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

Introduction. Fear of Missing Out (FoMO) refers to a strong urge to stay constantly con-nected and aware of what peers are doing. Many studies have identified FoMO as a risk fac-tor for problematic social media use and risky behaviors. Only few studies investigated its relationship with sexting. The purpose of this research is to investigate the relationship be-tween FoMO and motivations for sexting among young adults. Methods. An online survey was administered to 911 Italian young adults, comprising both heterosexual and LGB+ individuals, aged 18-30 years (M = 22.3; SD = 2.57; 74% women; 70.4% heterosexual). Results. There were no significant differences between men and women in sexting for sexual purposes. Nevertheless, women were more likely to engage in sexting for body image reinforcement, while men reported more instrumental/aggravated motives. LGB+ people, demonstrated a higher propensity for engaging in sexting both for sexual and non-sexual reasons. Discussion. In conclusion, FoMO has proven to be a strong predictor of sexting for non-sexual reasons, particularly among individuals who identify as LGB+. It is of crucial im-portance to develop preventive and intervention programs addressing topics such as rela-tionships, online communication, and sexting.