Structural Equation Modeling of Fear of Missing Out Based on Social Media Addiction and Perceived Social Support: The Mediating Role of Self-Control in Adolescents

Purpose: This study aimed to examine the structural relationships between social media addiction, perceived social support, and fear of missing out (FoMO), considering the mediating role of self-control among adolescents. Methods and Materials: This study employed a descriptive-correlational research design using structural equation modeling (SEM). The statistical population comprised all adolescents aged 13–18 years residing in Qom, Iran, during the 2025–2026 academic year. A total of 320 adolescents were selected through convenience sampling. Data were collected using the Fear of Missing Out Scale developed by Abel et al. (2016), the Social Media Addiction Scale developed by Şahin (2018), the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support developed by Zimet et al. (1988), and the Brief Self-Control Scale developed by Tangney et al. (2004). Data were analyzed using structural equation modeling to evaluate the proposed relationships, model fit, and mediating effects of self-control. Findings: Structural equation modeling indicated that the proposed model explaining FoMO through social media addiction and perceived social support, with self-control as a mediating variable, demonstrated an acceptable overall fit with the observed data. The findings supported the mediating role of self-control in the structural relationships linking social media addiction and perceived social support to FoMO among adolescents. These results suggest that self-control constitutes an important psychological mechanism within the proposed explanatory model. However, specific path coefficients, significance levels, and model fit indices were not reported in the available findings. Conclusion: The findings highlight the importance of self-control in understanding FoMO among adolescents. Strengthening self-control skills and enhancing perceived social support may contribute to reducing problematic social media engagement and FoMO. School-based psychological interventions targeting self-regulation may therefore be beneficial, although longitudinal and experimental research is required to establish causal relationships.