Toward healthy behavior: fear of missing out, smartphone, social networking addiction, and life satisfaction among medical students at Tanta University, Egypt.

Abstract

Background: The global shift in culture towards "digitalization," particularly among youth, has made individuals increasingly vulnerable to the behavioral effects of social networking sites and smartphones. This study aims to measure the degree of smartphone and social networking addiction, as well as fear of missing out (FOMO), among medical students and to investigate the relationship between these constructs and life satisfaction.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted at the Faculty of Medicine, Tanta University, between December 2023 and March 2024. A total of 630 students were selected by a simple random technique. Data were collected using a structured self-administered questionnaire that involved the FOMO, smartphone and social media addiction, and life satisfaction scales. The chi-square test was used for categorical variables. Pearson correlation was employed to examine relationships between different scales.

Results: The prevalence of FOMO among medical students is 57.8% moderate and 2.5% high grade. Sixty-three percent are moderate, and 13.2% are high social media addicts. Seventy percent are moderate, and 10.4% are high-level smartphone addicts. FOMO is significantly positively correlated with both smartphone addiction (p < 0.001, rs = 0.393) and social media addiction (p < 0.00, rs = 0.304). FOMO shows a slight but significant negative correlation with life satisfaction (p = 0.027, rs = -0.088). Smartphone addiction has a moderate positive correlation with social media addiction (p < 0.00, rs = 0.542).

Conclusion: The prevalence of FOMO among medical students was an alarming sign. Also, social media and smartphone addiction have been becoming issues of concern. The findings of the study showed that FOMO is significantly positively correlated with both smartphone addiction and social media addiction. Smartphone addiction has a moderate positive correlation with social media addiction. FOMO shows a small but significant negative correlation with life satisfaction.