Fear of missing out (FoMO) is a psychological phenomenon commonly observed among young adults, particularly college students, and is closely associated with social media use. FoMO increases the frequency of social media checking, which heightens the likelihood of exposure to alcohol-related content (ARC) shared by peers. Such exposure has been identified in various studies as a potential factor contributing to increased alcohol consumption and negative alcohol-related outcomes. While previous research has independently explored the relationship between FoMO, social media use, and alcohol-related outcomes, no studies have examined whether ARC exposure serves as a mechanism linking FoMO to drinking behaviors. To fill this gap, the current study aims to investigate whether FoMO is indirectly associated with alcohol outcomes through the mediating effects of social media checking frequency and peer-related ARC exposure among college students.
The study conducted a survey of 705 college students to assess Fear of Missing Out (FoMO), social media use, peer-shared alcohol-related content (ARC), alcohol consumption, and alcohol-related problems. FoMO was evaluated using a 10-item scale, social media use was assessed with a single-item measure, and ARC exposure was determined based on the frequency of peer-shared content. Alcohol consumption, including quantity, frequency, and peak drinking levels, was measured using the Daily Drinking Questionnaire (DDQ), while alcohol-related problems were assessed with the 24-item Brief Young Adult Alcohol Consequences Questionnaire (BYAACQ). Two cross-sectional serial mediation models were employed to examine the indirect associations between FoMO and both typical drinking (i.e., drinking frequency and quantity) and problematic alcohol use outcomes (i.e., peak drinks and alcohol-related problems).
The findings revealed that students with higher levels of Fear of Missing Out (FoMO) tended to check social media more frequently, which, in turn, was significantly associated with greater exposure to peer-shared alcohol-related content (ARC). This exposure was positively linked to typical drinking outcomes, including drinking quantity (B = 0.06), drinking frequency (B = 0.01), peak drinks (B = 0.02), and alcohol-related problems (B = 0.01). Furthermore, FoMO was found to indirectly influence these drinking behaviors through the mediating roles of social media checking frequency and ARC exposure, indicating that students with higher levels of FoMO are shown to have an increased likelihood of problematic drinking. These findings underscore the critical role of FoMO and social media usage in shaping drinking behaviors among college students, highlighting the need for intervention strategies aimed at reducing social media usage and ARC exposure, particularly among students with elevated levels of FoMO.
Takeaway: FoMO indirectly influences college students’ drinking behaviors through social media usage and exposure to alcohol-related content, underscoring the importance of targeted interventions to reduce these mediating factors.