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

<doi>10.24250/jpe/SI/2026/SPS/</doi>

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.