Social media addiction among college students in Tunisia

BackgroundCurrent literature lacks evidence concerning how problematic social media use associates with mental health. To address the gap, the present study used mediation models to examine whether generalized trust and perceived social support (PSS) are potential mediators in the relationship between problematic social media use and mental health.MethodsThe sample comprised Iranian adults (n = 1073; 614 females). The participants completed a number of scales to assess problematic social media use (Bergen Social Media Addiction Scale), generalized trust (Generalized Trust Scale), PSS (Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support, happiness (Oxford Happiness Questionnaire Short Form), depression and anxiety (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale), and mental quality of life (Short Form‐12).ResultsProblematic social media use had negative effects on happiness and mental quality of life via the mediators of generalized trust (bootstrapping SE = 0.017; effect = −0.041; 95% CI = −0.079, −0.012) and PSS (bootstrapping SE = 0.023; effect = −0.163; 95% CI = −0.211, −0.119). Problematic social media use had positive effects on anxiety and depression via the mediators of generalized trust (bootstrapping SE = 0.022; effect = 0.064; 95% CI = 0.026, 0.113) and PSS (bootstrapping SE = 0.024; effect = 0.052; 95% CI = 0.009, 0.102).ConclusionsProblematic social media use, generalized trust and PSS are important factors for an individual's mental health. Health‐care providers may want to assist individuals regardless of having mental health problems in reducing their problematic social media use and improving their generalized trust and social support.

An exploratory study of clinical and physiological correlates of problematic social media use in adolescents

Although we know that problematic social media use is related to psychological distress, the role of doomscrolling and psychological adjustment in this relationship are scarcely addressed. The objective of the current study was to explore the relationships between problematic social media use and psychological distress with a serial mediation analysis that included doomscrolling and psychological adjustment. The participants consisted of 398 adolescents whose ages ranged between 14 and 18 years (M age= 16.76, SD = 1.01). The data were collected using the Bergen Social Media Addiction Scale, Doomscrolling Scale, Brief Psychological Adjustment Scale-6, and Depression Anxiety Stress Scales-21. Analyses revealed both doomscrolling and psychological adjustment mediated the relationship between problematic social media use and psychological distress. In addition, doomscrolling and psychological adjustment had the serial mediating role between problematic social media use and psychological distress. These findings contribute to elucidating the mechanisms between problematic social media use and psychological distress. In conclusion, problematic social media use leads to psychological distress through doomscrolling and poor psychological adjustment.

IntroductionSocial media use and vaping nicotine are highly prevalent in the daily lives of young adults, especially among Mexican-American college students. The excessive and compulsive use of social media platforms, coupled with the urge to stay continuously connected, can lead to problematic social media use. To date, no studies have explored the impact of problematic social media use on the daily patterns of vaping among this vulnerable population.MethodsIn Spring 2023, we employed Ecological Momentary Assessment over a period of 14 days to collect real-time daily data on participants’ social media use and vaping behaviors via a mobile phone–based application. Participants were 51 Mexican-American college students aged 18–25 years, 72.5% female, who were current vapers. We used generalized linear regression models to examine differences in vaping behaviors among participants with and without problematic social media use. All regression models adjusted for age, sex, and SES.ResultsParticipants with problematic social media use vaped on an average of 5.9 days compared to 5.7 days reported by those without problematic social media use (p < .05). Problematic social media use is associated with more frequent daily vaping [b = 0.03; 95% CI: 0.02–0.05], increased number of days vaping [b = 0.14; 95% CI: 0.07–0.20], and vaping higher nicotine concentrations [b = 0.08; 95% CI: 0.03–0.14].ConclusionResults suggest that problematic social media use significantly increases the risk of daily vaping among Mexican-American college students. Findings highlight the need to strengthen digital resilience and social media literacy to help college students navigate and mitigate the risks of social media.

