BETWEEN CONNECTION AND ISOLATION: THE INFLUENCE OF DIGITAL TECHNOLOGY ON ADOLESCENTS’ SOCIAL RELATIONSHIPS

Abstract

This paper examines how digital technology influences adolescents’ social relationships, starting from the idea that online and offline spaces complement one another but may also generate tensions. Particular attention is given to Fear of Missing Out (FoMO), phubbing, and their relationship with social connectedness. The research was designed as a simulated descriptive study using a mixed-methods approach and a sample of 60 adolescents aged 15 to 18. The quantitative component included sociodemographic data, the Fear of Missing Out Scale, the Generic Scale of Phubbing, and the Social Connectedness Scale–Revised, while the qualitative component consisted of two focus groups. The simulated findings indicate a positive association between time spent using digital technology and FoMO, as well as negative associations between FoMO, phubbing, and offline social connectedness. The qualitative analysis reveals an ambivalent experience: technology maintains contact and facilitates support, but it also creates pressure to respond immediately, social comparison, and fragmented face-to-face conversations. The paper highlights the need for digital education focused not only on-screen time, but also on the quality of interactions and the relational norms of adolescent peer groups.