Validity and network structure of the Nomophobia Questionnaire in Peruvian medical students

Introduction: Nomophobia, an emerging psychological phenomenon that represents anxiety when there is no access to a mobile phone, has a prevalence ranging from 6% to 73% in global studies and is associated with physical and mental health problems. This study aims to validate and expand the assessment of the Nomophobia Questionnaire (NMP-Q) through confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and network analysis among medical students in Peru. Methods: An observational cross-sectional study was conducted with 3139 medical students from 38 schools in Peru, using the Spanish-adapted NMP-Q. Data were collected through an online survey, promoted via social media and direct contacts. Factorial and network analyses were performed to evaluate the internal structure and dynamics of the questionnaire. Results: CFA showed an excellent fit for the 4-factor model of the NMP-Q, with factor loadings above 0.700 and high fit indices (CFI = 0.996, RMSEA = 0.031, SRMR = 0.041). The reliability of the factors was high (McDonald's omega: 0.87–0.95). Network analysis revealed significant interactions among the items, identifying the most influential nodes, with “Loss of connection” and “Inability to communicate” being the most prominent in terms of centrality. The network showed adequate precision and stability, with stability coefficients above 0.75 for most indices. Conclusion: The NMP-Q proved to be a valid and reliable tool for assessing nomophobia among medical students in Peru.