Be Aware! If You Start Using Facebook Problematically You Will Feel Lonely: Phubbing, Loneliness, Self-esteem, and Facebook Intrusion. A Cross-Sectional Study

Smartphones are an integral part of people's life. The aim of the study was to expand the knowledge on the individual determinants of "phubbing." Two dimensions of phubbing-communication disturbance and phone obsession-were taken into consideration. We tested the model of relations between phubbing, self-esteem, loneliness, and satisfaction with life. We administered the Phubbing Scale, the Facebook Intrusion Scale, the Loneliness Scale, the Satisfaction With Life Scale, and the Self-Esteem Scale. The participants in the online study were 597 Polish users of mobile phones, with a mean age of M = 21.22 (SD = 6.52, range: 16-78). The results showed Facebook intrusion to be a cause of phubbing. Women scored higher than men on both dimensions of phubbing. A low level of self-esteem and satisfaction with life predicted Facebook intrusion. Additionally, a low level of loneliness was a predictor of Facebook intrusion, which in turn was a predictor of loneliness. The results demonstrate the multidimensional nature of phubbing and suggest new directions for future studies.