Effectiveness of coping strategies regarding fear of missing out on academic performance among nursing and pharmacy students at selected colleges, Coimbatore, India

Vollständiger Abstract

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BACKGROUND: Fear of missing out (FoMO) is a pervasive concern in the digital age, particularly among healthcare students, potentially impairing academic engagement and performance. There is a need for evidence-based interventions to mitigate FoMO in high-pressure educational settings such as nursing and pharmacy. METHODS AND MATERIAL: A pre-test–post-test comparative experimental study was conducted in 2024 among 120 nursing and pharmacy students (aged 20–22 years) selected via stratified random sampling and randomly assigned to intervention ( n = 60) or routine care ( n = 60) groups. The intervention consisted of five one-hour sessions on coping strategies (seeking support, time management, goal setting, stress reduction, and balanced lifestyle). FoMO was measured using the Fear of Missing Out Scale (FoMOS), and academic performance was assessed via the Situated Academic Writing Self-Efficacy Scale (SAWSES). Data were analyzed using SPSS v28.0 with paired and unpaired t -tests and correlation analyses. RESULTS: Significant reductions in FoMO scores were observed in the intervention group compared to controls (nursing: t = 3.82, P = 0.05; pharmacy: t = 4.43, P = 0.037). Academic writing self-efficacy improved significantly in the intervention group ( P < 0.05). A strong positive correlation was found between pre-test and post-test FoMO ( r = 0.401, P < 0.01) and academic performance ( r = 0.691, P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: The structured coping strategies intervention significantly reduced FoMO and enhanced academic writing self-efficacy among nursing and pharmacy students. Integrating such programs into student support services is recommended to promote academic well-being.