Fear of missing out (FOMO) as a predictor of smartphone addiction and mental health outcomes among University Students in Dhaka, Bangladesh: A cross-sectional study.

Abstract

Growing dependence on smartphones has created new psychological and behavioral challenges. This issue is particularly pressing among young adults who are at a critical stage of emotional and academic development. This study aims to explore the relationship between fear of missing out, mobile phone addiction, and mental health status among university students in Dhaka. Participants were recruited from both public and private universities through a multistage stratified random sampling approach to conduct a cross-sectional study. A total of 500 undergraduate students aged 18-25 years were included. Data was collected using a structured, self-administered online questionnaire comprising validated Bangla versions of the FoMO Scale, Smartphone Addiction Scale, and the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale (DASS-21). More than half of the participants (56.8%) experienced a moderate level of Fear of Missing Out (FoMO), while 8.8% reported a high level of FoMO. About one-fifth (21.4%) met the criteria for smartphone addiction. Psychological distress was widespread; nearly 70% of respondents reported depressive symptoms, over half (54.6%) experienced extremely severe anxiety, and more than 60% had moderate to severe stress. Participants with depression (OR = 7.01, 95% CI: 4.27-11.47), anxiety (OR = 5.61, 95% CI: 3.36-9.35), and stress (OR = 9.69, 95% CI: 6.33-14.84) were significantly more likely to exhibit high FoMO. Smartphone-addicted individuals were 4.46 times more likely to have high FoMO (95% CI: 2.45-8.11, p < 0.001). Additionally, FoMO was significantly linked to late-night smartphone use (p < 0.001) and poor sleep habits (p = 0.046). Addressing FoMO through awareness, digital well-being education, and mental health support within university settings could help reduce smartphone dependency and improve students' psychological resilience.