Exploring the dynamics of fear of missing out in primary school students: examining predictors and outcomes through latent transition analysis.

We explored problematic smartphone use (PSU) using latent profile analysis (LPA) and relationships with anxiety variables, including severity of generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), social anxiety disorder (SAD), and Fear of Missing Out (FoMO) in a non-clinical sample. We conducted a web-based survey (during the COVID-19 pandemic from February to March 2020) with high school students (N = 1,797; 1,164 female; ages 13–19 years) in Tianjin, China, administering the Smartphone Addiction Scale-Short Version (SAS-SV) to assess PSU, Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD-7) Scale, Social Interaction Anxiety Scale (SIAS), and Fear of Missing Out (FoMO) Scale. Using Mplus 8.7, we conducted LPA on SAS-SV item responses to uncover latent profiles and relations with anxiety and fear measures. A three-profile PSU model fit the data according to fit indices and likelihood ratio tests. SAS-SV item responses were lowest in profile 1, moderate in profile 2, and most severe in profile 3. Individual PSU profiles modeled by LPA demonstrated significant differences in social and generalized anxiety severity and FoMO. Controlling for age and sex, adolescents with higher levels of anxiety were more likely to be classified as profiles 2 and 3 rather than profile 1. These findings will hopefully inspire future studies and treatments concerning the severity of PSU as it relates to various psychopathology constructs.

Background: Fear of Missing Out (FoMO) on social media has emerged as a significant concern, particularly among college students, with implications for mental well-being and internet use. While previous studies have explored various aspects of mindfulness about digital behaviors, the specific link between mindfulness and FoMO, as well as the potential mechanisms involved, remains underexplored. Objective: Guided by the Conservation of Resources (COR) theory and the Interaction of Person-Affect-Cognition-Execution (I-PACE) model, this study investigates the relationship between mindfulness and FoMO among Chinese college students. Additionally, it explores the mediating roles of cognitive bias and the need to belong in understanding how mindfulness influences FoMO. Methods: Data was collected from 748 university students from two universities in China. Participants completed questionnaires assessing mindfulness, cognitive bias, the need to belong, and FoMO. Statistical analyses, including mediation models and bootstrapping, were conducted using SPSS 25.0 and the PROCESS macro version 3.3. Results: The SPSS PROCESS macro Model 4 analysis revealed that the relationships between mindfulness and FoMO (β=-.011, p=.738) and between Attention to Positive Information (API) and FoMO (β=.029, p=.383) were nonsignificant. Mindfulness exhibited negative associations with Attention to Negative Information (ANI) (β=- .250, p<.001) and the need to belong (β=-.254, p<.001) and positive associations with API (β=.268, p<.001). Furthermore, ANI positively correlated with FoMO (β=.182, p<.001), and the need to belong had a significant positive impact on FoMO (β=.503, p<.001). The mediation analysis indicated that the effect of mindfulness on FoMO was fully mediated by ANI and the need to belong, with no direct effect through API. Conclusion: By recognizing mindfulness as a valuable psychological resource, this research offers insights for developing targeted interventions aimed at reducing FoMO and promoting healthier social media engagement among this population. These findings contribute to the broader understanding of the interplay between mindfulness, cognitive processes, motivation, and FoMO, offering guidance for future research and practical interventions.

Problematic smartphone use (PSU) has become a common phenomenon among college students. Fear of missing out (FoMO) is an important factor affecting PSU, but how FoMO affects PSU is not clear. Therefore, the mediating effect of positive and negative metacognitions about smartphone use (PMSU and NMSU) and the moderating effect of optimism are explored. 514 Chinese college students aged 17 to 25 from 6 Chinese universities were investigated with the Trait-State FoMO Scale, the Metacognitions about Smartphone Use Questionnaire, the Temperament Optimism Scale, and the Smartphone Addiction Scale for College Students. The data were analyzed with SPSS software. FoMO was positively associated with PSU, PMSU and NMSU mediated this association. Optimism moderated the relationship between FoMO and PSU, i.e., FoMO had a less prominent positive effect on PSU for college students with a high level of optimism. There is a positive relationship which exists between FoMO and PSU among college students. In addition, PMSU and NMSU play mediating roles in FoMO and PSU, and optimism plays an moderating role in FoMO and PSU. These findings can help not only educators understand the predictors of PSU and develop interventions to effectively prevent PSU among college students but also college students reduce the level of PSU by improving their understanding of PMSU and NMSU and optimism level.

