The Mediating Role of Online Fear of Missing Out in the Relationship Between Nomophobia and Online Gambling

Objective: This study aimed to examine the mediating role of online fear of missing out in the relationship between nomophobia and aviator gambling symptoms severity.Methods: The study’s methodology was associative and cross-sectional in nature. Its population included all university students who resided in the Senga suburb of Gweru, Zimbabwe, during semester time (academic year ۲۰۲۵). ۲۵۳ students were recruited using convenience and snowball sampling methods. Students completed the Nomophobia Questionnaire, Online Fear of Missing Out Inventory and the adapted Online Gambling Symptom Assessment Scale. Descriptive statistics, Pearson’s product moment correlation and structural equation modelling were used to analyse data at p < .۰۵ level of significance in the JASP software (version ۰.۱۸.۳). Results: Nomophobia was positively correlated with online fear of missing out (p < .۰۰۱). Online fear of missing out was positively correlated with aviator gambling symptom severity (p < .۰۰۱). Nomophobia’s correlation with aviator gambling symptom severity was non-significant (p = .۰۵۷). The direct effect of nomophobia on aviator gambling symptom severity was not statistically significant (۹۵% CI [-۰.۰۷۱, ۰.۰۲۶]) while its total effect was marginally significant (۹۵% CI [۰.۰۰۲, ۰.۰۹۷]). Nomophobia’s indirect effect on aviator gambling symptom severity through online fear of missing out was significant (۹۵% CI [۰.۰۳۷, ۰.۱۱۵]). Conclusion: This study demonstrates that nomophobia predicts aviator gambling symptom severity through online fear of missing out. Interventions to reduce students’ vulnerability to aviator gambling should target the cognitive-emotional experience of fear of missing out.

کلیدواژه ها:

Aviator gambling ، Fear of Missing Out ، NomoPhobia ، University Students ، Zimbabwe