Impact of FOMO on Social Avoidance Distress and Depression among College Students

Abstract

In today’s digitally driven society, the phenomenon of Fear of Missing Out (FOMO) has emerged as a significant psychological concern, particularly among college students who are immersed in social media. This study investigates the impact of FOMO on social avoidance distress and depression among college students in Kolhapur city, Maharashtra. A total sample of 150 students, comprising 75 with high FOMO and 75 with low FOMO, was selected using non-probability purposive sampling. The Fear of Missing Out Scale (FoMOs), the Social Avoidance and Distress Scale (SADS), and the Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II) were used for data collection. Statistical techniques including the independent samples t-test and Pearson’s correlation coefficient were employed for analysis. Results revealed that students with high FOMO exhibited significantly higher levels of social avoidance distress (M = 15.06, SD = 3.14) compared to those with low FOMO (M = 10.85, SD = 3.96), t(150) = 7.04, p < .01. Similarly, depression scores were significantly elevated in the high FOMO group (M = 30.48, SD = 3.69) compared to the low FOMO group (M = 22.87, SD = 4.70), t(150) = 13.96, p < .01. A strong positive correlation (r = .78) was also observed between social avoidance distress and depression.