Social Media Addiction Research Articles

An Analysis of Social Media Addiction in Adolescents

Adolescents around the world now utilize social media on a daily basis. Social media addiction, a psychobehavioral condition, is characterized by excessive, uncontrollable use of social media and compulsive attention to it. It has been linked to a number of negative health effects. As social media has grown in popularity, the potential impact on teenage health and well-being has received a great deal of social and academic attention. Research on social media addiction and its consequences is urgently needed in order to create effective prevention strategies. Despite increased research into social media addiction, there are still numerous hurdles and research gaps. This paper uses observation and questionnaires to investigate and understand adolescents. The findings of the study suggest that there are a wide range of consequences, both positive and negative, associated with social media use among adolescents. However, the risk of social media addiction is considerable due to the lack of self-control among adolescents, which is prevalent in terms of the percentage of social media users.

The “Vicious Circle of addictive Social Media Use and Mental Health” Model

Social media use (SMU) is a significant part of many people's everyday life. Research around the globe describes an increase of addictive SMU tendencies since the COVID-19 outbreak. The present work combines available findings in the “Vicious Circle of addictive Social Media Use and Mental Health” model to explain how social media (SM) activity can contribute to the development of addictive tendencies, which consequences they have for mental health, and how to prevent them. Following the model, the interplay between the risk factors negative experiences caused by daily hassles and by unexpected global and traumatic events, SMU (dimension “quality”), and SM flow can directly contribute to addictive SMU through the “vicious circle”. Time spent on SMU (dimension “quantity”), symptoms of depression and anxiety, and the personality trait narcissism contribute to the circle as moderators. Symptoms of stress, insomnia, and suicide-related outcomes are described as potential consequences of addictive SMU. Based on longitudinal intervention studies, a conscious reduction of SMU time and an increase of physical activity, as well as positive mental health and mindfulness are identified as protective factors that reduce the risk of addictive tendencies. The model contributes to a better understanding of addictive SMU. Implications of the model for future research and praxis, specifically for mental health programs and therapeutic treatment are discussed.

Religious Education as a Platform for Pupils’ Social Development and Prevention of Internet Addiction: The Case of Slovakia

The authors present changes in the content and teaching methods of religious education (RE) in the third decade of the 21st century, as proposed by the current curricular reform of compulsory education in Slovakia. First, they analyse the reform documents in terms of social competence development as one of the RE content requirements. Second, they seek a teaching methodology that applies a balanced approach to the use of information and communication technologies (ICT) while protecting RE pupils and their building of healthy human relationships from the potential threat of digital addiction. The authors based their teaching ideas on the findings from their research. To explore the relationship between addictive Internet behaviour and social intelligence, they used a questionnaire including the Internet Addiction Test and the TSIS Scale. The Mann–Whitney U test was used for statistical analysis. Data on 386 adolescent respondents revealed a statistically significant difference between males and females in social awareness, with males performing significantly better. A weak positive relationship (ρ = 0.240) was identified between social awareness and addictive Internet behaviour. In the discussion, the authors suggest teaching methods for developing social competence via RE without resisting the opportunities provided by ICT, while also avoiding an increase in the risk of online social media addiction. They suggest that even denominational RE should prioritize cultivating healthy relationships not only with God but also relationships with other people, the outside world, and oneself.

The Effect of Social Media Addiction, Nomophobia, and Netlessphobia on Students' Online Shopping Addictions During the Covid-19 Pandemic

The Effect of Social Media Addiction, Nomophobia, and Netlessphobia on Students' Online Shopping Addictions During the Covid-19 Pandemic

Linking social media addiction and student retention through the lenses of student engagement

