THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN FEAR OF MISSING OUT AND ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE: EVIDENCE FROM STUDENTS AT HUNG VUONG UNIVERSITY

This study examines the relationship between Fear of Missing Out (FOMO) and academic performance among students at Hung Vuong University, with a particular focus on students from the Faculty of Economics and Business Administration. Drawing on Self-Determination Theory and Social Comparison Theory, the study conceptualizes FOMO as a multidimensional construct including four components: fear of missing information, self-comparison with others, need for social connection, and frequent social media checking behavior. A mixed-method design was employed, combining literature review and quantitative survey analysis. Primary data were collected from 250 valid responses, and the measurement model included 24 observed variables. The results indicate that all four dimensions of FOMO negatively and significantly affect students’ academic performance. Among them, frequent social media checking behavior exerts the strongest effect, followed by need for social connection, self-comparison with others, and fear of missing information. The findings suggest that FOMO is not merely an emotional state but also a behavioral mechanism that interferes with concentration, time use, and learning effectiveness. The study contributes to the growing literature on digital behavior and education by providing empirical evidence from a local Vietnamese university context and offers practical implications for students, lecturers, and universities in reducing the adverse educational consequences of excessive digital engagement.