Mediating Roles of Fear of Missing Out and Boredom Proneness on Psychological Distress and Social Media Addiction Among Indian Adolescents

Fear of missing out and problematic social media use: A serial mediation model of social comparison and self-esteem

Background and aim

Fear of Missing Out (FoMO) is consistently associated with problematic social media use (PSMU). Moreover, previous studies have shown a significant association between FoMO, self-esteem, and social comparison. However, there is a lack of studies that have investigated the relationship between, FoMO, social comparison, self-esteem, and PSMU in an integrated model. The present study hypothesized that FoMO may influence PSMU through the serial mediating role of social comparison and self-esteem.

Method

A cross-sectional survey study was conducted comprising 256 Italian university students (74.4% female), aged 18 to 38 years (M = 23.05 years; SD = 3.58). The participants completed an online survey assessing the variables of the study.

Results

Controlling for age and gender, the results showed positive associations between FoMO, social comparison, and PSMU, and a negative association between FoMO and self-esteem. Self-esteem was also negatively associated with PSMU. It was also found that social comparison and self-esteem sequentially mediated the association between FoMO and PSMU.

Conclusions

The present study contributes to understanding the mechanisms that underline the complex effects of FoMO on PSMU.

The Application of the Metacognitive Model of Desire Thinking and Craving in Problematic Social Networking Sites Use

Cognitive models of addictive behaviours have highlighted the central role of Desire Thinking (DT) - a conscious and voluntary cognitive process orienting to prefigure images and information about a positive target-related experience - in increasing craving and maintaining addictive behaviors. The metacognitive model of DT and craving posits that metacognition plays a central role in understanding dysregulation in DT. The current study aims to test the role of metacognitions about DT, DT, and craving in the relationship between Fear of Missing Out (FoMo), boredom proneness, negative emotional reactivity and Problematic Social Network Sites Use (PSNSU). A sample of 529 participants (Mage= 32.45 ± 13.33; F = 62.9%) completed an online survey. The hypothesised model produced an adequate fit to the data and accounted for 86% of PSNSU variance. FoMO predicted positive metacognitions about DT (PMDT), which predicted DT that, in association with craving, predicted PSNSU. Boredom proneness positively predicted PSNSU directly and indirectly through the serial mediation of PMDT, DT, and craving. A direct path between negative emotional reactivity and PSNSU was found. The current findings provide preliminary evidence for applying the metacognitive model of DT and craving in PSNSU. PMDT and DT may be central cognitive processes in craving and PSNSU for individuals who experience boredom proneness and FoMo.

The effect of short-form video addiction on undergraduates' academic procrastination: a moderated mediation model

Background

Short-form videos have become one of the most popular ways for people to entertain and relax. However, the intense interest in short-form videos has given rise to short-video addiction, which poses risks to both physical and mental health of individuals. Undergraduates are one of the important users for short-form videos, and the influence of short-form video addiction calls for more attention. This study aimed to investigate the association between short-form video addiction and academic procrastination among undergraduates, exploring the role of executive functions (i.e., attentional control) and personality traits (i.e., boredom proneness) in the association.

Methods

Using stratified random cluster sampling method, the data of 1,047 college students were used in the study. All variables were measured by empirical instruments, and all instruments were highly reliable. Mediation and moderation analysis was conducted using Model 4 and 7 in PROCESS macro powered by SPSS.

Results

Results revealed that short-form video addiction not only directly impacted academic procrastination but also placed indirect effect on academic procrastination through attentional control. Furthermore, the mediating effect of attentional control was contingent upon individuals' boredom proneness. Higher levels of boredom proneness weakened the impact of short-form video addiction on attentional control.

Conclusion

The findings expand our knowledge of the negative effects of short-form video addiction and the underlying mechanisms, providing implications for mitigating undergraduates' academic procrastination.

Need for Affect, Problematic Social Media Use and the Mediating Role of Fear of Missing Out in European and Arab Samples

Purpose

The growing awareness and concern about the excessive use of social media have led to an increasing number of studies investigating the underlying factors contributing to this behavior. In the literature, it is discussed that problematic social media use (PSMU) can impact individuals' mental health and well-being. Drawing on the Interaction of Person-Affect-Cognition-Execution (I-PACE) model, this study aimed to examine the association between the need for affect (affect approach and affect avoidance) and PSMU (operationalized via the social media disorder scale), as well as the mediating role of fear of missing out (FoMO) in that relation.

Participants and Methods

Data were collected via an online survey from 513 participants in European and Arabic countries. Regression and mediation analyses were conducted to explore the relationships between affect approach, affect avoidance, FoMO, and PSMU.

Results

Regression analysis results indicated that both affect approach and affect avoidance as part of the need for affect construct significantly predicted PSMU in both cultural contexts. Mediation analysis showed that FoMO partially mediated the relationship between affect approach and PSMU in the Arab sample but not in the European sample. Beyond this, FoMO partially mediated the relationship between affect avoidance and PSMU in both cultural samples.

Conclusion

The present study indicates that managing emotions could be an effective strategy to combat PSMU. In line with this and against the background of the data business model behind social media companies, we deem it to be of importance to minimize triggers related to FoMO in the design of social media platforms (for example, push notifications). This might be particularly relevant for individuals with a high inclination towards affect approach and affect avoidance.

Digital Addiction and Related Factors among College Students

(1) Background: Digital addiction has been a global concern, with college students becoming increasingly vulnerable to it. The detrimental psycho-physiological effects of digital addiction have raised concerns regarding college students' health. This descriptive correlational study was conducted to evaluate the prevalence of digital addiction and identify influencing factors among college students, such as body shape satisfaction, time management, and psychological health. (2) Methods: Data were collected from 199 students at a university in Seoul, South Korea, from 30 May to 13 June 2023. The Digital Addiction Scale (DAS), Time Structure Questionnaire (TSQ), General Health Questionnaire (GHQ), and Body Shape Questionnaire (BSQ) were used for the assessment. Data (N = 199) were analyzed using descriptive statistics, one-way ANOVA, Pearson's correlation coefficient, and stepwise multiple regression. (3) Results: The mean score for digital addiction was 54 ± 12, with scores ranging from 23.0 to 89.0. Digital addiction had a significant positive correlation with body shape satisfaction (r = 0.156, p = 0.028) and a negative correlation with time management (r = -0.500, p < 0.001). In the stepwise multiple regression model of digital addiction (adjusted R2 = 0.285, p < 0.001), subfactors of body shape satisfaction (fear of fatness β = -0.280, body dissatisfaction β = 0.401) and time management (effective organization β = -0.211, persistence β = -0.209, past orientation β = -0.165) were statistically significant. (4) Conclusions: Body shape satisfaction and time management are important factors influencing digital addiction among college students. However, it does not establish a direct causal relationship. The findings indicate that there is a statistical association or connection between these factors, but they do not definitively state that body shape satisfaction or time management directly cause digital addiction. To decrease digital addiction in this population, interventions should aim to improve body shape satisfaction and time management.