Disconnected and Distressed: Unpacking the Link Between Fomo and Nomophobia in the Age of Digital Dependency

Abstract

The present study examined the relationship between Fear of Missing Out (FoMO) and Nomophobia among young adults, with Social Media Addiction as a mediating variable. Participants consisted of 300 university students aged between 18 and 26 years, who completed the Fear of Missing Out Questionnaire (FoMO-Q), the Social Media Addiction Scale (SMAS), and the Nomophobia Questionnaire (NQ). It was hypothesized that higher levels of FoMO would be associated with higher levels of Nomophobia, and that Social Media Addiction would mediate this relationship. The correlation results indicated a significant positive relationship between FoMO and Nomophobia (r = .54, p < .001). Regression analysis further confirmed that FoMO significantly predicted Nomophobia (R² = .54, β = .44, p < .001). similarly, mediation analyses demonstrated that Social Media Addiction partially mediated the relationship between FoMO and Nomophobia. These findings suggest that individuals with high FoMO are more likely to experience Nomophobia, largely due to their dependence on social media. The study contributes to the growing body of literature on the psychological impacts of technology overuse and highlights the need for preventive interventions targeting social media overuse to reduce technology-related anxieties.