Does smartphone addiction impact happiness? exploring the mediating roles of belongingness and fear of missing out: a cross-sectional survey from Turkey

The aim of the study is to determine whether the fear of missing out (FoMO) has a mediating role in the effect of general belongingness (acceptance, exclusion) and happiness on smartphone addiction. The study consists of 656 university students from Turkey and agreeing to participate in the study. Of the students participating in the study, 77.7% were female. The participants were between the ages of 17 and 34, with a mean age of 21.32 ± 2.08 years. In this cross-sectional research design, the relationship between smartphone addiction, fear of missing out, general belonging and happiness variables was examined. Descriptive statistical methods were used to analyze the data and partial least squares path analysis (PLS-SEM) was used to analyze the research model. FoMO has a mediating effect on the effect of acceptance, exclusion, happiness on smartphone addiction. These findings highlight the significant role of FoMO in mediating the relationship between fundamental social needs (belongingness, happiness) and smartphone addiction. This suggests that interventions aimed at reducing smartphone addiction should consider addressing not only the technological dependence but also the underlying social and emotional needs that drive it. Promoting healthy social connections and fostering a sense of belonging among young adults may be crucial in mitigating the risk of smartphone addiction.