In the digital age, social media’s ubiquitous presence in daily life has brought significant shifts in how individuals perceive themselves and their social environment. This issue has ultimately become an important public health challenge, raising critical questions about its psychological effects. The study aims to provide a systematic review of the relationship between doom scrolling, fear of missing out (FOMO), and anxiety in young adults. Initially, 839 articles from PubMed and ScienceDirect were screened, focusing on studies published between 2019 and 2024. The selected timeframe was chosen to assess the impact of social media use across different phases of the COVID-19 pandemic, capturing potential shifts in digital behavior and psychological outcomes. After removing duplicates, 819 articles were retained. A preliminary relevance assessment, based on abstracts and focusing on the young adult demographic, reduced the number to 66 articles. Following a thorough critical appraisal, 17 articles were included in the final review. The main inclusion criteria for these 17 articles were based on their use of specific measurement tools: the Doom Scrolling Scale, the Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-item (GAD-7) Scale, and the Fear of Missing Out (FOMO) Scale. The analysis revealed a strong association between elevated FOMO levels and increased doom scrolling behavior, which heightened anxiety symptoms. The findings are particularly significant post-pandemic, as social media usage surged during the global crisis, and understanding its lingering psychological impacts is crucial for addressing current mental health challenges. This study highlights the need for targeted interventions that address both FOMO and digital consumption patterns to mitigate anxiety. Future research should focus on longitudinal studies to explore causal relationships and develop strategies to manage FOMO and social media usage, which will be essential for improving mental health outcomes in the post-pandemic world.

Authors: Aqilah A. Julaihi, Norita Ahmad

• Date of Conference: 4-6 November 2024
• DOI: 10.20533/LICE.2024.0027
• ISBN: 978-1-913572-74-7
• Conference Location: St Anne’s College, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK