Reciprocal relationship between phubbing and fear of missing out among university students: A cross-lagged panel model

Smartphone use has given rise to phubbing, where individuals snub others in favor of their mobile phones, which is closely linked to the fear of missing out (FoMO). This study investigates the reciprocal relationship between phubbing behavior and fear of missing out among university students. A two-wave cross-lagged panel model was used, and 200 university students from District Haripur responded to the measures of phubbing and the fear of missing out. The auto-regressive paths revealed that both constructs exhibited significant temporal stability, with substantial path coefficients from T1 to T2 for phubbing and FoMO. Findings show acceptable model fit with the data : χ 2 = 1.38, df = 2, p = 0.50, RMSEA = 0.12, CFI = 0.99, SRMR = 0.01. Next, we entered the model's cross-lagged paths, and fit indices were χ 2 (= 15.92, df = 2, p = 0.00, RMSEA = 0.07, CFI = 0.94, SRMR = 0.04). Phubbing at T1 predicted FoMO at T2, and FoMO at T1 predicted phubbing at T2. Notably, the concurrent paths between phubbing and FoMO had a significant positive correlation. Overall, the findings supported a reciprocal relationship between the two constructs. In sum, phubbing and fear of missing out harm students' socio-emotional well-being and underscore the need for early detection and eradication of these behaviours. The study offers practical implications for parents, educators, and mental health professionals. • Phubbing and fear of missing out remain consistent over time and early reports of both behaviors show stability in later reports. • Phubbing is positively associated with fear of missing out at both time points. • There is a reciprocal association between phubbing and fear of missing out among university students. • Findings underscore the psychological ramifications of excessive smartphone use and advocate for evidence-based interventions to curtail maladaptive behaviors.