PurposeThis research is designed to explore the relationship between social media addiction, student engagement and student retention. Social media addiction is dealt with as an independent variable student engagement acts as a mediating variable and student retention as a dependent variable.Design/methodology/approachThis is a cross-sectional and quantitative research. Primary data are collected from 600 respondents (university students) with the help of a structured questionnaire. Multistage sampling techniques, i.e. simple random sampling and judgment sampling, are used for the selection of respondents.FindingsResults indicate that for direct relationships, social media addiction has a significant positive impact on student engagement and student retention, respectively, while student engagement is partially mediating the relationship between social media addiction with student retention.Research limitations/implicationsIn the future, these kinds of research may also be conducted on students of different universities in Pakistan, which are located in other cities of Pakistan besides Lahore. This research provides a practical framework for the higher authorities of the universities of Pakistan and explains how the use of media positively fosters the levels of student retention directly and indirectly through the path of student engagement. It is commonly believed that media addiction is bad but the result of this research indicates that anything is not dangerous but depends upon its use, media addiction itself is not bad but if someone uses this for a good purpose in limitation then it has better outcomes. The result indicates that the media addiction of students has a positive impact on student retention. This means that if someone uses media for a positive purpose then he/she will use it as a supporting tool for success. Longitudinal research on these variables will also help to check the status after a specific interval of time.Practical implicationsThe current study will help the practitioners or policymakers (Managers) of higher education institutions by providing practical insights into the positive use of media by students for increasing their knowledge and grades. This research can also help practitioners or policymakers to focus their students on the positive use of social media for fostering the levels of student retention.Originality/valueTo the best of the researcher’s knowledge, no previous study has been done to incorporate social media addiction and student engagement in a single model in the Pakistani cultural context. Similarly, the relationship of variables social media addiction with student engagement is rarely checked empirically because the research of Wang et al. (2011) proposed that social media addiction has a relationship with student engagement so that is why this is the rationale of the research is to check this empirically. Moreover, this study is an initial effort to check the mediating effect of student engagement in the relationship between social media addiction and student retention. This research is also proposing the framework of social media addiction, student engagement and student retention based on the social exchange theory (SET).

Saudi millennials’ panic buying behavior during pandemic and post-pandemic: Role of social media addiction and religious values and commitment

The latest version of the pandemic ravaged the world for almost three years. The world is slowly coming back to normal. Behavioral sciences tried to assess its impact on consumer behavior, and panic buying behavior has become a most sought-after domain for current researchers. Millennials were the most affected as they were at the beginning of their career, and COVID-19 disrupted their plans massively. This study assesses the panic buying behavior of millennials during pandemic and post-pandemic scenarios. Scarcity and uncertainty are used as antecedents. Two opposite moderators, social media addiction and religious values and commitment, are taken as moderators. Five hundred-seven Saudi millennials participated in this study. Building upon the theory of reasoned action (TRA) and the theory of planned behavior (TPB) along with the latest literature, the conceptual model was proposed using the S–O–B–C (Stimulus/Situation-Organisms-Behavior-Consequences) framework. Structural equation modeling was used to assess the proposed hypotheses. There was no sense of scarcity, panic buying behavior, or social media addiction. On the other hand, there was a high sense of uncertainty, high religious values and commitment, and a positive post-pandemic buying intention. A low sense of scarcity positively impacts panic buying behavior, which was also low, but a heightened sense of uncertainty has a negative effect. Panic buying behavior had no impact on the post-pandemic intentions, which was positive. Social media addiction (low) and religious values and commitment (high) affected the existing direct relationships. The results were unique and broke many myths. The study has specific implications for all the stakeholders.

Understanding the Multifaceted Impacts of Social Media Addiction on Minors: A Comprehensive Analysis of Psychological, Behavioral, and Physiological Dimensions

Social media platforms have become ubiquitous in modern life, particularly for adolescents. This secondary research explores the impact of social media addiction on minors. Existing literature suggests a complex relationship between social media use and mental health. Studies highlight potential links between excessive use and increased anxiety, depression, and sleep disturbances in minors. Social media can also contribute to social comparison and negative body image perception. Employing a thematic analysis of data from academic journals, scholarly reports, and systematic reviews. The analysis focused on studies published within the last ten years to ensure the findings reflect the latest trends and developments in social media use and its impact on minors. Findings revealed concerning trends, including the negative impact on mental health, the potential for cyberbullying and social isolation, and the influence of family dynamics on social media addiction development. The discussion emphasizes the importance of promoting responsible social media use through open communication between parents and children, media literacy programs in schools, and content moderation efforts by social media platforms. Further research is needed to develop effective interventions and mitigate potential harm to minors’ well-being.

