Fear of Missing Out (FoMO) and sexting motivations among Italian young adults: Investigating the impact of age, gender, and sexual orientation

Abstract

Fear of Missing Out (FoMO) is characterized by an intense desire to continually stay connected with others and is strictly linked to motivational factors implicated in social interactions, particularly through online communication. FoMO represents a risk factor for problematic use of communication through social media platforms. Only a few studies have explored the relationship between FoMO and sexting. This study is the first to investigate the relationship between FoMO and three motivations for sexting (i.e., sexual purpose, body image reinforcement, and instrumental/aggravated reasons), while also examining the moderating effects of age, gender, and sexual orientation. The study involved 911 Italian heterosexual and LGB+ young adults aged 18–30 years ( M = 22.3; SD = 2.57; 74% women; 70.4% heterosexual). The findings reveal that FoMO predicts sexting across all its motivational components. No significant differences emerged between men and women in their levels of engagement in sexting for sexual purposes. However, women were more likely to engage in sexting for body image reinforcement compared to men. Conversely, men demonstrated a higher likelihood of sexting for instrumental/aggravated reasons than women. LGB+ people, compared to heterosexuals, demonstrated a higher propensity for engaging in sexting for sexual purposes, body image reinforcement, and instrumental/aggravated reasons. FoMO emerged as a strong predictor of sexting for body image reinforcement and instrumental/aggravated reasons, especially for LGB+ people. This study identifies FoMO as a predictor of sexting motivations, particularly among women and LGB+ individuals, who may seek validation or connection online. Preventive interventions are needed to foster autonomy, enhance body self-esteem, and promote mutual respect in online interactions, especially for people embodying marginalized identities.