On TikTok use disorder tendencies, fear of missing out and everyday cognitive failure

The present work examines associations between TikTok Use Disorder (TTUD) tendencies, fear of missing out (FoMO) and everyday cognitive failure. In line with prior studies on problematic social media use, we observed in N = 720 TikTok users (249 males, 471 females; mean age = 37.78 years) - who completed the TikTok Use Disorder Questionnaire (TTUD-Q), the FoMO Scale, and the Cognitive Failure Questionnaire (CFQ) - that both higher trait and state FoMO went along with more self-reported cognitive failure in everyday life. This association was mediated by TTUD tendencies, albeit to different degrees. The distinction between general FoMO tendencies and situational, online-related state FoMO appears to be important for understanding putative mechanisms behind the here presented associations and is discussed further. Overall, the findings suggest that higher disordered use tendencies of TikTok may be linked to more cognitive failure, potentially due to frequent app-related interruptions of everyday activities. However, these conclusions are limited by the self-report nature of data and the cross-sectional design which precludes causal inference.