Psychological Mediators between Social Media Use and Academic Procrastination: Anxiety, Self-Efficacy, and Fear of Missing Out

Relevance. Academic procrastination remains one of the most common behavioral problems among students in higher education institutions. The rapid growth of social media use exacerbates this problem; however, the relationship between the two phenomena is not straightforward: it is formed through psychological mediator variables. Purpose of the study. Based on a review of peer-reviewed publications, the article analyzes the mediating role of anxiety, academic self-efficacy, and fear of missing out (FoMO) in the relationship between social media use and academic procrastination. Results. It is shown that anxiety activates mechanisms of avoidant behavior, self-efficacy acts as a protective factor, and FoMO maintains compulsive engagement with platforms to the detriment of academic activity. The three variables form an interrelated psychological mechanism. The results have practical implications for the development of psychoeducational programs in the higher education system.

Keywords: academic procrastination, social media, anxiety, academic self-efficacy, fear of missing out, FoMO.