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

Lost in facebook: individual and social correlates of problematic facebook use in adolescents and young adults

Over the last decade, Social Networking Sites (SNSs) have become increasingly important in the way people interact with others and social groups (Ryan, Chester, Reece, & Xenos, 2014). Facebook is the most popular SNS in the world, with about 2 billion users. Despite the resources and the innovative social features offered by Facebook (Lee, Cheung, & Thadani, 2012), research has been indicating that its use may become problematic especially amongst adolescents and young adults (Kuss & Griffiths, 2011a) suggesting that the problematic use of Facebook may manifest as a new potential mental health problem (Kuss & Griffiths, 2011a). However, there are currently no accepted diagnostic criteria nor theories assessing Problematic Facebook Use. Therefore, for the purpose of the current thesis, we adapted Caplan’s Generalized Problematic Internet Use model (2010) to the Facebook context. We conceptualized Problematic Facebook Use as the maladaptive use of Facebook characterized by cognitive and behavioural factors which negatively impact users’ well-being. While in recent years researchers have been showing an increasing interest in the conceptualization of Problematic Facebook Use, and its associations with individual characteristics and psychological adjustment, it is becoming difficult to have a full picture of its correlates and specific characteristics. Therefore, the first aim of this work is to systematically synthesize findings from research on Problematic Facebook Use. Study 1: The meta-analysis aimed to understand the specific features of Problematic Facebook Use (that is, the associations with the time spent online and the broader concept of Internet addiction), the individual characteristics of problematic Facebook users (including gender differences, personality traits, self-esteem levels, and motivations for using Facebook), and the associations between Problematic Facebook Use and psychological distress and well-being. Fifty-four independent samples with a total of 26707 participants (59.49% females; mean age = 25.31 years, SD = 4.75) were included. Briefly, results showed a small gender effect favoring females and a positive association between Problematic Facebook Use, time spent online and Internet addiction, whereas a negative association was found with self-esteem. Neuroticism and conscientiousness were the most clearly personality traits associated with Problematic Facebook Use, and the strongest associations were observed between Problematic Facebook Use and motives with internal source and motives with negative valence. Finally, Problematic Facebook Use was positively correlated with signs of psychological distress, including anxiety and depression, whereas a comparatively smaller negative correlation between Problematic Facebook Use and well-being (including life satisfaction and other indices of subjective well-being) emerged. This comprehensive meta-analysis makes contributions to understanding the phenomenon of Problematic Facebook Use and its correlates. As a second aim, three studies have been conducted with the purpose of clarifying some debated results emerged in the meta-analysis. Study 2: The aim of the second study was to examine the unique role of personality traits and social influence processes (i.e., subjective norms, group norms, and social identity) to frequency of Facebook Use and Problematic Facebook Use in a sample of adolescents. A total of 968 Italian adolescents (37.7% females; mean age = 17.19, SD = 1.48) participated in the study. Structural equation modeling showed that emotional stability, extraversion, conscientiousness and subjective norms directly predicted Problematic Facebook Use, whereas group norms and social identity predicted frequency of Facebook use. In conclusion, both personal and social variables appear to explain frequency of Facebook use and Problematic Facebook Use among adolescents. Study 3: The third study aimed to test a model designed to assess the unique contribution of personality traits, motives for using Facebook and metacognitions on Problematic Facebook Use among young adults. A total of 815 Italian university students (77.2% females; mean age = 21.17, SD = 2.16) participated in the study. Path analysis revealed that three of the four motives to use Facebook, and two of the five metacognitions, predicted Problematic Facebook Use. Moreover, only one personality trait (extraversion) appeared to be directly linked to Problematic Facebook Use, while emotional stability indirectly influenced Problematic Facebook Use via motives (coping and conformity) and metacognitions (negative beliefs about worry and cognitive confidence). Study 4: The aim of the fourth study was to test whether, and how much, specific objective Facebook behaviours are more frequent in problematic than in non-problematic Facebook users. Differences between problematic and non-problematic Facebook users in objective Facebook behaviours were examined using both frequentist and Bayesian t-tests. Participants were 297 undergraduate students (80.8% females; mean age = 21.05, SD = 1.88). A specific R package was developed to obtain information about objective Facebook behaviours (friendship activities, events, wall activities, and text messages). T-tests indicated that non-problematic and problematic users significantly differ in several objective Facebook behaviours. Bayesian analyses confirmed t-test results and supported that problematic users scored higher than non-problematic users in several dependent variables, such as number of friendships established, number of events attended, all wall activities (e.g., number of “like”), and private messages sent. The analysis of data about objective Facebook behaviours goes beyond the self-reported information about such activities, and helps to understand the role of its potentially addictive activities in predicting Problematic Facebook Use. In conclusion, taken together, the findings of the four studies suggested possible emotional and behavioural (dis)regulation mechanisms underlying Problematic Facebook Use. Therefore, the current thesis may have some important implications for the theoretical conceptualization of Problematic Facebook Use, for clinical interventions tackling problematic Facebook use, and for prevention programmes for young users

