College Women And Social Networking Sites: Reasons For Use And Related Mental Health Constructs

Existing research on use of social networking sites (SNSs) suggests that the hours of use and the impact of use on mood is staggering, especially among the university population. The present study builds off of an exploratory analysis of factors that influence individuals\u27 usage of SNSs. In the initial study female university students demonstrated a clearer structure of such factors than did male university students. The present study sought to replicate the factor structure of these influences on SNS use. Existing research has explored little in terms of the relationship between personality factors and SNS use. The extant literature is limited to the &ldquo Big Five &rdquo personality traits. Even fewer studies look at mental health constructs such as depression and anxiety and their roles in determining individuals\u27 motivations for SNS use. The present study used both confirmatory and exploratory factor analysis to look for trends in the data related to factors influencing SNS use and personality and mental health construct variables found on the Personality Assessment Inventory (PAI). Chi square analyses, ANOVAs, and correlations were run to examine the relationships between a variety of variables related to SNS use. Results indicated a successful replication of previous findings that female university students use SNSs to: 1) maintain contact with others, 2) socially compare themselves to others, 3) gather information about others, 4) regulate negative emotions, and 5) avoid &ldquo real &ndash life &rdquo social discomfort. Additionally, a number of interesting relationships were found between demographic variables, characteristics of SNS use, outcomes of pathological SNS use, factors influencing SNS use, and personality/mental health construct variables

Internet and Socialization: How Internet use influences online and offline relationships

Objectives. According to the literature, it is not yet clear whether the digital natives' use of Internet represents a risk or a resource. This study aimed to investigate the relationships between Internet use and the emotional and social offline dynamics. Specifically, we hypothesised that high versus low problematic use of internet was associated with students’ social adjustment. We expected to find that students with high problematic use of internet show more social, behavioural, and emotional problems than students with low problematic use of internet. Material and methods. Participants were 177 students from 4 middle schools in Central Italy, aged 11 to 15 (50% females). Five questionnaires were administered: the Child Behavior CheckList (CBCL) to measure social, emotional and behavioural problems, the Crozier Shyness Questionnaire to measure shyness and the UCLA Loneliness Scale to measure loneliness. For internet misuse we used the Generalized Problematic Internet Use Scale and 3 questions to assess activities and time spent on the internet. Results. The higher the preference for online interactions of the Internet adopted by students to regulate mood, the higher the internalization problems recorded. Moreover, the higher preference for online social interactions adopted by students and the negative outcomes due to the Internet use, the higher the externalization problems displayed. Conclusions. Consistently with the literature our results seem to confirm the negative effect of the internet misuse on socio-emotional features. We discuss the relationship between internet use (related to mood regulation, negative social consequences and preference for online interactions) and social-emotional adjustmen

The mediating effect of self-esteem, depression and anxiety between satisfaction with body appearance and problematic Internet use

Background and objectives: Given that dissatisfaction with bodily appearance can sometimes lead to the avoidance of personal contacts and the increase of internet use, this study examines this relationship. The direct role of dissatisfaction with bodily appearance along with the possible mediation effects of depression, anxiety and self-esteem were tested. Methods: A total of 694 participants completed an online questionnaire (58.5% male, mean age 21.5 years), containing measures on problematic internet use, depression and anxiety symptoms, self-esteem and satisfaction with body image. Path analyses were used to test direct and indirect effects. Results: Satisfaction with body appearance had a significant negative direct effect on problematic internet use among both sexes. Though, satisfaction with body appearance had a positive effect on self-esteem and negative on anxiety, neither self-esteem nor anxiety had a direct significant effect on problematic internet use. The effect of dissatisfaction with body appearance was mediated via the self-esteem–depression path toward problematic internet use. Conclusions: Dissatisfaction with physical appearance seems to have a significant role in individuals’ immersing themselves in internet use

Instagram Use and Its Effect on Well-Being and Self-Esteem

Over the last ten years, social media has become an integral facet of modern society. In particular, image-based social networking sites such as Instagram have become increasingly popular among adolescents and young adults. However, despite this proliferation of use, the literature remains divided regarding the potential impacts of social media, particularly in regards to image-based platforms. The present study sought to analyze the relationship between social media usage patterns and its subsequent effects on user self-esteem and well-being. However, the study’s results show that, despite the existing literature, intensity of Instagram use serves as a mediating variable in this relationship. The study’s results show that it is intensity of use, not usage patterns, that determine user outcomes. Finally, the results show that users who engage with Instagram more intensely exhibit higher levels of self-esteem and well-being than users who do not use the application intensely

Internet addiction in students: prevalence and risk factors

The last decade has witnessed a large increase in research on the newly emerging mental health problem of Internet addiction. Rather than looking at Internet addiction per se, this study focused on particular activities on the Internet that might be potentially addictive and linked them to personality traits that might predispose individuals to Internet addiction. The aims of this study were (i) to assess the prevalence of clinically significant levels of Internet addiction, and to (ii) discern the interplay between personality traits and specific Internet uses in increasing the risk for Internet addiction. This cross-sectional online survey used data from 2,257 students of an English university. Results indicated that 3.2% of the students were classified as being addicted to the Internet. The included personality traits and uses of online activities explained 21.5% of the variance in Internet addiction. A combination of online shopping and neuroticism decreased the risk for Internet addiction, whereas a combination of online gaming and openness to experience increased it. In addition to this, frequent usage of online shopping and social online activities, high neuroticism and low agreeableness significantly increased the chances of being addicted to the Internet. Findings and their implications are discussed

Magic mirror on the wall: Selfie-related behavior as mediator of the relationship between narcissism and problematic smartphone use

Objective: Recent research has suggested that problematic smartphone use is associated with several psychological factors and that mobile apps and smartphone-related behavior (i.e. selfi e behavior) may encourage the development of problematic smartphone use. However, little is known about how the interplay between dysfunctional personality characteristics and selfi e-related behavior can infl uence problematic smartphone use. The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between narcissism and problematic smartphone use, as well as the mediating role of selfi e-related behavior in this relationship among young men and women. Method: In the current study, a total of 627 undergraduate students (283 males and 344 females) completed a cross-sectional survey. A structural equation model was tested separately for males and females in order to evaluate the associations between narcissism, selfi e-related behavior and problematic smartphone use. Results: The results showed that greater narcissism was related to increased selfi e-related behavior, which in turn were positively associated with problematic smartphone use both for males and females. However, selfi e-related behavior mediated the relationship between narcissism and problematic smartphone use only for females. Conclusions: The study provides fresh insight into our understanding of the psychological mechanisms underlying problematic smartphone use, which may inform prevention and treatment interventions

Understanding Perceptions of Problematic Facebook Use: When People Experience Negative Life Impact and a Lack of Control

While many people use social network sites to connect with friends and family, some feel that their use is problematic, seriously affecting their sleep, work, or life. Pairing a survey of 20,000 Facebook users measuring perceptions of problematic use with behavioral and demographic data, we examined Facebook activities associated with problematic use as well as the kinds of people most likely to experience it. People who feel their use is problematic are more likely to be younger, male, and going through a major life event such as a breakup. They spend more time on the platform, particularly at night, and spend proportionally more time looking at profiles and less time browsing their News Feeds. They also message their friends more frequently. While they are more likely to respond to notifications, they are also more likely to deactivate their accounts, perhaps in an effort to better manage their time. Further, they are more likely to have seen content about social media or phone addiction. Notably, people reporting problematic use rate the site as more valuable to them, highlighting the complex relationship between technology use and well-being. A better understanding of problematic Facebook use can inform the design of context-appropriate and supportive tools to help people become more in control.Comment: CHI 201