with lower psychological resilience and reduced perceived social support, which, in turn, were related to elevated psychological distress. These findings suggest that psychological resilience and social support may serve as protective resources in the context of problematic digital interaction behaviors among adolescents. The results highlight the potential importance of developing intervention programs aimed at strengthening psychological resilience and enhancing social support to reduce the association between phubbing and psychological distress among adolescents.
Mehmet S. Vangölü (Mon,) studied this question.