The Mediating Role of Boredom and Fear of Missing Out in the relationship between Depression Symptoms and Problematic Mobile Phone Use

Abstract

The aim of current study was to investigate the mediating role of boredom and fear of missing out in the relationship between depression symptoms and problematic cell-phone use. The research design was descriptive-correlational. From the male adolescents’ population in academic year of 1398-1399, a total of 276 high school students selected via multistage cluster sampling method and were examined by Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II), Multidimensional State Boredom Scale(MSBS), Cell-phone Over Use Scale(COUS), and Fear of Missing Out Scale (FOMOS). To analyze the collected data Pearson correlation coefficient and path analysis were conducted. The results of path analysis showed that direct effect of depression symptoms, direct effect of psychological boredom, and the direct effect of fear of missing out on problematic cell-phone use were significantly positive. Also, results showed that the mediating role of psychological boredom and fear of missing out in the relationship between depression symptoms and problematic cell-phone use was significant. Based on the findings, it can be concluded that depression, boredom and fear of missing out information and social events were important factors affecting adolescents’ problematic cell-phone use. Therefore, it is suggested that specialists by reducing boredom and anxiety caused by fear of missing out through training and counseling interventions help adolescents to manage the symptoms of depression and problematic cell-phone use.

Keywords

• boredom
• cell-phone
• depression
• fear of missing out