O IMPACTO DO FEAR OF MISSING OUT (FOMO) NOS ESTUDANTES DE MEDICINA

Abstract

The digital era has brought significant changes to social interaction patterns, expanding access to information and connectivity while also generating new psychosocial challenges, such as the Fear of Missing Out (FoMO). This phenomenon, characterized by the fear of missing rewarding social experiences, has gained attention for its impact on mental health, particularly among university students. This study aimed to analyze FoMO levels among medical students from a private institution in Northern Minas Gerais, Brazil, considering associated sociodemographic, academic, and psychosocial factors. A cross-sectional, descriptive, and analytical study was conducted with 357 medical students. Participants completed a sociodemographic questionnaire and a 10-item Likert-type scale assessing the fear of missing social experiences. Data analysis was performed using SPSS version 22, applying descriptive and inferential statistics with a significance level set at p < 0.05. The results revealed an overall mean FoMO score of 25.11 points (SD ± 7.25), indicating a moderate level of the phenomenon. The highest scores were related to concerns about missing in-person meetings and direct social interactions, whereas the lowest scores were associated with monitoring friends’ online activities. No statistically significant differences were observed between genders regarding FoMO levels. The sociodemographic profile of the sample showed a predominance of female students aged 18 to 23 years, mostly self-declared as White.The findings suggest that FoMO is a multifactorial phenomenon influenced by the academic and social characteristics of medical education. High workload, long study hours, and performance pressure contribute to intensifying this fear among students. Understanding its manifestation in this population is essential for developing institutional strategies that promote mental health and well-being among future healthcare professionals.