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Psychological factors associated with self-reported sensitivity to mobile phones.

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Rubin GJ, Cleare AJ, Wessely S · 2008

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People claiming broad 'electrosensitivity' show worse overall health and more psychological distress than those sensitive only to phones.

Plain English Summary

Summary written for general audiences

Researchers compared three groups: people sensitive only to mobile phones, those claiming broader 'electrosensitivity' to various electrical devices, and healthy controls. They found that people identifying as 'electrosensitive' showed significantly worse overall health, more depression, and greater anxiety about modern health risks compared to both other groups. This suggests that self-reported electrosensitivity may be linked to broader health and psychological factors rather than electromagnetic field exposure alone.

Why This Matters

This study reveals an important distinction that's often overlooked in EMF health discussions. While some people experience genuine symptoms they associate with mobile phone use, those who adopt the broader 'electrosensitive' label show markedly different psychological and health profiles. The research found that self-identified electrosensitive individuals had significantly higher rates of depression, multiple unexplained medical conditions, and heightened anxiety about various modern health threats - not just EMF exposure. What this means for you is that the phenomenon of electrosensitivity appears more complex than simple EMF exposure effects. The study doesn't dismiss people's real symptoms, but it suggests that focusing solely on EMF avoidance may miss other important health factors that need attention. This research underscores why a holistic approach to health concerns is crucial, rather than attributing all symptoms to a single environmental factor.

Exposure Information

Specific exposure levels were not quantified in this study.

Study Details

Some people report symptoms associated with mobile phone use. A minority also report "electrosensitivity," experiencing symptoms following exposure to other electrical devices. Research suggests that electromagnetic fields do not trigger these symptoms. In this study, we examined the differences between these two "sensitive" groups and healthy controls.

Fifty-two people who reported sensitivity to mobile phones, 19 people who reported sensitivity to mo...

Perceived sensitivity was associated with an increased likelihood of using a mobile phone predominan...

The data illustrate that patients reporting "electrosensitivity" experience substantially worse health than either healthy individuals or people who report sensitivity to mobile phones but who do not adopt the label "electrosensitivity." Clinicians and researchers would be wise to pay greater attention to this subdivision.

Cite This Study
Rubin GJ, Cleare AJ, Wessely S (2008). Psychological factors associated with self-reported sensitivity to mobile phones. J Psychosom Res. 64(1):1-9; discussion 11-12, 2008.
Show BibTeX
@article{gj_2008_psychological_factors_associated_with_2546,
  author = {Rubin GJ and Cleare AJ and Wessely S},
  title = {Psychological factors associated with self-reported sensitivity to mobile phones.},
  year = {2008},
  
  url = {https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18157992/},
}
PubMed: 18157992

Cited By (99 papers)

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Quick Questions About This Study

Yes, research by Rubin and colleagues found that people identifying as 'electrosensitive' showed significantly worse general health on almost every measure compared to healthy controls and those sensitive only to mobile phones, suggesting broader health factors beyond EMF exposure.
A 2008 study found that people reporting electrosensitivity experienced greater depression and more anxiety about modern health risks compared to controls. However, no differences were observed in psychiatric case diagnoses between groups.
Research shows people claiming broad 'electrosensitivity' to various electrical devices have worse health and more psychological symptoms than those reporting sensitivity only to mobile phones, suggesting different underlying factors.
Yes, Rubin's research found that people reporting electrosensitivity showed greater worries about tainted food and toxic interventions compared to both healthy controls and those sensitive only to mobile phones.
The study found 21% of electrosensitive participants used mobile phones predominantly for work, compared to 13% of those sensitive only to phones and just 3% of healthy controls.