The The Effect of Phubbing Behavior on The Interpersonal Communication Among Guidance and Counseling Students at Jambi University

Abstract

The rapid advancement of information technology has led to intensive gadget usage among university students, giving rise to phubbing behavior, which is the tendency to prioritize attention to gadgets over interpersonal interactions. This study aims to describe the levels of phubbing and interpersonal communication, as well as to examine the impact of phubbing on interpersonal communication among students in the Guidance and Counseling Study Program at Jambi University. A quantitative ex post facto design was employed, involving 88 students randomly selected from a population of 438 using simple random sampling. Data were collected through a validated and reliable Likert-scale questionnaire and analyzed using regression analysis. The results indicate that phubbing significantly affects interpersonal communication, with an R² of 63%, classified as a “strong” influence. These findings highlight the importance of managing gadget use to enhance students’ empathy, social awareness, and face-to-face interactions. Future research is recommended to explore these variables using qualitative or mixed-method approaches to obtain more comprehensive insights.