Is the relationship between problematic mobile phone use and mental health problems mediated by fear of missing out and escapism?

INTRODUCTION: Individuals with problematic mobile phone use often report mental health problems, however, little is known about factors which mediate this association. Therefore, the aim of this study was to examine the mediating role of fear of missing out (FoMO) and escapism in an attempt to explain the relationship between problematic mobile phone use and mental health problems. METHOD: A total of 235 undergraduate students in Turkey participated in this study. These participants completed a set of questionnaires to measure fear of missing out, problematic mobile phone use, escapism, depression, anxiety, stress, and worry severity. RESULTS: Participants with a high level of problematic mobile phone use also had a high level of mental health problems, FoMO, and escapism. The association between problematic mobile phone use and mental health problems was not mediated by FoMO and escapism. CONCLUSION: Personal characteristics such as emotional regulation and self-regulation need to be examined in future studies in order to determine their potential mediating role in explaining the association between problematic mobile phone use and mental health problems.