Attachment style and social media fatigue: The role of usage-related stressors, self-esteem, and self-concept clarity

Abstract

Social media fatigue is a subjective sense of physical and mental exhaustion, lassitude, and irritation, caused by social media use. The current research explored the association between individual differences in attachment styles and the experience of fatigue resulting from extensive social media use. Two studies examined the association between adult attachment style and Facebook fatigue, and the mediating role of stressors related to social media use, self-esteem, and self-concept clarity. The results of the first study (N = 264) revealed an association between attachment anxiety and Facebook fatigue that was mediated by Facebook social comparison and Facebook anxiety. In the second study (N = 294), attachment anxiety was also associated with Facebook fatigue and was mediated by fear of missing out and Facebook anxiety, and these mediation effects were moderated by self-concept clarity. The findings indicate that the experience of social-media fatigue varies in accordance with specific user characteristics. Additionally, they Illustrate the impact of social media use on mental health, and emphasize the need to create a user experience that takes into account the stressors associated with social media use.