FoMO and scrupulosity as emerging indicators of youth well-being in the context of lifestyle transformation in Kerala
Background: The rapid expansion of social media has transformed the psychological experiences of youth, particularly in socio-culturally dynamic contexts
such as Kerala. Despite growing research on social media and mental health, the mechanisms through which digital engagement produces deeper cognitive
and moral outcomes remain underexplored.
Aim: This study investigated the mediating role of Fear of Missing Out (FoMO) in the relationship between social media addiction and scrupulosity among
college-going youth (N = 428; Mean age = 21.4, SD = 2.1) in Kerala.
Methodology: A cross-sectional design was employed using standardized, culturally adapted self-report measures. Bootstrapped mediation analysis (5,000
resamples) indicated that FoMO significantly partially mediated the social media addiction–scrupulosity relationship (indirect β = .26, 95% CI [.18, .34]).
Results: Females reported significantly higher FoMO and scrupulosity than males.
Conclusion: The findings support a behavioral–emotional–moral pathway model of digital distress and highlight the need for interventions targeting
comparison-based cognition and moral self-evaluation, not only screen-time reduction. Limitations and directions for future research are discuss
such as Kerala. Despite growing research on social media and mental health, the mechanisms through which digital engagement produces deeper cognitive
and moral outcomes remain underexplored.
Aim: This study investigated the mediating role of Fear of Missing Out (FoMO) in the relationship between social media addiction and scrupulosity among
college-going youth (N = 428; Mean age = 21.4, SD = 2.1) in Kerala.
Methodology: A cross-sectional design was employed using standardized, culturally adapted self-report measures. Bootstrapped mediation analysis (5,000
resamples) indicated that FoMO significantly partially mediated the social media addiction–scrupulosity relationship (indirect β = .26, 95% CI [.18, .34]).
Results: Females reported significantly higher FoMO and scrupulosity than males.
Conclusion: The findings support a behavioral–emotional–moral pathway model of digital distress and highlight the need for interventions targeting
comparison-based cognition and moral self-evaluation, not only screen-time reduction. Limitations and directions for future research are discuss