Abstract
Internet addiction and Fear of Missing Out (FoMO) are now global and increasingly worrying phenomena, especially among teenagers. Rural teenagers also have the potential to suffer from internet addiction and FoMO. Individuals suffering from internet addiction are associated with FoMO behavior. This study aims to identify the level of internet addiction and FoMO among secondary school students in rural areas. In addition, the study is also intended to examine the relationship between internet addiction and FoMO among students. This quantitative study involved 145 students who were 16 years old, consisting of 57 male students and 88 female students from five rural secondary schools in the State of Selangor. Data were collected through the Malay Version Internet Addiction Test (MVIAT) and Fear of Missing Out Scale (FoMOS) instruments to measure the level of internet addiction and FoMO, and distributed online through a Google Form. Descriptive and inferential analysis were conducted using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) software. The results of the study showed that rural secondary schools experienced a mild level of internet addiction, which is 54.4%, while the level of FoMO showed that the respondents were at a moderate level, which is 53.1%. The Pearson correlation test results showed a significant positive relationship between internet addiction and FoMO among rural secondary school students which is (r=0.342, p<0.01). The implications of this study are important in helping stakeholders such as policymakers, governments, and professional experts plan and provide appropriate and effective interventions to treat teenagers who suffer internet addiction and FoMO.