Depression, anxiety and fear of missing out as correlates of social, non-social and problematic smartphone use

Jon D Elhai; Elizabeth F Gallinari; Dmitri Rozgonjuk; Haibo Yang

doi:10.1016/j.addbeh.2020.106335

Depression, anxiety and fear of missing out as correlates of social, non-social and problematic smartphone use

Addict Behav. 2020 Jun:105:106335. doi: 10.1016/j.addbeh.2020.106335. Epub 2020 Feb 7.

Authors

Jon D Elhai¹, Elizabeth F Gallinari², Dmitri Rozgonjuk³, Haibo Yang⁴

Affiliations

¹ Academy of Psychology and Behavior, Tianjin Normal University, No. 57-1 Wujiayao Street, Hexi District, Tianjin 300074, China; Department of Psychology, University of Toledo, 2801 West Bancroft Street, Toledo, OH 43606, USA; Department of Psychiatry, University of Toledo, 3000 Arlington Avenue, Toledo, OH 43614, USA. Electronic address: contact@jon-elhai.com.
² Department of Psychology, University of Toledo, 2801 West Bancroft Street, Toledo, OH 43606, USA.
³ Institute of Psychology, University of Tartu, Näituse 2, Tartu 50409, Estonia; Center of IT Impact Studies, Johann Skytte Institute for Political Studies, University of Tartu, Lossi 36, Tartu 51003, Estonia; Ulm University, Ulm, Germany.
⁴ Academy of Psychology and Behavior, Tianjin Normal University, No. 57-1 Wujiayao Street, Hexi District, Tianjin 300074, China.

PMID: 32062337
DOI: 10.1016/j.addbeh.2020.106335

Abstract

Few studies have examined mental health variables in relation to social vs. non-social smartphone use, and how such types of use relate to problematic smartphone use (PSU). We conducted a web survey of 316 American undergraduate students about severity of depression, anxiety, fear of missing out (FOMO), social and non-social smartphone use, and PSU. Using structural equation modeling, we found that compared to social smartphone use, non-social use was more strongly linked with severity of PSU (β = 0.18, p < .05) and FOMO (β = 0.24, p < .05). FOMO mediated relations between depression severity and non-social smartphone use (β = 0.09, p = .04). Furthermore, FOMO mediated relations between both depression (β = 0.23, p < .001) and anxiety (β = 0.16, p = .04) with PSU severity. We discuss non-social smartphone use as a possible avoidance strategy among anxious individuals, and the role of FOMO in individuals desiring social connectedness but also feeling socially anxious. Results are discussed in the context of a comprehensive theoretical model on pathways toward excessive internet use.

Keywords: Anxiety; Depression; Fear of missing out; Problematic smartphone use; Social networking.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Adolescent
Anxiety / psychology*
Behavior, Addictive / psychology*
Depression / psychology*
Fear / psychology*
Female
Humans
Latent Class Analysis
Male
Mental Health*
Models, Theoretical
Smartphone*
Social Networking
Students / psychology
United States / epidemiology
Young Adult