“PSYCHOLOGICAL CAPITAL AS A BUFFER AGAINST FEAR OF MISSING OUT AND IDENTITY INSTABILITY: A STRENGTHS-BASED INTERVENTION AMONG GENERATION Z”

Abstract

The present study investigated the effect of psychological capital as a protective factor against the Fear of Missing Out (FoMo) and Identify Instability in students among Generation Z. By using experimental study design (n=80) students were divided into experimental and control group by using purposive sampling. The three standardised measures are used to assess variables along with 5-day strengths-based interventions. It includes Fear of Missing Out scale, Compound Psychological Capital Scale, and Identity Instability Scale. Pearson correlation is applied for testing correlation between FOMO, CPC, and Identity instability scale. The results indicated that there was a significant positive correlation between FOMO and Identity Instability. Paired sample T test revealed a significant difference in the score of pre and post-test where the mean value of FOMO (28.23), CPC (47.98) and II (58.43), the t value of FOMO (3.10), CPC (2.04) and II (4.00). However, post test scores for the analysis Paired T test there was no significant relationship between Psychological Capital and FOMO. The Paired sample T test analysis revealed that there was a significant decrease in FOMO and Identity Instability, and a significant increase in Psychological Capital after the intervention. Also, Regression analysis was applied which showed only a minimal increase in explained variance after adding CPC (R² = .035 to R² = .038; ΔR² = .003), and CPC was not a significant predictor of identity instability (β = −.057, t = −.491, p = .625), indicating no mediating effect. This was also proven through the mediation analysis as the bootstrap confidence interval was zero in the indirect effect. The results suggesting the need for intervention to support the psychological well-being to Gen Zs.