Factors that influence social media addiction among adolescents
Keywords:
social media, addiction, adolescentsAbstract
The present study aimed to identify factors associated with social media addiction in adolescents. Using a quantitative cross-sectional design, descriptive and field research, a structured survey was administered to 189 adolescents, assessing social media addiction, sociodemographic variables—age, sex, educational level, parents' marital status, number of siblings, and recreational activities—and psychological factors, including self-esteem (Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale), state-trait anxiety (STAIC Inventory), and quality of communication with parents. Reliability analyses (Cronbach's alpha), sample adequacy (KMO and Bartlett’s sphericity), and a multivariable linear regression model were conducted to examine the relationships between variables. The results showed adequate internal consistency and validity in the instruments used. Regression analysis revealed that different dimensions of social media addiction were differentially associated with psychological, familial, and sociodemographic factors. Obsession with social media was related to higher levels of anxiety, lower self-esteem, lower educational level, and difficulties in communication with the mother. Lack of personal control was linked to lower self-esteem, lower educational level, higher state-trait anxiety, and being female. In turn, excessive use was associated with less openness in communication with the father, lower self-esteem, higher educational level, and being male. In conclusion, anxiety, self-esteem, educational level, the quality of communication with both parents, and the adolescent's sex emerge as independent factors associated with different dimensions of social media addiction. These findings highlight the importance of considering both individual and relational aspects in the design of preventive and therapeutic interventions aimed at this issue in adolescence, emphasizing the need for a comprehensive approach that takes into account the diversity of factors involved in problematic use of digital technologies.
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