Personality, fear of missing out and problematic internet use and their relationship to subjective well-being

The current research examines how an individual’s personality, their internet use and the extent to which they are inclined to fear ‘missing out’ impacts subjective well-being overall and in terms of emotional, physical, and personal relationship well-being. A total of 495 participants aged 18 to 30 (69% female) completed an online questionnaire via the Qualtrics website that included measures of the Big-5 personality dimensions (openness to experience, conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness, and emotional stability), fear of missing out, and problematic internet use. Participants were recruited through posting messages on the Facebook social media site linking to the Qualtrics website. Multiple linear regression and mediation analyses were conducted to examine the relationship between these factors and the measures of subjective well-being. With respect to overall subjective well-being, neither age nor sex were significant predictors. Conscientiousness, extraversion, emotional stability and agreeableness were positively related to overall subjective well-being. Importantly, both fear of missing out and problematic internet use made additional significant negative contributions to overall subjective well-being. Fear of missing out and problematic internet were both negatively correlated with emotional well-being and personal relationships well-being but not physical well-being. Overall, while personality directly impacts subjective well-being both fear of missing out and problematic internet negatively affect subjective well-being above and beyond personality

Personality, motives and metacognitions as predictors of problematic Facebook Use in university students

© 2016 Elsevier Ltd.Facebook has become hugely popular among young people and adults all over the world, creating a new social phenomenon that has affected the communication patterns used by people to interact with each other. Although most people use Facebook wisely, a minority of users can show negative patterns of Facebook use, with negative consequences on personal psycho-social well-being, especially among young adults. The present study aims to test a model designed to assess the unique contribution of personality traits, motives for using Facebook and metacognitions on Problematic Facebook Use (PFU) among young adults. A total of 815 Italian university students participated in the study. Path analysis revealed that three of the four motives to use Facebook, and that two of the five metacognitions, predicted PFU. Moreover, only one personality trait (extraversion) appeared to be directly linked to PFU, while emotional stability indirectly influenced PFU via motives (coping and conformity) and metacognitions (negative beliefs about worry and cognitive confidence). In conclusion, motives and metacognitions predict PFU among young adults, and they should be taken into account to develop preventive measures and clinical interventions

Attachment and problematic Facebook use in adolescents: the mediating role of metacognitions

Background and aims: Recent research used attachment theory and the metacognitive tenet as frameworks to explain problematic Facebook use (PFU). This study aims to test, in a single model, the role of different attachment styles and metacognitions in PFU among adolescents. Methods: Two separate studies were conducted in order to establish the link between security (Study 1) and insecurity (Study 2), metacognitions, and PFU. A total of 369 and 442 Italian adolescents (age: 14–20 years old) participated in Study 1 and Study 2, respectively. Results: Path analyses revealed the relative importance of different attachment dimensions with mother and father in predicting PFU and the mediating role of metacognitions between attachment styles and PFU. Discussion and conclusion: In conclusion, since attachment styles and PFU may significantly affect adolescents’ development and well-being, the results of this study may provide some practical indications for researchers and practitioners

