Negative Emotions, Fear of Missing Out,, Victim of Cyberbullying: A Structural Equation Modeling for Adolescents

The aim of this study was to assess the relationship between negative emotions, fear of missing out, and being a victim of cyberbullying. This research was a descriptive-correlational study using structural equation modeling. The target population of the study was all adolescents aged 15 to 18 years old living in Tehran. The sample size of 400 cases was recruited from all parts of Tehran city. A questionnaire was sent to each participant with an informed consent document. The questionnaire included demographic information, The Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale - 21 Items (DASS-21), the Fear of Missing Out Scale & Cyber-bullying Questionnaire. Data collection during the pandemic COVID-19 was fulfilled using online questionnaires. Analysis performed using Liesel Software for structural equation modeling.  The results of the research showed that Instagram is the first social network used by the adolescents of the population studied. The next social networks and online messengers used are WhatsApp, Telegram, Domestic Applications (Bale, Eitaa, Soroush, Shad), Skype, and Facebook in order. The direct effect of negative emotions on the fear of missing out and being the victim of bullying is significant. Also, the fear of missing out has a direct effect on being a victim of cyberbullying. On the other hand, the findings showed that negative emotions do not lead to cyberbullying victimization either directly or independently.