Screen use in transgender and gender-questioning adolescents: Findings from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) Study

ObjectiveTo assess the association between transgender or gender-questioning identity and screen use (recreational screen time and problematic screen use) in a demographically diverse national sample of early adolescents in the U.S. MethodsWe analyzed cross-sectional data from Year 3 of the Adolescent Brain Cognitive DevelopmentSM Study (ABCD Study®, N = 9859, 2019–2021, mostly 12–13-years-old). Multiple linear regression analyses estimated the associations between transgender or questioning gender identity and screen time, as well as problematic use of video games, social media, and mobile phones, adjusting for confounders. ResultsIn a sample of 9859 adolescents (48.8% female, 47.6% racial/ethnic minority, 1.0% transgender, 1.1% gender-questioning), transgender adolescents reported 4.51 (95% CI 1.17–7.85) more hours of total daily recreational screen time including more time on television/movies, video games, texting, social media, and the internet, compared to cisgender adolescents. Gender-questioning adolescents reported 3.41 (95% CI 1.16–5.67) more hours of total daily recreational screen time compared to cisgender adolescents. Transgender identification and questioning one’s gender identity was associated with higher problematic social media, video game, and mobile phone use, compared to cisgender identification. ConclusionsTransgender and gender-questioning adolescents spend a disproportionate amount of time engaging in screen-based activities and have more problematic use across social media, video game, and mobile phone platforms.

Social Media Addiction: Living in a World Hooked to the Net

Social Media Addiction: Living in a World Hooked to the Net

Meta-analysis of associations between five-factor personality traits and problematic social media use

This meta-analysis quantified the relationship between the five-factor model of personality and problematic social media use and identified moderators of this relationship. The analysis used a random-effects model to calculate a correlation for each factor and included 113 samples, with a total of 53,913 participants, identified from systematic searches of four databases. Moderator analyses were used to investigate potential causes of heterogeneity. The meta-analysis found that high neuroticism (r = .21, p < .001, 95% CI [.19, .23]), low conscientiousness (r = -.16, p < .001, 95% CI [-.19, -.13]), low agreeableness (r = -.07, p < .001, 95% CI [-.10, -.05]), and low openness (r = -.04, p = .001, 95% CI [-.06, -.02]) were significantly associated with problematic social media use. Several significant moderator effects were found. The meta-analysis contributes to the understanding of the relationship between individual characteristics and problematic social media use and provides information that might be useful in preventing and treating this behaviour.

Bidirectional Within-Family Effects of Restrictive Mediation Practices and Adolescents’ Problematic Social Media Use

Much remains unknown about whether restrictive mediation is an effective parenting strategy to prevent or reduce problematic social media use among adolescents. Therefore, this study examined bidirectional within-family effects between two restrictive mediation practices (rule-setting and reactive restrictions) and problematic social media use using random-intercept cross-lagged panel modeling. Three-wave survey data collected among Dutch adolescents (T1: N = 1928, Mage = 13.31 years, SD = 0.91, 43.3% girl) with a 1 year-interval were used. Results showed that within-family changes in problematic social media use symptoms predicted subsequent within-family changes in perceived parental restrictive mediation. More specifically, an increase in symptoms predicted a decrease in rule-setting and an increase in reactive restrictions 1 year later. Within-family changes in perceived parental restrictive mediation practices did not predict within-family changes in problematic social media use symptoms, suggesting that the relation is unidirectional. However, concluding that limiting adolescents’ Internet use is ineffective to prevent problematic social media use would be premature. Future research should investigate whether it may be an effective parenting strategy for a certain subgroup of adolescents or under certain circumstances.

The relationship between social withdrawal and problematic social media use in Chinese college students: a chain mediation of alexithymia and negative body image

This study explores the relationship between social withdrawal and problematic social media use among college students, with a focus on the mediating roles of alexithymia and negative body image. Using the University Student Social Withdrawal Questionnaire, Social Media Addiction Scale, Toronto Alexithymia Scale, and Negative Body Image Scale, 2582 college students (33.46% male, average age = 19.46 years, SD = 2.23) were surveyed. Social withdrawal, alexithymia, negative body image, and problematic social media use were significantly correlated with each other. Social withdrawal positively predicted problematic social media use, and both alexithymia and negative body image played a chain mediating role between social withdrawal and problematic social media use. The findings indicate that individual social withdrawal is associated with college students’ problematic use of social media. The results suggest that alexithymia and negative body image may mediate this association, highlighting a potential pathway through which social withdrawal influences social media use patterns.

