Exploring the impact of social networking usage on attachment styles and mental health: A study among college students in Vietnam

This study aimed to explore how attachment styles, fear of missing out symptoms, social networking usage, social connectedness, and time spent on social networking relate to each other. This study involved 310 randomly selected college students in Vietnam between March and April 2023. Participants completed an online questionnaire, providing demographic information and responses from three scales: The Fear of Missing Out Scale (FOMOs), Experiences in Close Relationships - Revised - General Short Form (ECR-R-GRF), The Social Connectedness Scale, and The Social Networking Time Use Scale (SONTUS). The research sought to examine how attachment style, fear of missing out, social networking time use, social connection, and time spent on social networking interact. The study found that (a) fear of missing out significantly and positively influences attachment styles, (b) time spent on social networking sites positively impacts attachment style, and (c) social networking time use affects attachment style by serving as a mediator through fear of missing out. Additionally, the time individuals spend on social networking platforms influences the relationship between fear of missing out and attachment styles. This study contributes to the understanding of how social network usage affects mental health, clarifies social network attachment demand theory, and offers guidance for families, schools, and psychological organizations to promote social integration and well-being among students.