The Relationship between FOMO and Academic Performance: Examining Both the Role of Social Media Use and Anxiety

Abstract

The fear of missing out (FoMO is described as the need for continuous inclusion within other individual lives through online mediums (Przybylski et al., 2013). This mentality, fueled by the distraction of social media and the anxiety FoMO instils, may distract adolescents from keeping ample attention on academic work. However, there is limited evidence regarding the association between FoMO and overall academic performance. This study aims to test said relationship using data from the Dutch Health Behaviour in School Aged Children (HBSC) study over a three‐year period, with a sample consisting of 403 Dutch high school students aged 11–15 years. Results suggest that FoMO does not significantly predict academic performance or overall social media use. However, it is found that FoMO does significantly predict higher amounts of anxiety This implies that FoMO leads to an increase in anxiety levels among students which may lead to future problems during adolescenthood such as impairment of memory and cognitive function.