Fear of Missing Out, Social Media Use, and Psychological Wellbeing Among University Students

Abstract

With the extensive use of internet, social networking has become an important part of social interactions in our lives. The use of social networking affects the physical and mental health of an individual. Various aspects associated with prolonged and frequent use of social networking is comparable to behavioural addiction as it shows symptoms of increased dependence and withdrawal. Hence, there is a need to understand the various factors which may be associated with compulsive use of social media. Fear of missing out (FoMO) has been associated with negative affect, poor mental health, and excessive use of social media. The current research was conducted on a student sample of 267 boys and girls and found that the relationship between FoMO and psychological wellbeing was mediated by use of social media. The research has important implications as usage of internet and social media is on a continuous rise. The individual differences in the usage need to be ascribed to personal factors in order for a better understanding of the phenomenon.