A network analysis approach to the relationship between fear of missing out (FoMO), smartphone addiction, and social networking site use among a sample of Chinese university students

Deep and surface learning approaches are related to fear of missing out on social networking sites: A latent profile analysis

PurposeMost research has investigated the fear of missing out (FOMO) in the context of online activities, often associated with negative personal outcomes such as fatigue and stress. However, given the increased desire to be informed and included associated with FOMO, organizations that can effectively meet these needs may develop or strengthen social and structural bonds, thereby turning short-term customers with FOMO into lifelong patrons. This study aims to examine the relationship between FOMO and favorable organizational outcomes as mediated by several constructs associated with the desire for information and inclusion.Design/methodology/approachThis research was conducted within the higher education sector of the service industry. FOMO served as the IV. The mediators represented context-specific aspects of campus involvement and inclusion. Organizational outcomes related to the long-term services relationship served as the DVs. The sample consisted of 435 students recruited from research pools at two southern universities in the USA. Exploratory factor analysis, OLS regression and the Hayes–Macro were used to examine the data.FindingsThe results demonstrate that FOMO is positively associated with students’ desires for information and inclusion (informal peer interaction, campus involvement, informal faculty interaction, campus information media use and a preference for in-person course scheduling), which are associated with the desirable university outcomes of satisfaction, connection and alumni donation/activity intentions.Practical implicationsIf a university fosters unstructured time spent with faculty and peers, and promotes campus information media involvement, students with higher levels of FOMO are more likely to be satisfied, feel connected to the university and report intentions to donate time and money as alumni.Originality/valuePrior research on FOMO is generally focused on internet and social media use; this study takes a broader perspective and identifies the effect of FOMO on a desire for information and inclusion within a novel context (a service environment). It also associates FOMO with favorable long-term service relationship outcomes that fortify social and structural bonds.

The goal of the study was to understand the mechanisms of how social networking sites (SNS) usage is related to depression symptoms, as measured by the Center for Epidemiological Studies-Depression Scale (CESD). Three studies were conducted to examine the mediation roles of self-esteem and Fear of Missing Out (FoMO). In Study 1, among 347 Chinese college students, time spent on SNS was negatively associated with self-esteem; while self-esteem then negatively associated with depression symptoms. In Study 2, among 180 Chinese college students, time spent on SNS was positively related to FoMO; while FoMO then positively related to depression symptoms. In Study 3, among 233 Chinese university students, both self-esteem and FoMO were simultaneously included in the mediation model to test their respective roles in explaining depression symptoms. Results showed that more time spent on SNS was related to lower self-esteem, and higher FoMO, respectively; while self-esteem then negatively, and FoMO then positively, explained depression symptoms, respectively. In addition, when participants spent 3.5 h (Study 1), 2.5 h (Study 2), and 2.54 h (Study 3) on SNS, they reached the cutoff for subthreshold depression, as measured by CESD. Combining results from three studies, both self-esteem and FoMO mediated the relation between SNS usage and depression symptoms. This study provides implications to understand the mechanism of SNS-related depression.

