Stress and Entertainment Motivation are Related to Problematic Smartphone Use: Fear of Missing Out as a Mediator

Previous research shows that perceived stress and social media use motivations (entertainment and escapism), are related to problematic smartphone use. However, little is known regarding the mediating factors underlying this relationship. The purpose of this study is to analyze the fear of missing out (FoMO) as a possible mediator between entertainment motivation, stress, and problematic smartphone use. We collected data with a survey of 370 students from a university in Turkey and tested the relationships. The results show that perceived stress and entertainment motivation (but not escapism motivation) are significantly related to FoMO and problematic smartphone use among Turkish university students. We also found that FoMO mediates the relationship of perceived stress and entertainment motivation with problematic smartphone use. Our study contributes to the existing literature by highlighting the importance of FoMO and problematic smartphone use.