Problematic social media use (PSMU) has become a significant focus of research, particularly among young adults, due to its association with behavioral addiction and its potential effects on well-being. The Bergen Social Media Addiction Scale (BSMAS) is a widely recognized tool for assessing PSMU. This study sought to adapt the BSMAS to Spanish and evaluate its psychometric properties in a sample of Spanish young adults.Results demonstrated that the Spanish BSMAS shows adequate reliability (Cronbach's alpha = 0.85) and suggests a one-dimensional structure of problematic social media use (χ2 (9) = 78.2, CFI = 0.91, TLI = 0.85, RMSEA = 0.07, NFI = 0.90). Measurement invariance testing suggests the scale may be applicable across genders, establishing configural, metric, and scalar invariance, with minimal residual differences noted. Concurrent validity was further explored through correlations with external measures: BSMAS scores showed a moderate positive correlation with the Fear of Missing Out (FOMO) scale (r = .50 to .70) and a significant negative correlation with the Life Satisfaction Scale (SWLS) (r = -.40 to -.60). Multiple regression analysis explained 61.7% of the variance in PSMU (adjusted R2 = 0.606). Age (p = 0.01), FOMO State (p < 0.001), FOMO Trait (p < 0.001), and Satisfaction with Life (p = 0.01) emerged as significant predictors. Gender (p = 0.52) and relationship status, being in a relationship (p = 0.47) or single (p = 0.13), were not significant. Educational variables showed that being currently enrolled in studies (p = 0.001) and studying for a Doctorate (p = 0.04) significantly predicted PSMU, while being in Middle School (p = 0.77) or at University (p = 0.08) did not.These findings indicate that the Spanish BSMAS may be a reliable instrument for measuring PSMU in Spanish young adults, providing a tool for future research and practical applications in this population.

Social norms and e-motions in problematic social media use among adolescents

This study assessed the mediating roles of problematic gaming, problematic social media use, and problematic smartphone use in the associations between psychological distress and screen time use among primary school children during the school hiatus due to the outbreak of the novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Students (n = 2,026; mean [standard deviation] age = 10.71 years [1.07]; 1,011 [49.9 percent] girls) in Sichuan, China completed a cross-sectional online survey, and this study was approved by the ethics committee of the Hong Kong Polytechnic University (IRB ref: HSEARS20190718001). The Internet Gaming Disorder Scale-Short Form, Bergen Social Media Addiction Scale, and Smartphone Application-Based Addiction Scale were used to assess problematic gaming, social media use, and smartphone use. The Depression, Anxiety, Stress Scale-21 was used to assess distress, and an item rated on a 0-10 scale was included to assess fear of being infected by COVID-19. Fear of being infected by COVID-19 was assessed because this could be a confounding variable in the association between psychological distress and screen time use. Increased time spent on gaming, social media, and smartphones was associated with greater problematic gaming, problematic social media use, problematic smartphone use, and psychological distress, but was not associated with fear of COVID-19 infection. Mediation analyses showed that problematic gaming, problematic social media use, and problematic smartphone use were significant mediators in the association between psychological distress and increased time spent on Internet-related activities during the COVID-19 outbreak period. Children who had psychological distress during COVID-19 outbreak might have spent longer time on Internet-related activities due to the school hiatus and problematic use of Internet-related activities. Parents/caregivers are recommended to monitor their children's use of Internet while encouraging children to engage in positive activities to ease the concern of negative psychological responses during the COVID-19 pandemic.

BackgroundAlcohol expectancies are beliefs regarding positive (e.g., tension reduction) or negative (e.g., loss of motor coordination) effects of alcohol. Based on Social Learning Theory, social media can influence alcohol expectancies in adolescents. In particular, problematic social media use – which can reflect elements of addiction, including mood modification, tolerance, withdrawal, conflict, and relapse – could be linked to alcohol expectancies. We aimed to determine the associations between problematic social media use and alcohol expectancies in a national (U.S.) cohort of 10-14-year-old early adolescents.MethodsWe analyzed cross-sectional data from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) Study (N = 9,008) at the Year 2 assessment (2018–2020). Unadjusted and adjusted linear regression analyses were conducted to examine the associations between problematic social media use and alcohol expectancies (positive and negative), adjusting for race/ethnicity, sex, household income, parent education, sexual orientation, parental marital status, and study site. Furthermore, we computed marginal predicted probabilities to aid in interpreting findings.ResultsThe sample was 48.7% female and racially and ethnically diverse (43.0% non-White), with a mean age of 12.02 ± 0.66 years old. In models adjusted for confounders including both time spent on social media and problematic social media use, time spent on social media was not associated with positive or negative alcohol expectancies, but higher problematic social media use score was associated with higher positive (B = 0.045, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.020–0.069) and negative (B = 0.072, 95% CI 0.043–0.101) alcohol expectancies scores.ConclusionProblematic social media use was associated with both positive and negative alcohol expectancies in a demographically diverse national sample of early adolescents in the U.S. Given the small effect sizes of the current study, future studies should further examine these relationships prospectively, as well as the mechanisms linking problematic social media use to alcohol expectancies and alcohol consumption. Because alcohol expectancies are modifiable and linked with alcohol initiation, they could be a target for future prevention efforts.

