College students’ loneliness and problematic mobile phone use: Mediation by fear of missing out

Qishan ZHENG; Sisi LIU; Jianhong ZHENG; Maojin GU; Wuming HE

doi:10.1080/14330237.2023.2182033

College students’ loneliness and problematic mobile phone use: Mediation by fear of missing out

Qishan ZHENG
, Sisi LIU
, Jianhong ZHENG
, Maojin GU
, Wuming HE^*

^*Corresponding author for this work

School of Graduate Studies

Research output: Journal Publications › Journal Article (refereed) › peer-review

5 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

This study examined the relationship between loneliness and problematic mobile phone use among university students, as well as the mediating role of fear of missing out in that relationship. College undergraduates (n = 233; female = 51.1%; first-year students = 12.9%; mean age = 22.50 years, SD =1.70 years) from several Chinese provinces completed the University of California Los Angeles Loneliness Scale, The shortened Mobile Phone Problem Use Scale, and the Fear of Missing Out Scale. Statistical analysis confirmed the positive correlation among loneliness, problematic mobile phone use, and fear of missing out. Following multiple regression analysis, results showed that demographic variables including age, sex, and place of hometown did not predict problematic mobile phone use. These findings suggest that the fear of missing out has a significant influence on how college students manage their loneliness and problematic mobile phone use.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	115-121
Number of pages	7
Journal	Journal of Psychology in Africa
Volume	33
Issue number	2
Early online date	31 May 2023
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1080/14330237.2023.2182033
Publication status	Published - 2023

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© 2023 Africa Scholarship Development Enterprize.

Funding

This study was supported by the Special Talent Program of Lingnan Normal University [ZW1602], Guangdong Educational Science Planning Grant [2018GXJK104], Open Project Program of Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Development and Education for Special Needs Children [TJ202104], Yanling Excellent Young Teacher Program of Lingnan Normal University [YL20200201], and the 2022 Annual Research Project of Guangdong Education Association [GDES14298].

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

SDG 3 Good Health and Well-being

Keywords

fear of missing out
loneliness
mediating role
problematic mobile phone use
psychological well-being
university students

Access to Document

10.1080/14330237.2023.2182033

Cite this

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title = "College students{\textquoteright} loneliness and problematic mobile phone use: Mediation by fear of missing out",

abstract = "This study examined the relationship between loneliness and problematic mobile phone use among university students, as well as the mediating role of fear of missing out in that relationship. College undergraduates (n = 233; female = 51.1\%; first-year students = 12.9\%; mean age = 22.50 years, SD =1.70 years) from several Chinese provinces completed the University of California Los Angeles Loneliness Scale, The shortened Mobile Phone Problem Use Scale, and the Fear of Missing Out Scale. Statistical analysis confirmed the positive correlation among loneliness, problematic mobile phone use, and fear of missing out. Following multiple regression analysis, results showed that demographic variables including age, sex, and place of hometown did not predict problematic mobile phone use. These findings suggest that the fear of missing out has a significant influence on how college students manage their loneliness and problematic mobile phone use.",

keywords = "fear of missing out, loneliness, mediating role, problematic mobile phone use, psychological well-being, university students",

author = "Qishan ZHENG and Sisi LIU and Jianhong ZHENG and Maojin GU and Wuming HE",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2023 Africa Scholarship Development Enterprize.",

year = "2023",

doi = "10.1080/14330237.2023.2182033",

language = "English",

volume = "33",

pages = "115--121",

journal = "Journal of Psychology in Africa",

issn = "1433-0237",

publisher = "Taylor and Francis Ltd.",

number = "2",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - College students’ loneliness and problematic mobile phone use: Mediation by fear of missing out

AU - ZHENG, Qishan

AU - LIU, Sisi

AU - ZHENG, Jianhong

AU - GU, Maojin

AU - HE, Wuming

PY - 2023

Y1 - 2023

N2 - This study examined the relationship between loneliness and problematic mobile phone use among university students, as well as the mediating role of fear of missing out in that relationship. College undergraduates (n = 233; female = 51.1%; first-year students = 12.9%; mean age = 22.50 years, SD =1.70 years) from several Chinese provinces completed the University of California Los Angeles Loneliness Scale, The shortened Mobile Phone Problem Use Scale, and the Fear of Missing Out Scale. Statistical analysis confirmed the positive correlation among loneliness, problematic mobile phone use, and fear of missing out. Following multiple regression analysis, results showed that demographic variables including age, sex, and place of hometown did not predict problematic mobile phone use. These findings suggest that the fear of missing out has a significant influence on how college students manage their loneliness and problematic mobile phone use.

AB - This study examined the relationship between loneliness and problematic mobile phone use among university students, as well as the mediating role of fear of missing out in that relationship. College undergraduates (n = 233; female = 51.1%; first-year students = 12.9%; mean age = 22.50 years, SD =1.70 years) from several Chinese provinces completed the University of California Los Angeles Loneliness Scale, The shortened Mobile Phone Problem Use Scale, and the Fear of Missing Out Scale. Statistical analysis confirmed the positive correlation among loneliness, problematic mobile phone use, and fear of missing out. Following multiple regression analysis, results showed that demographic variables including age, sex, and place of hometown did not predict problematic mobile phone use. These findings suggest that the fear of missing out has a significant influence on how college students manage their loneliness and problematic mobile phone use.

KW - fear of missing out

KW - loneliness

KW - mediating role

KW - problematic mobile phone use

KW - psychological well-being

KW - university students

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/85162107022

U2 - 10.1080/14330237.2023.2182033

DO - 10.1080/14330237.2023.2182033

M3 - Journal Article (refereed)

AN - SCOPUS:85162107022

SN - 1433-0237

VL - 33

SP - 115

EP - 121

JO - Journal of Psychology in Africa

JF - Journal of Psychology in Africa

IS - 2

ER -

College students’ loneliness and problematic mobile phone use: Mediation by fear of missing out

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Funding

UN SDGs

Keywords

Access to Document

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Cite this