The Relationship Between Fear of Missing Out and Phubbing Behaviors: The Mediating Role of Addictive Smartphone Behaviors Among University Students

This study aims to provide insight into potential risk factors for phubbing behaviour, which has become increasingly prevalent in recent years despite limited research on this issue. A cross-sectional study was conducted with 599 Italian and Turkish university students (53.1% female) to investigate the mediating effect of Addictive Smartphone Behavior (ASB) on the relationship between Fear of Missing Out (FOMO) and Phubbing Behavior (PB). Participants completed surveys that included the Smartphone Addiction Scale Short Version (SASSV), the Fear of Missing Out scale (FoMOs), and the General Scale of Phubbing (GSP). Statistical analysis revealed significant direct and indirect effects among FOMO, ASB, and PB, with FOMO having a positive influence on both ASB and PB. Furthermore, there was an indirect influence of FOMO on PB via ASB. These findings contribute to a better understanding of the psychological variables underlying phubbing behaviour. © 2024, The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG.