The Relationship Between Social Network Use, Self-Esteem, and School Procrastination in Adolescents Mediated by the FOMO

Today's world is known to be in constant dynamics, and adolescents are the ones who adapt quickly to those social paradigms. Through this research we investigate the relationships between social network use, self-esteem, and school procrastination in adolescents, analyzing the Fear of Missing Out (FOMO) phenomenon as a mediating variable. FOMO refers to the fear of missing out on important experiences that others are living and is fueled by constant exposure to idealized media content on social networks. The study starts from the following hypotheses: (H1) heavy use of social networks is associated with low self-esteem; (H2) positive self-esteem correlates negatively with excessive use of social networks and the negative impact of FOMO; (H3) long time spent online leads to higher levels of school procrastination; (H4) high self-esteem is associated with a reduced tendency to procrastinate; (H5) girls exhibit higher levels of FOMO and procrastination compared to boys. The importance of this research is justified by the psycho-emotional impact of social networks on adolescents, particularly in contexts where upward social comparisons can lead to negative self-evaluations and the development of maladaptive behaviors, especially in the school environment and with academic performance. The results will contribute to the development of prevention and intervention strategies, supporting balanced and healthy adolescent development in the era of technology dominance.