Fear of Missing Out and Disrupted Sleep in the Digital Age: The Protective Function of Psychological Capital in Emerging Adults

OBJECTIVE: In recent times, Fear of Missing Out (FoMO) has emerged as a significant psychological construct adversely impacting the well-being and emotional health of social media users. Among the many psychological and physiological impacts of FoMO, its relation with sleep is frequently examined, considering its influence on disruption of sleep. This study intended to explore the association between FoMO, Psychological Capital (PsyCap), and sleep quality among college students and to determine whether PsyCap moderates the relationship between FoMO and sleep quality. METHOD: A total of 110 college students aged between 18 and 25 participated in the study. Standardized self-report measures, including the Fear of Missing Out Scale (FoMOs), Psychological Capital Questionnaire (PCQ-24), and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), were employed to assess FoMO, PsyCap, and sleep quality. Descriptive statistics, Pearson correlations, independent sample t-tests, and moderation analysis using the Hayes PROCESS macro (Model 1) were executed. RESULTS: Findings demonstrated that FoMO was positively correlated with poor sleep quality. PsyCap, on the other hand, was negatively correlated to FoMO and poor sleep quality. Further, it was observed that FoMO significantly correlates with poorer sleep in those students with low PsyCap levels. CONCLUSION: PsyCap appears to play a moderating role against the effects of FoMO on sleep. The study highlights the need to conduct PsyCap-based interventions for enhancing the sleep quality and overall well-being among young adults.