ONLINE SOCIAL COMPARISON ITS ROLE IN PREDICTING INDIVIDUALS’ WELL-BEING

Social comparison is the practice through which people compare their own opinions, abilities, behaviours, and emotions with those of others as an external guide and a source for self-evaluation. Social comparison has been put forward as a core feature of interpersonal relationships both in the offline context and in virtual interactions through social media. A growing number of studies has highlighted that online social comparison through social media can influence individuals’ everyday life. In this thesis, I will examine the role of online social comparison in influencing individuals’ well-being in three research designs with different outcomes. In the first empirical study, a cross-lagged panel model was used to examine the predictive role of online social comparison to ameliorate individual distress during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. Findings of the first study showed that online social comparison predicted an increase in individuals’ levels of anxiety, stress, loneliness and life satisfaction over time. In the second study, Latent Class Analysis was adopted to classify participants into three groups with different levels of problematic Facebook use. Findings from this study showed that online social comparison was linked to passive use of social media and the fear of missing out. Moreover, longitudinal analyses showed that problematic Facebook users reported greater levels of psychological distress and lower levels of well-being at each time point. Finally, in the third study, a systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted to examine the association between online social comparison and body image outcomes. Results from 57 cross-sectional studies showed that online social comparison was linked to body image concerns, eating disorder behaviours and positive body image, demonstrating the importance of the physical appearance comparison in the online contexts. Overall, these results highlight the multifaceted nature of the social comparison construct, which can play a different role in predicting psychological well-being in specific contexts.Social comparison is the practice through which people compare their own opinions, abilities, behaviours, and emotions with those of others as an external guide and a source for self-evaluation. Social comparison has been put forward as a core feature of interpersonal relationships both in the offline context and in virtual interactions through social media. A growing number of studies has highlighted that online social comparison through social media can influence individuals’ everyday life. In this thesis, I will examine the role of online social comparison in influencing individuals’ well-being in three research designs with different outcomes. In the first empirical study, a cross-lagged panel model was used to examine the predictive role of online social comparison to ameliorate individual distress during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. Findings of the first study showed that online social comparison predicted an increase in individuals’ levels of anxiety, stress, loneliness and life satisfaction over time. In the second study, Latent Class Analysis was adopted to classify participants into three groups with different levels of problematic Facebook use. Findings from this study showed that online social comparison was linked to passive use of social media and the fear of missing out. Moreover, longitudinal analyses showed that problematic Facebook users reported greater levels of psychological distress and lower levels of well-being at each time point. Finally, in the third study, a systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted to examine the association between online social comparison and body image outcomes. Results from 57 cross-sectional studies showed that online social comparison was linked to body image concerns, eating disorder behaviours and positive body image, demonstrating the importance of the physical appearance comparison in the online contexts. Overall, these results highlight the multifaceted nature of the social comparison construct, which can play a different role in predicting psychological well-being in specific contexts

Positive and Negative Effects of Social Media on Adolescent Well-Being.

Social media use is rapidly growing among adolescents, studies cite that the rates of “constant use” doubled from 2015 to 2018 (Anderson & Jiang, 2018; Lenhart, 2015). Social media use can have a serious negative impact on areas of well-being including feelings of depression, anxiety, fear of missing out, body image, bullying and sleep. Mojtabai, Olfson and Han (2016) cite the problematic use of mobile phones and social media applications as one of the trends aligning with the increase in major depressive episodes. Conversely, use of social media can promote positive feelings of well-being including creating a sense of community, providing access to needed health information, helping create new relationships and maintain existing ones and offering a platform for self-expression and creation of self-identity. The purpose of this study was to compare the positive and negative impacts of the top four social media platforms used by adolescents on 14 areas of well-being. SPSS was used for data analysis to compare well-being scores for Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat and YouTube. Analysis was also completed to see if there was a relationship between time spent online and perceived well-being. Consistent with research, the majority of adolescents cite that their smartphone is the primary way they access social media. YouTube was identified as having the most positive impact on adolescent well-being while Instagram was perceived as having the most negative. Time spent online indicated a weak, positive correlation to well-being with only YouTube

Exploring the role of social media use motives, psychological well-being, self-esteem, and affect in problematic social media use

