Fear of missing out as a mediator and social capital as a moderator of the relationship between the narcissism and the social media use among adolescents
Jiang Lilan,
Lu Aitao,
Lin Yuxiang,
Liu Siyi,
Li Juan,
Song Tianhua,
Li Chenxi,
Huang Xin,
Wang Xuebin,
Luo Jialing,
Ye Liwen,
Jian Yexuan,
Zhong Wenya
Affiliations
Jiang Lilan
Key Laboratory of Brain, Cognition and Education Sciences, Ministry of Education, China + School of Psychology, Center for Studies of Psychological Application, and Guangdong Key Laboratory of Mental Health and Cognitive Science, South China Normal University, China
Lu Aitao
Key Laboratory of Brain, Cognition and Education Sciences, Ministry of Education, China + School of Psychology, Center for Studies of Psychological Application, and Guangdong Key Laboratory of Mental Health and Cognitive Science, South China Normal University, China
Lin Yuxiang
Key Laboratory of Brain, Cognition and Education Sciences, Ministry of Education, China + School of Psychology, Center for Studies of Psychological Application, and Guangdong Key Laboratory of Mental Health and Cognitive Science, South China Normal University, China
Liu Siyi
Key Laboratory of Brain, Cognition and Education Sciences, Ministry of Education, China + School of Psychology, Center for Studies of Psychological Application, and Guangdong Key Laboratory of Mental Health and Cognitive Science, South China Normal University, China
Li Juan
Tin Ka Ping Secondary School, Shaoguan City, Guangdong Province, China
Song Tianhua
Key Laboratory of Brain, Cognition and Education Sciences, Ministry of Education, China + School of Psychology, Center for Studies of Psychological Application, and Guangdong Key Laboratory of Mental Health and Cognitive Science, South China Normal University, China
Li Chenxi
Key Laboratory of Brain, Cognition and Education Sciences, Ministry of Education, China + School of Psychology, Center for Studies of Psychological Application, and Guangdong Key Laboratory of Mental Health and Cognitive Science, South China Normal University, China
Huang Xin
Key Laboratory of Brain, Cognition and Education Sciences, Ministry of Education, China + School of Psychology, Center for Studies of Psychological Application, and Guangdong Key Laboratory of Mental Health and Cognitive Science, South China Normal University, China
Wang Xuebin
Key Laboratory of Brain, Cognition and Education Sciences, Ministry of Education, China + School of Psychology, Center for Studies of Psychological Application, and Guangdong Key Laboratory of Mental Health and Cognitive Science, South China Normal University, China
Luo Jialing
Key Laboratory of Brain, Cognition and Education Sciences, Ministry of Education, China + School of Psychology, Center for Studies of Psychological Application, and Guangdong Key Laboratory of Mental Health and Cognitive Science, South China Normal University, China
Ye Liwen
Key Laboratory of Brain, Cognition and Education Sciences, Ministry of Education, China + School of Psychology, Center for Studies of Psychological Application, and Guangdong Key Laboratory of Mental Health and Cognitive Science, South China Normal University, China
Jian Yexuan
Key Laboratory of Brain, Cognition and Education Sciences, Ministry of Education, China + School of Psychology, Center for Studies of Psychological Application, and Guangdong Key Laboratory of Mental Health and Cognitive Science, South China Normal University, China
Zhong Wenya
Key Laboratory of Brain, Cognition and Education Sciences, Ministry of Education, China + School of Psychology, Center for Studies of Psychological Application, and Guangdong Key Laboratory of Mental Health and Cognitive Science, South China Normal University, China
Many risk behaviors, such as cigarette smoking, excessive alcohol consumption, and problematic social media use (PSMU), are formed and developed during adolescence. These risk behaviors may become even more acute with lasting global economic impacts of the 2020-2022 COVID-19 pandemic. Previous research indicates that narcissism can lead to problematic social media use; however, there is a gap in the knowledge about the mediating and moderating variables facilitating this relationship. This study examines the role of fear of missing out (FoMO) as a mediator in this relationship and the role of social capital as a moderator for this mediation effect among Chinese adolescents during the 2020-2022 COVID-19 pandemic. A total of 1380 adolescents (825 females) anonymously completed the questionnaires which assessed the four variables of interest. Our results showed that fear of missing out mediated the associations between self-superior and other-inferior narcissism and problematic social media use, and this effect was stronger with other-inferior narcissism. Additionally, social capital strengthened the mediation effect of fear of missing out in the relationships between self-superior and other-inferior narcissism and problematic social media use. The results have critical implications for the prevention of adolescents’ PSMU.
