Providing a Model of the Relationship between Spiritual Intelligence and Psychological Well-Being with the Mediating Role of Academic Stress in Adolescents Suffering from Nomophobia

Abstract

Objective: The study aimed to provide a model of the relationship between spiritual intelligence and psychological well-being with the mediating role of academic stress in adolescents suffering from nomophobia. Methods and Materials: This applied, quantitative, descriptive–analytical, correlational, and cross-sectional study was conducted on female high school students in Tehran suffering from nomophobia during the 2023–2024 academic year. Using multi-stage cluster sampling, 304 students were selected based on diagnostic criteria. Instruments included the Spiritual Intelligence Questionnaire (Abdollahzadeh et al., 2009), Ryff’s Psychological Well-Being Scale (1989), Student-Life Stress Inventory (Gadzella & Baloglu, 2001), and the Nomophobia Questionnaire (Azadmanesh et al., 2016). Data were analyzed using Pearson correlation and structural equation modeling in SPSS-V27 and Amos-V3.3. Findings: Results showed that spiritual intelligence was positively and significantly associated with psychological well-being (β=0.472, p<0.001). Academic stress had a negative and significant relationship with psychological well-being (β=-0.391, p<0.001). Furthermore, academic stress positively and significantly mediated the relationship between spiritual intelligence and psychological well-being (β=0.113, p<0.001). Overall, the model explained 69% of the variance in psychological well-being. Conclusion: The findings highlighted that spiritual intelligence enhances psychological well-being among adolescents with nomophobia, while academic stress plays a critical mediating role. Educational and counseling interventions focusing on the development of spiritual intelligence and stress management can be effective strategies for improving adolescent mental health in the digital age.