Do we feel good about digital social networks or are we afraid of being disconnected? Relationship between Fear of Missing Out and Psychological Well-Being

Abstract

The growth of digital social networks has changed the way in which people relate to each other, in some cases facilitating greater personal wellbeing for users, or conversely creating significant psychological discomfort. Likewise, there has been a growing interest in the Fear of Missing Out (FoMO) phenomenon, characterized by the desire to be constantly connected to what others are doing on these networks. This study aims to analyze the relationship between FoMO, problematic cell phone use, self-esteem and feelings of loneliness. A total of 155 university students from the University of Girona participated in the study. A cross-sectional observational and analytical design was used to obtain a correlation between FoMO, problematic use of cell phones, self-esteem and feelings of loneliness. People with higher feelings of loneliness and lower self-esteem had a higher level of FoMO.