This study explored problematic social media use (PSMU) among a sample of 1,338 Turkish adults (67.1% female, 32.9% male) aged 17–68 years (M = 24.18, SD = 8.15), representing 65 provinces in Türkiye. Latent profile analysis (LPA) was conducted based on item-level responses to the Bergen Social Media Addiction Scale (BSMAS), and multinomial logistic regression analyses were performed to examine associations between profile membership and psychological distress (Depression Anxiety Stress Scales–21; DASS-21), fear of missing out (FoMO), and self-esteem (Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale; RSE). A latent profile analysis identified four distinct profiles of PSMU: Minimal Users (32.81%), Habitual Users (22.65%), Engaged Users (28.33%), and Heavy Addicts (16.22%). The 4-class model outperformed alternative solutions based on fit indices and classification accuracy (entropy = 0.73). Minimal Users exhibited infrequent social media use with no signs of addiction. Habitual Users integrated social media into their daily lives and reported negative experiences when attempting to reduce usage. Engaged Users displayed high social media engagement with controlled addictive tendencies, while Heavy Addicts demonstrated severe addiction with substantial life disruptions. Logistic regression analyses indicated that age was associated with a higher likelihood of membership in the Minimal User profile, whereas higher levels of depression, stress, and FoMO were associated with membership in more problematic profiles. Higher self-esteem was associated with a greater likelihood of belonging to the Minimal User profile compared to more engaged profiles. These findings underscore the heterogeneity of PSMU and highlight the psychological and demographic variables associated with profile membership. The study’s findings suggest that young adults with high levels of psychological distress, fear of missing out, and low self-esteem could be a priority group in future preventive and intervention efforts targeting problematic social media use.

Background Problematic social media use (PSMU) and its potential link to depression among university students have become significant areas of concern. This study aims to explore the prevalence of PSMU and its relationship with depression symptoms and identify demographic factors associated with level of depression among undergraduate students at Addis Ababa University's main campus. Methods An institutional-based cross-sectional study was conducted among 316 students using a stratified random sampling method from March to April 2024. Data were collected using standardized questionnaires, including the Bergen Social Media Addiction Scale (BSMAS) and the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9). Descriptive statistics and logistic regression analysis were employed to analyze the data. Results The study found that 17.1% of the respondents exhibited problematic social media use. Additionally, the prevalence of depression was found to be 77 (24.3%:95% CI :19.7-29.5) with 4.4% of the participant found to have severe depression. The odds of depression are 1.6 times higher in those compared to non-problematic social media users (AOR = 1.62; 95% CI: 1.4-1.8; p &lt; 0.0001). Moreover, individuals who frequently use social media to watch pornography have a 14 times greater likelihood of experiencing depression compared to those who do not watch pornography at all. Compared to men, female students report greater levels of depression. Conclusions The findings indicate a high prevalence of PSMU among undergraduate students at Addis Ababa University and a significant association with depression symptoms. These results highlight the need for targeted interventions to address PSMU and its mental health implications among university students.

Problematic social media use (PSMU) parallels traditional characteristics of substance use disorders, including salience, functional impairment, and tolerance. An excessive focus on social reward and engaging in negative behaviors on social media may decrease certain executive functions. However, the role of how inhibitory control processes manifest in PSMU are not well understood. The current study aims to explore both the presence of inhibitory control impairments and harmful online behaviors, such as negative social comparison, in problematic social media use. A population of emerging adults (undergraduate university students; N=503) completed several online questionnaires assessing problematic social media use, trait impulsivity, and negative social comparison on social media. An online Go-Nogo and Iowa Gambling Task were administered to further evaluate inhibitory control. Higher problematic social media use was significantly positively correlated with trait impulsivity, but not Go-Nogo or Iowa Gambling task performance. Negative social comparison on social media was a stronger predictor of PSMU, compared to inhibitory control measures. However, social comparison did not significantly interact with inhibitory control measures when predicting PSMU. When exploring subtypes of impulsivity, the strongest correlation with PSMU was observed with cognitive instability and attentional impulsivity. Our results suggest that aspects of impaired inhibitory control-namely, cognitive instability and attentional impulsivity-are present in problematic social media use. Understanding the interplay between features of addiction and the unique context of online socialization, such as negative social comparison, is central to defining problematic social media use as a potential behavioral addiction.

