Submission Type
Poster
Abstract
Our study examined the role of insecure attachment on social media addiction and stalking behaviors, with emotional regulation strategies and motives for social media use as mediators. Results indicated that anxious attachment significantly predicted both social media addiction and stalking, whereas avoidant attachment did not. Anxious attachment also significantly predicted emotional dysregulation and deactivation, as well as three social media use motives (fear of missing out, escapism, and validation). Mediation analyses revealed that emotional dysregulation and two social media motives (escape, boost self-esteem) fully mediated the relationship between anxious attachment and social media addiction and partially mediated the relationship between anxious attachment and social media stalking. More specifically, anxiously attached individuals were more likely to experience higher levels of emotional dysregulation, which predicted using social media to escape and to boost their self-esteem. These motives then predicted both social media addiction and stalking.Implications of our results for both our understanding of attachment and problematic social media use, as well as potential interventions are discussed.
Recommended Citation
Mahood, Nieve; Arehart, Anna; and Dimanlig, Kaela, "011-Emotion Regulation and Social Media Motives as Mediators of Attachment and Problematic Social Media Use" (2024). GREAT Day Posters. 3.
https://knightscholar.geneseo.edu/great-day-symposium/great-day-2024/posters-2024/3
011-Emotion Regulation and Social Media Motives as Mediators of Attachment and Problematic Social Media Use
Our study examined the role of insecure attachment on social media addiction and stalking behaviors, with emotional regulation strategies and motives for social media use as mediators. Results indicated that anxious attachment significantly predicted both social media addiction and stalking, whereas avoidant attachment did not. Anxious attachment also significantly predicted emotional dysregulation and deactivation, as well as three social media use motives (fear of missing out, escapism, and validation). Mediation analyses revealed that emotional dysregulation and two social media motives (escape, boost self-esteem) fully mediated the relationship between anxious attachment and social media addiction and partially mediated the relationship between anxious attachment and social media stalking. More specifically, anxiously attached individuals were more likely to experience higher levels of emotional dysregulation, which predicted using social media to escape and to boost their self-esteem. These motives then predicted both social media addiction and stalking.Implications of our results for both our understanding of attachment and problematic social media use, as well as potential interventions are discussed.