Problematic Instagram use: The mediating role of Instagram escapism between fear of missing out (FoMO) and life satisfaction

Digital escapism is a common behavior used as a coping mechanism to avoid confronting real-life emotional or social challenges. The current study examines the potential mediating role of Instagram escapism – a specific form of digital escapism – in the relationship between fear of missing out (FoMO) on social media and overall life satisfaction. A self-reported questionnaire was utilized to collect data from 356 participants, and structural equation modeling (CB-SEM) was employed to analyze the data using SmartPLS. The findings indicated that FoMO has a negative and significant effect on life satisfaction, while Instagram escapism fully mediates the relationship between FoMO and life satisfaction. This study contributes to the small body of research on social media-oriented escapism and highlights the importance of Instagram escapism as a dimension of problematic Instagram usage.