Bouncing forward in a digital world : an investigation of the relationships between young adulthood technology use, resilience and psychological well-being

Young adulthood is a critical developmental stage characterized by increased digital engagement, where fear of missing out (FoMO) has been identified as a potential risk factor for mental health concerns. However, limited research examines how resilience and FoMO interact to predict symptoms of depression and anxiety. This study investigates the relationships between FoMO, resilience, and psychological distress among young adults to inform targeted mental health interventions. A total of 96 participants, aged 19–26 (M = 24, SD = 1.2), completed an online survey assessing self-reported depression, anxiety, resilience, and FoMO. Hierarchical linear regression analyses were conducted to examine the extent to which resilience and FoMO predict symptoms of depression and anxiety. Results indicate that FoMO significantly predicts both depression (β = 0.55, p = .003) and anxiety (β = 0.50, p = .007), suggesting that heightened FoMO is associated with increased psychological distress. In contrast, resilience negatively predicts depression (β = -0.29, p < .001) and anxiety (β = -0.17, p = .037), demonstrating its protective role against these mental health concerns. A significant interaction revealed that the relationship between smartphone addiction and depression varied by FoMO levels, with higher smartphone use linked to lower depression at low FoMO and higher depression at high FoMO. These findings highlight the detrimental impact of FoMO on mental health and the buffering effect of resilience in mitigating distress among young adults. Given the growing prevalence of digital engagement, interventions aimed at fostering resilience and reducing FoMO may be beneficial in addressing depression and anxiety within this demographic.