College Students' Social Media Addiction and Sleep Problems: Chain Mediating Effects of Fear of Missing Out and Nocturnal Social Media Use

Abstract

This study investigated the effect of social media addiction on sleep problems in college students, and the chain mediating effects in this relationship of fear of missing out and nocturnal social media use. We conducted a survey of 907 college students in China using the Social Media Addiction Scale, the Fear of Missing Out Scale, the Nocturnal Social Media Use Scale, and the Pittsburgh Sleep Index Scale. Results showed that social media addiction significantly and positively predicted poor sleep quality, and that fear of missing out and nocturnal social media use had a chain mediating effect in this relationship. Reducing social media addiction and nocturnal social media use, and developing education-guided measures aimed at reducing fear of missing out will be beneficial to improving the sleep quality of college students.