The Effect of Self-Esteem on Fear of Missing Out (FOMO) in High School Students

Abstract

The development of digital technology has significantly changed the social interaction patterns of adolescents. Social media has become a primary platform for constructing identity and gaining social recognition. One psychological phenomenon that emerges from intense social media use is Fear of Missing Out (FOMO), which is anxiety when an individual feels left out of other people's social experiences. This study aims to determine the influence self-esteem on FOMO in high school adolescents. Self-esteem is understood as an individual's evaluation of their own worth and self-worth, while FOMO is an excessive worry that others are having more enjoyable experiences. This study used a quantitative approach with a correlational method. The results showed a significant negative influence between self-esteem and FOMO. The higher self-esteem teenagers, the lower the tendency to experience FOMO. This finding confirms that self-esteem plays a role as a protective factor against digital social anxiety in adolescents.