Fear of Missing Out (FOMO) has become a defining psychological experience of the digital era. Although widely studied in relation to social media use and problematic smartphone behaviour, FOMO has rarely been examined through a neuropsychiatric lens, particularly in adult populations. Existing research predominantly conceptualizes FOMO as a situational motivator or behavioural correlate, underestimating its role as a chronic cognitive-emotional vulnerability. The present article advances a novel framework positioning FOMO as a neuropsychiatric vulnerability syndrome characterized by persistent anticipatory anxiety, predictive cognitive overload, attentional fragmentation, emotional dysregulation, and cumulative digital allostatic load. This study employed a structured narrative-conceptual review methodology. A targeted literature search was conducted across PsycINFO, PubMed, and Scopus using predefined keywords related to FOMO, anxiety vulnerability, predictive processing, emotional regulation, adult development, and digital stress. Articles were screened for relevance to adult populations and neuropsychiatric mechanisms, with priority given to empirical studies, longitudinal research, and theoretical integrations published in peer-reviewed journals. Findings were critically synthesized through thematic analysis to identify recurring cognitive, emotional, and developmental mechanisms, which were subsequently integrated into a unified vulnerability model. Drawing upon psychological, cognitive, developmental, and neuropsychiatric scholarship, this review demonstrates how FOMO operates as a sustained vulnerability mechanism rather than a transient digital concern. Adult developmental contexts are emphasized, highlighting how identity consolidation, career pressures, and perceived irreversibility of choices intensify FOMO-related distress. By reframing FOMO as a syndrome-level vulnerability embedded within adult cognitive-emotional functioning, this article contributes a theoretically advanced perspective to contemporary neuropsychiatric discourse.

PurposePrevious research has documented that problematic smartphone use (PSU) is associated with various psychological symptoms among adolescents, but temporal ordering and underlying mechanisms remain unclear.Patients and MethodsThis three-wave longitudinal study examined bidirectional relationships among depressive and anxious symptoms, fear of missing out (FOMO), and PSU in a sample of 402 Chinese adolescents (49.6% girls; Mage = 12.33, SD = 0.52) assessed at six-month intervals (ie, T1, T2, and T3).ResultsThe random-intercept cross-lagged panel modelling (RI-CLPM) results indicated a bidirectional relationship between FOMO and PSU, with each predicting subsequent increases in the other. PSU predicted increases in depressive symptoms over time (βs =0.19 −0.21, ps <0.001), but not vice versa (βs =0.05 −0.06, ps >0.05). Anxious symptoms predicted increased FOMO over time (βs =0.12 −0.13, ps <0.01), while FOMO did not predict anxious symptoms (βs =0.05 and.05, ps >0.05). FOMO at T2 mediated the linkage between depressive/anxious symptoms at T1 and PSU at T3.ConclusionThese findings identify FOMO as a critical mediating mechanism linking psychological symptoms to problematic digital behaviors. Interventions targeting FOMO may help disrupt these maladaptive patterns and prevent escalation of both PSU and psychological symptoms among adolescents.

The role of fear of missing out (FoMO) in addictive behaviors has recently attracted growing attention. In view of negative effects of gaming disorder (GD) among adolescents and emerging adults, research examining the relationship between FoMO and GD is needed, alongside the roles of impulsivity and gender in the relationship between FoMO and GD. This study examined whether impulsivity as a mediator and gender as a moderator impacted on the relationship between FoMO and GD among a sample of Chinese university students. A sample of 1,288 Chinese university students from three universities completed an online survey through the Wenjuanxing platform. The Chinese Trait-State Fear of Missing Out Scale, the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale-Brief, and the Chinese Gaming Disorder Scale were used in this study. The model results indicated that impulsivity partially mediated the relationship between FoMO and GD, and that there was a larger effect size between impulsivity and GD among males. High levels of FoMO among individuals may impact on executive functions leading to more impulsivity, and are associated with GD. Gender may moderate the relationship between impulsivity and GD. This study deepens the understanding of the relationship between FoMO and GD, and provides new perspectives for practitioners to incorporate into health prevention programs to help regulate emotion, control impulsivity, and decrease GD.

Our purpose was to clarify the relationship between boredom proneness and phubbing behavior, and investigate what role fear of missing out (FOMO) plays in this process. We recruited 751 Chinese vocational college students aged between 18 and 23 years to participate in a questionnaire survey. We used the PROCESS macro version 3.5 for SPSS to analyze the mediating effect, and the results suggested that boredom proneness and FOMO significantly affected phubbing behavior. FOMO played a partial mediating role in the relationship between boredom proneness and phubbing, implying that high boredom proneness increased FOMO, which, in turn, increased phubbing behavior. The two dimensions of FOMO (fear of missing information and fear of missing situations) also had a partial mediating effect on this same relationship. To our knowledge, ours is the first study to practically investigate Chinese vocational college students' FOMO in relation to boredom proneness and phubbing behavior, which may provide useful information for intervention strategies for reducing phubbing behavior.

