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CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 · Sleep Sci 2024; 17(03): e227-e234
DOI: 10.1055/s-0044-1780499
Original Article

Fear of Missing Out Syndrome and its Impact on Sleep Quality in Medical Students: A Cross-sectional Study

Jullyane Laysa de Carvalho Oliveira
Department of Medicine, Centro Universitário de João Pessoa, UNIPÊ, João Pessoa, PB, Brazil
,
Otília Jurema de Carvalho Neta
Department of Medicine, Centro Universitário de João Pessoa, UNIPÊ, João Pessoa, PB, Brazil
,
Rodolfo Augusto Bacelar de Athayde 
Department of Medicine, Centro Universitário de João Pessoa, UNIPÊ, João Pessoa, PB, Brazil
› Author Affiliations Funding Source The author(s) received no financial support for the research.

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Abstract

Objective Fear of missing out (FOMO) is a type of social anxiety defined as “intense concern that others may be experiencing rewarding experiences without one's presence,” which can lead to illness. Excessive smartphone use is often associated with FOMO. This study aimed to investigate FOMO among medical university students, as well as factors associated with sleep quality, anxiety, depression, and excessive smartphone use.

Materials and Methods A cross-sectional observational study was conducted using electronic questionnaires and the following scales: FOMO scale/score, Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI), Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), and Smartphone Addiction Scale Short Version (SAS SV).

Results Participants included 142 individuals (mean age 23.73 ± 4.98 years, 97 [68.3% female]). All participants were smartphone users. Fear of missing out was present (FOMO score 22.08 ± 6.71) along with poorer sleep quality (PSQI 7.26 ± 3.08) and excessive smartphone use (SAS SV 30.21 ± 10.20). Moderate/severe anxiety (BAI) was reported by 35.2% of participants, while 16.9% had moderate/severe depression (BDI). Positive correlations were found between PSQI and FOMO (p < 0.05), as well as between SAS SV and FOMO (p < 0.001), PSQI (p < 0.001), BAI (p < 0.001), and BDI (p < 0.001).

Discussion High levels of FOMO, poorer sleep quality, symptoms of depression, anxiety, and excessive smartphone use were found among medical students. Furthermore, a positive correlation was demonstrated between these factors, which can directly impact the physical and mental health, as well as the academic performance of these young individuals.

Keywords

sleep - quality of life - anxiety - depression - smartphone - social media

HEADINGS: Sleep. Quality of Life. Anxiety. Depression. Smartphone. Social Media.




Publication History

Received: 17 June 2023

Accepted: 22 September 2023

Article published online:
21 May 2024

© 2024. Brazilian Sleep Association. This is an open access article published by Thieme under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonDerivative-NonCommercial License, permitting copying and reproduction so long as the original work is given appropriate credit. Contents may not be used for commercial purposes, or adapted, remixed, transformed or built upon. (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/)

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