Given recent advances in technology, connectivity, and the popularity of social media platforms, recent literature has devoted great attention to problematic Facebook use. However, exploring the potential predictors of problematic social media use beyond Facebook use has become paramount given the increasing popularity of multiple alternative platforms. In this study, a sample of 584 social media users (Mage = 32.28 years; 67.81% female) was recruited to complete an online survey assessing sociodemographic characteristics, patterns, and preferences of social media use, problematic social media use (PSMU), social media use motives, psychological well-being, self-esteem, and positive and negative affect. Results indicated that 6.68% (n = 39) of all respondents could be potentially classed as problematic users. Moreover, further analysis indicated that intrapersonal motive (β = 0.38), negative affect (β = 0.22), daily social media use (β = 0.18), surveillance motive (β = 0.12), and positive affect (β = −0.09) each predicted PSMU. These variables accounted for about 37% of the total variance in PSMU, with intrapersonal motive driving the greatest predictive contribution, over and above the effects of patterns of social media use and sociodemographic variables. These findings contribute to the increasing literature on PSMU. The results of this study are discussed in light of the existing literature on PSMU

Excessive internet use: fascination or compulsion?

Excessive internet use and its problematic outcomes is a growing focus of research, receiving attention from academics, journalists, health workers, policymakers and the public. However, surprisingly little has yet been accomplished in terms of understanding the causes and consequences of this phenomenon. I argue that this is due to the framing of excessive internet use as an addiction, which leads researchers to neglect people’s reasons and motivations for excessive internet use. The perspective taken in this thesis is that excessive internet use may help people to cope with difficult life situations. This explains why people keep using the internet excessively despite problematic outcomes: the overall experience is positive because worse problems are alleviated. Based on the relationship between a person’s well-being, which is the focal point of literature on excessive internet use, and the motivations for media use grounded in uses and gratifications research, this thesis proposes a combined framework to examine if excessive internet use may be explained as a coping strategy taken to excess. This question was asked in relation to three online activities: World of Warcraft; Facebook; and online poker. Each group was surveyed about their psychosocial well-being, motivations for internet use, and any problematic outcomes. Findings showed that interactions between motivations for use and psychosocial well-being were important explanatory factors for problematic outcomes. Respondents with low self-esteem or high stress experienced more problematic outcomes when gaming or gambling to escape negative feelings, while escapist use was less problematic for players with high self-esteem or low stress. This has implications for how society needs to respond to cases of excessive internet use, since such behaviour can be both helpful and harmful. Future studies may usefully move beyond theories of addiction and consider excessive internet use as a coping behaviour that has both positive and negative outcomes

Problematic Versus Non-Problematic Location-Based Dating App Use: Exploring the Psychosocial Impact of Grindr Use Patterns Among Gay and Bisexual Men

The use of online dating applications (apps) among men who have sex with men (MSM) has become a common occurrence in today’s digital age. One example is Grindr, the first location-based dating app of its kind, which was launched in 2009. This marked a new phase of online dating, currently facilitating connections for gay, bi, and curious men in almost every country in the world based on attraction and physical proximity. Grindr celebrated its 10th anniversary this year, yet little is known about users’ motivations and usage patterns, or its potential impact on users’ mental health in the United Kingdom (UK). The aim of the present research was to investigate whether problematic Grindr use existed, and if so, to explore the relationships between problematic Grindr use and psychosocial well-being based on Griffiths’ (2005) six-component model of behavioural addiction. Grindr users (N = 832; M age = 34 years) anonymously self-completed questionnaires via an online survey, which was, advertised on Grindr, social networking sites (Facebook & Twitter), and specific LGBT forums. The results from the cross-sectional study highlight that those experiencing problematic Grindr use differ significantly from those who do not, and this was evident across all study variables. The participants reported lower psychological well-being, greater psychological distress, increased minority stress and neglect of social life as compared to those for whom usage was non-problematic. The most common reason for using Grindr was for sexual experience, followed by the desire to connect with other people with the same sexual orientation to pass time or for entertainment purposes. Problematic Grindr use was also strongly related to using the app for sexual encounters. The study discusses implications for practice and policy, as well as for Grindr’s operators