Peer victimization serves as a risk factor contributing to emotional and behavioral problems among college students. However, limited research has investigated the longitudinal association between peer victimization and problematic social media use (PSMU), as well as its underlying mechanism. Drawing upon the compensatory internet use theory, self-determination theory, and the stress-buffering model, we assumed that fear of missing out (FoMO) could potentially serve as a mediating factor in the relationship between peer victimization and PSMU, while school belongingness may act as a moderator for these direct and indirect associations. A total of 553 Chinese college students ( M age = 21.87, SD = 1.07) were recruited to participate in a three-wave longitudinal study (6 months apart) and completed questionnaires assessing peer victimization (T1), school belongingness (T1), FoMO (T2), and PSMU (T3). With a moderated mediation model, the results indicated the following: (1) Controlling for demographic variables, T1 peer victimization was positively and significantly associated with T3 PSMU; (2) T1 peer victimization also influenced T3 PSMU indirectly by increasing both two dimensions of T2 FoMO; (3) T1 school belongingness significantly moderated the mediating effect of T2 fear of missing social opportunities. Specifically, the indirect effect of peer victimization on PSMU via fear of missing social opportunities was found to be more pronounced when the level of school belongingness was lower. These findings are of great value in extending the studies regarding the multi-systematical risk factors causing PSMU and providing the scientific reference for the prevention and intervention of PSMU among Chinese college students.

Research has suggested that social media usage increases during times of social isolation. However, rather than making users feel more connected to others, social media may cause negative mental health and relational outcomes, including a fear of missing out (FoMO). Against the backdrop of the global coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19) pandemic, this health communication study sought to understand the impact of physical and emotional isolation (i.e., prescribed social isolation) on people as we turned to social media more frequently. As the pandemic wore on, many remained online, watching people they knew “returning to normal,” potentially creating high levels of FoMO despite disagreeing with others’ decisions. This study examines whether social media use (frequency and purpose) influences individuals’ perception of the acceptability of others’ behavior, and whether those perceptions impact individuals’ own behavioral decisions. Participants ( N = 459) from the United States were recruited from late 2021 to early 2022 to complete an anonymous online survey regarding the “acceptableness” of behavior shown in posts by friends and family. Results indicated that increased social media frequency was correlated with an increased sense of FoMO, which was significantly and positively associated with favorable perceptions of others’ behaviors, such as gathering indoors with others, even when public health officials discouraged it. However, FoMO was not significantly related to users’ personal intentions to follow public health recommendations. A post hoc analysis determined that fear of COVID-19 moderated the relationship between FoMO and the perception of others’ behavior, as well as the relationship between FoMO and behavioral intentions.

Depression and anxiety symptoms are related to problematic smartphone use severity in Chinese young adults: Fear of missing out as a mediator

This study aimed to examine the mediating role of fear of missing out (FoMO) and the moderating role of resilience in the association between social media use and negative emotions among medical college students in China during the COVID-19 pandemic. A cross-sectional study design was conducted, medical college students from Qiqihar Medical University, China participated in the study. A total of 470 medical college students were recruited voluntarily to complete questionnaires on social media use, FoMO, resilience, and negative emotions. Social media use was positively associated with FoMO and negative emotions among medical students (p < 0.01). The total effect of social media use on negative emotions was significant (β = 1.101, SE = 0.079, p < 0.001). Social media use had no significant direct effect on negative emotions (β = 0.168, SE = 0.096, p > 0.05), but it had an indirect effect on negative emotions via mediation of FoMO (β = 0.933, SE = 0.106, 95% CI: 0.731 to 1.149). Moreover, resilience had a significant moderating effect on the relationship between FoMO and negative emotions (β = -0.021, SE = 0.005, 95% CI: -0.032 to -0.012). FoMO had a significant positive predictive effect on negative emotions at both levels of resilience (low resilience individuals: β = 1.079, SE = 0.076, p < 0.001; high resilience individuals: β = 0.212, SE = 0.094, p < 0.05). Social media use and FoMO may be risk factors for increased negative emotions, and resilience should be considered in prevention and intervention strategies designed to mitigate negative emotions among medical college students.