The Bergen–Social Media Addiction Scale (BSMAS): longitudinal measurement invariance across a two-year interval

ABSTRACT Objective This study aims to examine the longitudinal measurement invariance of the Bergen Social Media Addiction Scale (BSMAS) over a two-year interval, addressing a gap in research on its consistency over time. Method Confirmatory Factor Analysis with a robust maximum likelihood chi-square estimator was utilised to assess the BSMAS among 276 adults (mean age = 31.86 years; SD = 9.94 years; 71% male) at three time points across two years. This method evaluates the scale’s structural consistency and reliability longitudinally. Results The analysis supported full measurement invariance (configural, metric, scalar, and error variance) of the BSMAS, indicating stable measurement properties over time. Furthermore, temporal stability and equivalency of the BSMAS total mean scores were confirmed across the three-time points, suggesting consistent measurement of social media addiction. Conclusions The findings validate the BSMAS as a reliable instrument for measuring social media addiction over extended periods. Demonstrating its psychometric stability enhances its utility for longitudinal studies, making it a valuable tool for tracking changes in social media addiction behaviours. These results have significant implications for future research and clinical practice, highlighting the BSMAS’s applicability in long-term studies.

The relationships between fear of missing out and psychological and sociocultural factors in Latinx emerging adult college students.

The proliferation of social media has resulted in negative consequences such as fear of missing out (FoMO), the anxious feelings one has when others are having rewarding experiences. Few studies have assessed FoMO in Latinx emerging adult college students, none utilizing the socioecological framework. This study assessed the relationships between FoMO and psychological and sociocultural risk and protective factors. Latinx college students (n = 452; Mage = 19.97 years, SD = 1.89; 77.2% female) completed an online survey assessing demographics, FoMO, social media addiction, depression, anxiety, stress, Machiavellianism, narcissism, psychopathy, familism, and acculturation. Two multiple linear regressions assessed the associations between FoMO and psychological and sociocultural factors. Both regressions were statistically significant. First, FoMO was positively associated with social media addiction, depression, and Machiavellianism. Second, FoMO was positively associated with familial honor and negatively associated with familial interconnectedness and ethnic social relations. Associations between FoMO and psychological factors are consistent with past literature, yet they highlight the need for prospective studies to assess temporality. The fact that FoMO was related uniquely to familistic attitudes suggests the importance of family in FoMO perceptions and the need to assess these associations in a more nuanced manner. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

The Corelations of Loneliness with Social Media Addiction to Academic Procrastination in Adolescents

This study aims to determine the corrlation between loneliness and social media addiction to academic procrastination. The sampling technique used in this study is purposive sampling. The population of this study was all students of SMKN 3 Seluma with a total sample of 247 students taken based on predetermined criteria. Data were obtained through questionnaire distribution and analyzed using descriptive quantitative methods and analyzed using Product Moment test. The results showed that the loneliness variable had a positive influence on academic procrastination, which was 0.768, while the social media addiction variable had a positive effect on academic procrastination with a correlation coefficient value of 0.849 and loneliness had a significant positive effect on social media addiction with a correlation coefficient value of 0.767. So it can be concluded that loneliness and social media addiction have a significant positive corelation with academic procrastination. Keywords: loneliness, social media addiction, academic procrastination

The Effect of Cognitive-Behavioural Approach-Based Psychoeducation Program on Social Media Addiction

This study aims the examine of the effect of the psychoeducation program developed based on the Cognitive-Behavioural Approach (CBA) on the social media addiction levels of adolescents. The study involves the use of a quasi-experimental design with study group, in which pre-test, post-test, and follow-up studies were performed. The study group consists of 24 (12 experimental and 12 control) secondary school students selected from three different high schools and determined through random assignment. The experimental group received the psychoeducation program consisting of nine-seasons and no action was taken for the control group. Personal Information Form (PIF) and Social Media Addiction Scale (SMAS) were used in the study as data collection tools. A pre-test two weeks before the application of the psychoeducation program, a post-test at the end of the application, and a follow-up test three months after the end of the application were performed among adolescents in the experimental group. Statistical analyzes revealed that there was a significant decrease in the social media addiction scores of the adolescents in the experimental group. In line with these results obtained from the study, it is possible to say that the psychoeducation program applied to adolescents in reducing social media addiction is effective in obtaining successful results in this process.

