Rocco Servidio , Francesco Craig , Paolo Soraci , Stefano Boca , Renato Pisanti , Zsolt Demetrovics , Mark D. Griffiths
{"title":"Loneliness moderates the predictive effect of the trait-state FoMO pathway on problematic social media use","authors":"Rocco Servidio , Francesco Craig , Paolo Soraci , Stefano Boca , Renato Pisanti , Zsolt Demetrovics , Mark D. Griffiths","doi":"10.1016/j.abrep.2025.100612","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Fear of missing out (FoMO) and loneliness have been identified as significant contributors to problematic social media use (PSMU). However, no prior research has examined the interplay between trait FoMO, state FoMO, the moderating role of loneliness, and their combined influence on PSMU within a unified model. The present study addressed this gap by testing a moderated-mediation model to investigate how trait FoMO, state FoMO, and loneliness jointly impact PSMU. A cross-sectional online survey was conducted with 356 participants (55.6 % female; <em>M</em><sub>age</sub> = 21.7 years, <em>SD<sub>age</sub></em> = 3.55) who completed the Trait-FoMO Scale, State-FoMO Scale, UCLA Loneliness Scale (Short Version), and the Bergen Social Media Addiction Scale. The results showed that females scored higher for PSMU than males, while age had no significant effect. Moderated-mediation analyses indicated that both trait-FoMO and state-FoMO were positively associated with PSMU. Moreover, state-FoMO partially mediated the relationship between trait-FoMO and PSMU, with loneliness moderating this pathway. More specifically, the association between trait-FoMO and state-FoMO was weaker at higher levels of loneliness but stronger when loneliness levels were low. These findings highlight FoMO as a major risk factor for PSMU, as well as emphasizing the importance of addressing loneliness in prevention and intervention efforts. This integrated model provides valuable insights for designing targeted strategies to mitigate the adverse effects of FoMO and loneliness on social media use.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":38040,"journal":{"name":"Addictive Behaviors Reports","volume":"21 ","pages":"Article 100612"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0000,"publicationDate":"2025-04-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Addictive Behaviors Reports","FirstCategoryId":"1085","ListUrlMain":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2352853225000306","RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":null,"ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q1","JCRName":"Psychology","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
Fear of missing out (FoMO) and loneliness have been identified as significant contributors to problematic social media use (PSMU). However, no prior research has examined the interplay between trait FoMO, state FoMO, the moderating role of loneliness, and their combined influence on PSMU within a unified model. The present study addressed this gap by testing a moderated-mediation model to investigate how trait FoMO, state FoMO, and loneliness jointly impact PSMU. A cross-sectional online survey was conducted with 356 participants (55.6 % female; Mage = 21.7 years, SDage = 3.55) who completed the Trait-FoMO Scale, State-FoMO Scale, UCLA Loneliness Scale (Short Version), and the Bergen Social Media Addiction Scale. The results showed that females scored higher for PSMU than males, while age had no significant effect. Moderated-mediation analyses indicated that both trait-FoMO and state-FoMO were positively associated with PSMU. Moreover, state-FoMO partially mediated the relationship between trait-FoMO and PSMU, with loneliness moderating this pathway. More specifically, the association between trait-FoMO and state-FoMO was weaker at higher levels of loneliness but stronger when loneliness levels were low. These findings highlight FoMO as a major risk factor for PSMU, as well as emphasizing the importance of addressing loneliness in prevention and intervention efforts. This integrated model provides valuable insights for designing targeted strategies to mitigate the adverse effects of FoMO and loneliness on social media use.
期刊介绍:
Addictive Behaviors Reports is an open-access and peer reviewed online-only journal offering an interdisciplinary forum for the publication of research in addictive behaviors. The journal accepts submissions that are scientifically sound on all forms of addictive behavior (alcohol, drugs, gambling, Internet, nicotine and technology) with a primary focus on behavioral and psychosocial research. The emphasis of the journal is primarily empirical. That is, sound experimental design combined with valid, reliable assessment and evaluation procedures are a requisite for acceptance. We are particularly interested in ''non-traditional'', innovative and empirically oriented research such as negative/null data papers, replication studies, case reports on novel treatments, and cross-cultural research. Studies that might encourage new lines of inquiry as well as scholarly commentaries on topical issues, systematic reviews, and mini reviews are also very much encouraged. We also welcome multimedia submissions that incorporate video or audio components to better display methodology or findings.