In the literature exploring the associations between problematic social media use (SMU) and sleep, the majority of studies focus on problematic SMU as a predictor of poorer sleep outcomes. There is currently a scarcity ofempirical investigationof the reverse causal direction. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the impact of sleep (insomnia and sleep quality) on problematic social media use and the mediating role of motives for SMU. The eMediate study participants (young adult social media users from Bangladesh) who completed four surveys of SMU, sleep, and mental health at three-month intervals were included (n = 426, 49.8% female, mean age = 22.61 ± 1.83 years). Multilevel mediation analyses were conducted to examine the impact of sleep problems on problematic social media use through motives for SMU. Sleep problems significantly predicted SMU for coping, conforming, escapism, social support seeking, and decreasing negative emotions motives, as well as problematic social media use. Motives mediated 41% of the effect of insomnia symptoms and 71% of the effect of poor sleep quality on problematic social media use. SMU for coping and escapism motives mediated the associations between sleep problems and subsequent problematic social media use. SMU for coping with sleep problems and escaping from associated worries arising from sleep problems and real-life difficulties may reinforce use by providing short-term relief and leading to reliance on SMU.

Background The prevalence of problematic social media use among college students has reached levels that constitute a public health concern. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between insecure attachment (attachment anxiety and attachment avoidance) and problematic social media use, while exploring the potential mediating roles of social support and social anxiety. Methods The study utilized the Intimacy Experience Scale, the Interaction Anxiety Scale, the Social Support Scale, and the Problematic Social Media Use Scale to investigate 454 college ( M age = 20.33, SD = 2.15, 74.2% female). Results The results showed that both attachment anxiety and attachment avoidance were positively correlated with problematic social media use. The results of the chain mediation model indicated that both social support and social anxiety independently mediated the relationship between attachment anxiety and problematic social media use. Furthermore, social support and social anxiety acted as chain mediators between attachment anxiety and problematic social media use. A similar chain mediation pathway was identified for attachment avoidance, whereby social support and social anxiety also served as sequential mediators. Conclusion These findings offer new insights for the intervention and treatment of problematic social media use. The implications of the results are discussed.

A growing body of research shows that social media use is positively correlated with depression, anxiety, low self-esteem, and neuroticism. Problematic social media use (PSMU), for the purpose of this study, was characterized by behaviors similar to those displayed in gambling and addiction such as shame, guilt, and loss of control. This study explored the relationship between PSMU and the amount of time spent on social media. It was predicted that the number of hours spent on social media would be positively correlated with PSMU and that an individual’s neuroticism score would have a moderating effect on this relationship. Data were collected from college students across the United States through an online survey as part of the Psi Beta National Research Project (N = 1,422). The survey included questions regarding PSMU, hours spent using social media, and personality. Results found a moderate correlation between problematic social media use and hours of daily media use. Neuroticism did not appear to have a moderating effect on the relationship. This study aimed to offer supporting data to further the understanding of the effects of social media on mental health. Our results can help provide a guide in which future studies can focus on improving social media use outcomes for all people.

Over the past two decades, young people’s engagement in online activities has grown markedly. The aim of the present study was to examine the relationship between two specific online behaviors (i.e., cyberbullying perpetration, problematic social media use) and their relationships with social connectedness, belongingness, depression, and self-esteem among high school and university students. Data were collected from two different study groups via two questionnaires that included the Cyberbullying Offending Scale, Social Media Use Questionnaire, Social Connectedness Scale, General Belongingness Scale, Short Depression-Happiness Scale, and Single Item Self-Esteem Scale. Study 1 comprised 804 high school students (48% female; mean age 16.20 years). Study 2 comprised 760 university students (60% female; mean age 21.48 years). Results indicated that problematic social media use and cyberbullying perpetration (which was stronger among high school students) were directly associated with each other. Belongingness (directly) and social connectedness (indirectly) were both associated with cyberbullying perpetration and problematic social media use. Path analysis demonstrated that while age was a significant direct predictor of problematic social media use and cyberbullying perpetration among university students, it was not significant among high school students. In both samples, depression was a direct predictor of problematic social media use and an indirect predictor of cyberbullying perpetration. However, majority of these associations were relatively weak. The present study significantly adds to the emerging body of literature concerning the associations between problematic social media use and cyberbullying perpetration.