Effects of fear of missing out, smartphone addiction, phubbing, and being phubbed on friendship satisfaction

The relationship between smartphone use, interpersonal interaction, and friendship satisfaction (FS) remains underexplored in literature. The present study addressed this gap by examining how smartphone-related behaviours, such as phubbing and smartphone addiction (SPA), are associated with fear of missing out (FoMO), being phubbed (BP) and FS. The study surveyed 811 university students and explored the aforementioned relationships and the dual roles of SPA as a mediator and BP as a moderator. The findings showed that FoMO positively correlated with phubbing, with SPA as a partial mediator, suggesting that reducing SPA could mitigate phubbing. Results also showed that BP moderated the relationship between these variables, influencing the effects of phubbing on FS. Notably, the findings also showed that while phubbing typically harms FS, BP can transform this negative impact into a positive one when friends share this behaviour. These findings contribute to the theoretical understanding of digital behaviours’ effects on social interactions and offer practical implications. Interventions such as digital detox programmes, mindfulness training, and social skills workshops are recommended to promote healthier digital habits and improve social relationships. The need for tailored support for at-risk students and policy development that foster digital well-being in educational settings is emphasised.