• by Erik Sass , Staff Writer @eriksass1, September 14, 2015

The “fear of missing out,” better known by the acronym FOMO, is a real psychological phenomenon with negative consequences for social media users who are affected by it, according to a new study by researchers at the University of Glasgow, which linked social media to anxiety, depression, and decreased sleep quality in teenagers.

The study surveyed 467 teens ages 11-17 about their social media usage throughout the day, including at night. A number of other tests examined their sleep quality, self-esteem, moods, and the amount of importance they placed on always being able to immediately respond to texts and posts.

The researchers found that teens who expressed a higher degree of emotional investment in social media were more likely to use social media at night, have poor sleep quality, suffer from low self-esteem, and feel depression and anxiety than peers who didn’t feel so invested in social media. Social media use in general was also correlated with poor sleep quality, but at a lower level.

One of the researchers, Dr. Cleland Woods, stated: “While overall social media use impacts on sleep quality, those who log on at night appear to be particularly affected. This may be mostly true of individuals who are highly emotionally invested. This means we have to think about how our kids use social media, in relation to time for switching off.”

As always, it should be noted that this study doesn’t necessarily address the issue of causation: for example, it may simply be the case that teens who are already prone to depression and poor sleep habits are also more likely to use social media compulsively. However, social media may still be playing a role in the process by enabling or amplifying the negative behaviors.

Back in August I wrote about another study, based on a survey of 753 high school students in Ontario, which found that intensive social media use is correlated with teen depression. Specifically, teens who spend more than two hours per day on social media -- a quarter of the total survey group -- were significantly more likely to report poor mental health and psychological distress, including suicidal thoughts.

Another study published by the Future Foundation around the same time found that 56% of British social media users feel they are not reaching their full potential, compared to 39% of people who don’t use social media. Their main self-perceived shortcomings fell in the areas of body image, career, energy levels, and mood.