Problematic Social Media Use effects Social Emotional Competence in Adolescents through Internalizing Problems and Fear of Missing Out

Purpose There is growing apprehension that social media use adversely affects the social emotional development of adolescents. This study examined the relationship between Problematic Social Media Use (PSMU) and Social Emotional Competence (SEC) among Chinese adolescents, focusing on the mediating roles of Internalizing Problems (IP) and Fear of Missing Out (FoMO). Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted with 1448 high school students. The participants completed validated measures assessing PSMU, SEC, IP, and FoMO via an online survey. The data were analyzed via correlation analyses and structural equation modeling (SEM). Results The PSMU was significantly negatively correlated with SEC (r = -0.490, p < 0.01). Both IP and FoMO fully mediated the relationship between PSMU and SEC. Specifically, PSMU positively effected IP (β = 0.827, p < 0.001) and FoMO (β = 0.332, p < 0.001), which in turn negatively effected SEC (IP: β= -0.266, p < 0.001; FoMO: β = -0.266, p < 0.001). The direct effect of PSMU on SEC was non-significant (β= -0.053, p = 0.082), whereas the indirect effects through IP and FoMO were significant, accounting for 89.18% of the total variance. Conclusion This study underscores the critical roles of IP and FoMO as full mediators in the negative association between PSMU and SEC. These findings suggest that interventions targeting PSMU-related impairments in SEC should address underlying emotional issues and FoMO, rather than focus solely on reducing screen time.