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Fear of Missing Out, Depression, and Problematic Smartphone Use in Canadian Adolescents: A Developmental Cascade
Bowen Xiao1, Claire Hein-Salvi1, Haoyu Zhao1
1Department of Educational and Counseling Psychology, and Special Education, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada.
Journal of Adolescence
|February 12, 2026
Summary
Problematic smartphone use in adolescents predicts later depression, directly and through increased Fear of Missing Out (FoMO). Addressing excessive screen time is key to reducing depression risks.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Adolescent Health
- Digital Well-being
Background:
- The link between adolescent problematic smartphone use and mental health is established, but directionality is unclear.
- Fear of Missing Out (FoMO) is a potential mediator in this relationship.
- Longitudinal data is needed to understand causal links.
Purpose of the Study:
- To longitudinally examine the relationship between problematic smartphone use, FoMO, and depression in Canadian adolescents.
- To investigate the directionality of these associations over time.
- To identify potential mediators linking smartphone use and depression.
Main Methods:
- A 3-year longitudinal study of 1,298 Canadian adolescents (mean age 14.56).
- Self-reported data on problematic smartphone use, FoMO, and internalizing problems (depression).
- Cross-lagged panel models were used to analyze the data.
Main Results:
- Higher problematic smartphone use predicted higher depression levels across time points.
- Problematic smartphone use at Time 1 predicted higher FoMO at Time 2.
- FoMO at Time 2 predicted higher depression at Time 3, mediating the effect of smartphone use.
Conclusions:
- A unidirectional relationship exists: problematic smartphone use predicts future depression.
- FoMO acts as a significant mediator in the pathway from problematic smartphone use to depression.
- Interventions targeting adolescent smartphone use may help prevent depression.
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