Getting Over the Hump: Examining Curvilinear Relationships between Adolescent Self-Esteem and Facebook Use

Abstract

Literature examining self-esteem and social networking site use has generally considered linear relationships between these variables. Mixed results in this extant literature and Self-Affirmation Theory indicate that a curvilinear relationship is possible. Data from a survey of 337 Dutch adolescents (ages 12–18) suggest a curvilinear relationship between self-esteem and Facebook use. Relative to higher and lower levels of self-esteem, moderate levels of self-esteem correspond to the highest levels of both Facebook use and specific activities, such as text- and visual-based social contributions. Results clarify our understanding of the relationships between the well-being variable, self-esteem, and social networking site use.