Effects of Social Media Addiction and Psychological Resilience On Online Purchasing Decisions

In this research, it was aimed to assess the influence of social media addiction and psychological resilience on online purchasing decisions from a marketing standpoint. A survey was administered to 384 university students, comprising a demographic questionnaire, the Online Decision-Making Scale (ODMS), the Social Media Addiction Scale (SMAS), and the Psychological Resilience Scale (PRS). Psychological resilience (PRS) exhibited a significant negative correlation with sensitivity to brand dimension of ODMS. SMAS total scores were positively correlated with sensitivity to quality, sensitivity to brand, sensitivity to innovation, sensitivity to mobility and sensitivity to web interface. The effect of social media addiction on online purchase decisions was statistically significant and positive, while the effect of psychological resilience was statistically insignificant. The findings indicate that university students' addiction to social media positively influences their online shopping behavior. As levels of social media addiction increase, students tend to engage in more online purchases.

Comparison of Tiktok Application Users Between the Implementation of Creativity and Addictive Behavior

TikTok application users have now reached all levels of society, especially teenagers who use the TikTok application as a medium to express themselves. Teenagers who access TikTok are considered to have the opportunity to use creative abilities in creating content on TikTok, but the Tiktok application, in fact, will also have a bad impact on individuals, especially teenagers who are still very unstable. Tiktok can have a negative impact where it makes its users more and more addicted every day. This study aims to understand and analyze the implementation of creativity and addictive behavior of TikTok users. Implementation using Torrance Test of Creative Thinking (TTCT) and addictive behavior using Bergen Social Media Addiction Scale. There are four aspects of creativity, namely fluency, flexibility, elaboration, and originality. While addictive behavior there are aspects of importance, tolerance, mood swings, withdrawal and relapse. The method used is quantitative descriptive, to find out more between creativity and addiction that TikTok users use. Based on the findings, 85% were able to implement their creativity on the TikTok application with the biggest aspect lying in the flexibility in utilizing the ability to identify problems or provide solutions to their problems by utilizing the features and visualizations available on TikTok. As for addictive behavior, it was found that 75% of addictive behavior existed, with the largest dimension in mood swings, this is because TikTokers are looking for fun and entertainment to forget for a moment about the problem.

Problematic social media use mediatesthe effect of cyberbullying victimisation on psychosomatic complaints in adolescents.

Adolescent psychosomatic complaints remain a public health issue globally. Studies suggestthat cyberbullying victimisation, particularly on social media, could heighten the risk of psychosomatic complaints. However, the mechanisms underlying theassociationsbetween cyberbullying victimisationandpsychosomatic complaints remain unclear. This cross-cultural study examines the mediating effect of problematic social media use (PSMU) on the association between cyberbullying victimisation and psychosomatic complaints among adolescents in high income countries. We analysed data on adolescents aged 11-16.5years (weighted N = 142,298) in 35 countries participating in the 2018 Health Behaviour in School-aged Children(HBSC) study. Path analysis using bootstrapping technique tested the hypothesised mediating role of PSMU. Results from the sequential binary mixed effects logit models showed that adolescents who were victims of cyberbullying were 2.39 times significantly morelikely to report psychosomatic complaints than those who never experienced cyberbullying (AOR = 2.39; 95%CI = 2.29, 2.49). PSMU partially mediated the association between cyberbullying victimisation and psychosomatic complaints accounting for 12% ( =0.01162, 95%CI = 0.0110, 0.0120) of the total effect. Additional analysis revealed a moderation effect of PSMU on the association between cyberbullying victimisation and psychosomatic complaints. Our findings suggest that while cyberbullying victimisation substantially influences psychosomatic complaints, the association is partially explained by PSMU. Policy and public health interventions for cyberbullying-related psychosomatic complaints in adolescents should target safe social media use.

The Boundary Conditions Under Which Parental Marital Quality Leads to Adolescents’ Social Media Addiction

A questionnaire survey was conducted among 908 middle school students to explore the boundary conditions under which parental marital quality influences adolescents’ social media addiction. The results showed that (1) parental marital quality negatively predicted adolescents’ social media addiction; (2) interpersonal sensitivity moderated the relationship between adolescents’ parental marital quality and social media addiction; and (3) peer relationships moderated the relationship between adolescents’ parental marital quality and social media addiction. These findings help to deepen the understanding of the boundary conditions under which parental marital quality leads to adolescents’ social media addiction and have implications for intervention in Internet addiction.