Internet addiction (IA) has mostly been investigated with the fear of missing out and difficulties in emotional regulation. The present study examined the link between IA and variables related to problematic social media use (i.e., fear of missing out, social media addiction), together with emotional (dys)regulation and personality traits, providing new insights and an integrated assessment of IA. In total, 397 participants, aged 18–35 years (M = 22.00; SD = 3.83), were administered a set of questionnaires pertaining to IA, problematic social media use, emotional (dys)regulation, and personality traits. Pearson’s correlations showed significant associations between IA and the investigated variables, and the tested mediation model highlighted the crucial role played by emotional (dys)regulation in the fear of missing out and problematic use of social networks. Overall, the findings provide support for a new integrated model for understanding the features, predictors, and risk factors of IA.

Si bien existe un crecimiento en investigación sobre las redes sociales, es necesario señalar que las asociaciones entre el abuso de estas plataformas, el fenómeno del Fear of Missing Out (FOMO) o Miedo a perderse experiencias y de la Vulnerabilidad en línea han sido poco estudiadas. En ese sentido, esta investigación tiene como objetivo proporcionar un marco de las actitudes y comportamientos relacionados con el uso de las redes sociales en jóvenes universitarios. Para ello, se realizó una muestra que contó con la participación de 306 estudiantes universitarios de 18 a 30 años (152 mujeres y 154 hombres; edad promedio = 21.8; desviación estándar = 3.19) y respondió a un cuestionario en línea, respecto al uso de las redes ociales, Fear of Missing Out (FOMO), Necesidades psicológicas básicas, Auto-estima y Vulnerabilidad en línea. El análisis de correlaciones mostró una relación positiva entre el FOMO, la Vulnerabilidad en línea y la Adicción a redes sociales. Los resultados evidenciaron que las mujeres tienen mayores niveles de adicción a redes sociales y de necesidad de apoyo. El análisis de regresión mostró que el FOMO es el mejor predictor de la Adicción a redes sociales. Finalmente, se discuten las repercusiones en el ámbito educativo de los resultados.

Background/Objectives: Internet addiction (IA) and related behaviors, such as Internet Gaming Disorder (IGD) and social media addiction (SMA), have gained increasing research attention. Studies show gender differences, with males more likely to develop gaming-related addictions and females more prone to social media and phubbing behaviors. This study aimed to explore gender differences in Internet addiction and related behaviors in a Spanish sample, with the goal of identifying predictors and gender-specific patterns of IA. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study with 585 participants (265 male, 320 female) aged 18 to 35 years (M = 22.11, SD = 3.08). Data were collected using standardized questionnaires to assess IA, IGD, SMA, phubbing, Fear of Missing Out (FoMO), emotional dysregulation, personality traits, and prosociality. Correlation and regression analyses were used to identify gender-specific predictors of IA. Results: Males exhibited significantly higher scores for IA and IGD, while females showed higher scores for SMA and the “phone obsession” dimension of phubbing. No significant gender differences were found in the “communication disturbance” dimension of phubbing or in FoMO. Correlation analyses revealed significant associations between IA and psychological as well as technological variables. Gender-specific predictors of IA included social media engagement and emotional regulation for females, while gaming behaviors and communication patterns were more relevant for males. Conclusions: These findings highlight gender differences in IA, suggesting that tailored interventions should address unique online behaviors and emotional regulation challenges in males and females. Future research should refine gender-specific patterns to develop more effective, targeted prevention and treatment strategies.

Background: Several studies focused on the escalating prevalence of Problematic Use of Internet (PUI) and its consequential impact on mental health globally. This study investigates the relationship between PUI and associated psychological variables across different cultural contexts in Italy, Spain, Ecuador, and Peru. Method: A total of 675 participants, aged 18 to 54 (M = 22.73; SD = 4.05), completed measures assessing Internet addiction, social media addiction, Fear of Missing Out, Internet Gaming Disorder, and Phubbing. Results: Significant cultural variations were found, with Italian participants showing higher levels of Internet addiction but lower levels of social media addiction compared to other countries. Fear of Missing Out was higher in Italy, while the Italian sample exhibited lower Internet Gaming Disorder levels compared to Peru. As regards the communication disturbance caused by Phubbing, the Italian sample demonstrated significantly higher scores than the Peruvian sample. Linear regression analyses revealed distinct predictors for problematic Internet use in each country, emphasizing the importance of considering the cultural context in understanding this phenomenon. Conclusions: These findings contribute valuable insights into the interplay of cultural factors, psychological variables, and problematic Internet use, guiding future research and interventions.