Teens tend to use social networking sites frequently. According to a 2023 Gallup survey, slightly more than half of American teens reported spending at least four hours a day on social media apps, including Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, Facebook and X (formerly known as Twitter).
They also tend to be at an age where they are burkina faso leads particularly susceptible to comparing themselves unfavorably to their peers. As a result, FOMO can have a powerful and often devastating effect on teens who spend a lot of time on social media.
Girls with depression tend to use social networking sites more frequently, while for boys, anxiety is a trigger that leads to more frequent social media use. 5 This suggests that increased social media use can lead to higher rates of stress caused by FOMO.
FOMO, Age, and Gender
Multiple studies have found that people of all ages can experience FOMO. A study in the journal Psychiatric Research found that fear of missing out was associated with increased smartphone and social media use, and that this link was independent of age or gender.
So, what are the main causes of FOMO? While multiple factors may play a role, the study also found that social media use and "problematic" smartphone use were associated with increased FOMO experiences. Smartphone use has been linked to fear of negative and even positive judgment from others, and has been linked to negative effects on mood.
Teens and young adults may be particularly susceptible to FOMO. Seeing posts from friends and others on social media can trigger comparisons and an overwhelming fear of missing out on what their peers are experiencing.
Research suggests that for some teens, FOMO may play a role in the following ways.