Document Type : Research Paper
Authors
1
Student of Educational Psychology, Department of Psychology, Bu-Ali Sina University, Hamedan, Iran.
2
Professor,, Department of Psychology, Bu-Ali Sina University, Hamedan, Iran.
3
Associate Professor,, Department of Psychology, Bu-Ali Sina University, Hamedan, Iran.
4
Assistant Professor, Department of Psychology, Faculty of Literature and Humanities, University of Guilan, Rasht, Iran.
10.22098/jsp.2026.20590.6516
Abstract
Objective: The present study aimed to develop and test a structural model explaining social media addiction in adolescents based on loneliness, maladaptive cognitions, and difficulties in emotion regulation, with fear of missing out (FoMO) serving as a mediating variable.
Method: This fundamental research employed a correlational design using structural equation modeling. The statistical population comprised all upper secondary school students in Hamadan, Iran, during the 2023–2024 academic year, totaling approximately 24,000 individuals. A sample of 500 students (254 girls, 246 boys) was selected via random cluster sampling. Data were collected using standardized scales and analyzed through bootstrap methods. Data analysis was performed using SPSS version 27 and LISREL version 8.8.
Results: Findings indicated that loneliness (β=0.23), maladaptive cognitions (β=0.44), and emotion regulation difficulties (β=0.59) had significant direct effects on FoMO (p<0.01). FoMO (β=0.36) and loneliness (β=0.33) exhibited significant direct effects on addiction, whereas the direct effects of maladaptive cognitions (β=0.10) and emotion regulation difficulties (β=0.07) were not significant. The mediating role of FoMO in the relationship between all three predictor variables and addiction was confirmed (p<0.01).
Conclusion: FoMO serves as the central mechanism through which psychological vulnerabilities translate into addictive behaviors. It is recommended that schools implement workshops on media literacy and emotion regulation, families foster open communication and device-free time, and counseling services utilize cognitive-behavioral therapy and mindfulness-based approaches. These interventions aim to reduce FoMO and restructure maladaptive beliefs, thereby promoting healthy social media use as an alternative to addictive patterns.
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