Overview

• University of Southampton psychologists report peer-reviewed findings in the Journal of Personality (August 2025; DOI: 10.1111/jopy.70012).
• On days they felt phubbed, participants high in attachment anxiety reported more depressed mood, lower self-esteem, and greater resentment.
• Anxiously attached participants were more likely to retaliate by turning to their own phones to seek support and validation from others.
• Those high in attachment avoidance showed smaller wellbeing impacts, were less likely to confront a partner, and tended to retaliate to seek approval rather than connection.
• Authors recommend practical steps such as phone-free mealtimes or pre-bed routines, explicit phone-use boundaries, and briefly acknowledging necessary checks before refocusing on the partner.