Anxiety as a Mediator of the Associations Between Stressful Life Events and Social Media Use Intensity in Young Adults
Date
2022-05
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg
Abstract
Introduction: This study quantitatively explored the associations between SLEs, anxiety, and social media use intensity. The study explores whether anxiety mediates the relationship between SLEs and social media use intensity across all four domains. This study further aims to explore whether social media use intensity, operationalized as an avoidance coping strategy, is possibly due to poor emotional regulation and distress tolerance skills. The first-time undergraduate student population are often inadequately prepared for the transition to university during a critical period of their development. As a result, they may drift towards health compromising behaviours such as intense social media use. The findings will set a precedent for the development of preventative programs and/or interventions in order to assist young adults with emotional regulation.
Methods: This was a cross-sectional design that was analysed quantitatively. The participants were invited to participate in online questionnaires which assessed stressful life events, anxiety, and social media use intensity. While a total sample of 402 students completed parts of the online survey questionnaires, a final sample of 360 participants was used in the study as their data sets were complete for all the variables. The Social Readjustment Rating Scale, Beck's Anxiety Inventory, and the Facebook Intensity Scale were the measures used.
Results: Positive associations were found between SLEs, anxiety and social media use intensity. Anxiety mediated the relationship between SLEs and social media use intensity across all four domains. This reflected that social media use intensity is a form of avoidance coping mechanism that emerges due to poor emotional regulation and distress tolerance skills. Conclusions: The present study highlights the challenges experienced and how to set a precedent for the development of preventative programs and interventions.
Keywords: stressful life events, anxiety, avoidance coping, social media use intensity
Description
A Research Report completed in partial fulfilment for the degree of Master of Arts in Clinical Psychology
Keywords
Stressful live events, Anxiety, Avoidance coping, Social media use intensity, Social Readjustment Rating Scale, Beck's Anxiety Inventory, Facebook Intensity Scale, Stressful life events (SLEs)