An Empirical Study on the Relationship between Fear of Missing Out (FOMO) and Mental Health among Late Adolescents

Abstract

The present study was conducted to examine the relationship between Fear of Missing Out (FOMO) and mental health among late adolescents in Jammu District, India. Mental health was assessed in terms of depression, anxiety, and stress. The study also explored differences based on gender and type of school attended. A total of 200 students from Classes 11 and 12, aged 15 to 18 years, were selected from government and private schools using stratified purposive sampling with equal gender representation. Data were collected using the Fear of Missing Out Scale (Przybylski et al., 2013) and the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale–21 (Lovibond & Lovibond, 1995). Descriptive statistics, Pearson's correlation, and independent samples t-tests were used for analysis. The findings indicated moderate levels of both FOMO (M = 27.33, SD = 6.594) and mental health distress (M = 22.93, SD = 10.106). A statistically significant but low positive relationship was found between FOMO and mental health (r = .147*, p = 0.038) suggesting that adolescents experiencing higher FOMO also tend to report greater psychological distress. No significant gender difference was found in FOMO, however female students reported significantly higher mental health distress than male students. No significant differences were observed between government and private school students on either variable. The study highlights FOMO as a meaningful psychological concern during late adolescence and emphasises the need for gender-sensitive mental health interventions within school settings