The phenomenon of fear of missing out and its role in the formation of social anxiety among youth

the article examines the relationship between the phenomenon of Fear of Missing Out (FoMO) and social anxiety among young people. The aim of the study was to determine the role of FoMO in the development of social anxiety symptoms in students aged 18-25 (region: Republic of Crimea), taking gender differences into account. The sample included 170 students (85 males and 85 females). The FoMO Scale (Przybylski et al., 2013, adapted into Russian) and the Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale (LSAS) were used to assess the level of social anxiety. Statistical analysis included Pearson’s correlation coefficient and gender group comparisons using the t-test. The results showed that the level of FoMO among young people was at a moderate level, with 16% of participants demonstrating high FoMO. The level of social anxiety according to LSAS also varied: 12% of participants showed pronounced social anxiety. A statistically significant positive correlation was found between FoMO and social anxiety (r = 0.45, p < 0.001), indicating that a strong fear of missing out is associated with higher social anxiety. Gender analysis revealed that females demonstrated higher levels of social anxiety than males (p < 0.01), while differences in FoMO scores between males and females did not reach significance (p > 0.05). The psychological mechanisms underlying this relationship are discussed (in particular, the role of social comparison and the need for belonging), and conclusions are drawn regarding the importance of considering the FoMO phenomenon in the prevention and psychological correction of social anxiety among young people.

Fear of Missing Out (FoMO), fear of missed opportunities, social anxiety, youth, students, social networks, digital environment, gender differences