Problematic Use of Social Networking Sites: Antecedents and Consequence from a Dual-System Theory Perspective

The relationship between social networking sites usage and psychological distress among undergraduate students during COVID-19 lockdown

During the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, interpersonal interactions are restricted to social networks. Undergraduate students are isolated in their homes and dorms. Loneliness is closely related to psychological distress. Fear of contracting the disease will worsen psychological distress. The purpose of this study was to assess the severity of depression, anxiety, and stress symptoms among undergraduate students and their relationships with social networking sites usage during the COVID-19 lockdown. An online survey was used to recruit 456 participants for this cross-sectional descriptive study. Self-reported questionnaires were used to collect data on students' demographics, depression, anxiety, stress, and social networking usage. The results revealed that the majority of students had symptoms of depression (74.1%), anxiety (59.6%), and stress (61.2%). Female students had higher depression and anxiety symptoms than males. Senior-level students' psychological distress symptoms were significantly different from those of junior level. The largest percentage of students (91.9%) used social networking sites for entertainment. The academic usage of social networking sites was negatively (p < .05) correlated with depression and stress scores, while entertainment usage was positively correlated with anxiety. Age was not found to be significantly correlated with psychological distress. Academic and entertainment use of social networking sites were successfully associated with psychological distress symptoms after controlling for demographics. During this unprecedented time of undergraduate students' course of study, they were experiencing higher than average distress symptoms. These symptoms could be mitigated by continuing the regular academic activities and delivering the most accurate up-to-date information on the COVID-19 through social networking sites.

IS Reappraisal and Technology Adaptation Behaviors

Employees have to adapt to newly implemented information systems (IS) because they are often perceived as radical changes or disruptions. To understand such adaptation behavior, IS research suggests that employees first appraise the new IS and second perform technology adaptive behaviors. However, while the psychology literature indicates that adaptation is a continuous process unfolding over time, previous IS literature treats adaptation towards IS implementation as a rather singular, noniterative process. As firms continue to implement IS, an understanding of reappraisal and the influence of technology adaptation behavior is vital to ensure successful implementations. Therefore, the present paper investigates reappraisal and the influences of four different technology adaptation behaviors. We conducted a longitudinal study and used hierarchical linear modeling (HLM) to validate our research model. The findings reveal that employees reappraise the newly implemented IS over time regarding perceived opportunity, threat, and controllability and demonstrate that technology adaption behaviors influence such reappraisal. One specific finding is that employees might get into positive or negative reappraisal loops. We thereby contribute to research by extending the adaptation behavior literature and add a new piece of the puzzle to understand how employees adapt towards newly implemented IS over time.

Neglecting Long-Term Risks: Self-Disclosure on Social Media and Its Relation to Individual Decision-Making Tendencies and Problematic Social-Networks-Use

Social media including social-networking sites (SNS) encourage people to disclose personal information via profiles and posts. It is assumed that positive short-term effects and immediate feedback (e.g., getting Likes) have a rewarding nature and may complicate the rational weighing of possible negative long-term consequences related to self-disclosure. Dual-process theories assume risky behaviors to result from more impulsive/short-term oriented compared to reflective/long-term oriented decision making. The current laboratory study investigates whether the extent of online self-disclosure is explained by the general tendency to choose short-term rewards by neglecting long-term risks as well as by tendencies toward a problematic social-networks-use. Participants (N = 88) were asked to log into their Facebook account to answer questions about their actual self-disclosing behavior. Furthermore, they performed an experimental decision-making task and answered a questionnaire assessing problematic social-networks-use. The quantity of self-disclosure via posts was negatively associated with advantageous decision making and positively with tendencies toward a problematic social-networks-use. The findings indicate that high self-disclosure via posts is associated with a general tendency to neglect long-term risks. Moreover, a problematic social-networks-use can additionally increase individual's self-disclosure via posts.

Does multitasking computer self-efficacy mitigate the impact of social media affordances on overload and fatigue among professionals?

Purpose

This paper investigates the moderating role of multitasking computer self-efficacy on the relationship between social media affordances and social media overload as well as its moderation between social media overload and social media fatigue.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors hypothesize that social media affordances will have a positive impact on social media overload (i.e. information and communication overload). They also hypothesize that social media overload will affect social media fatigue. In addition, they hypothesize that multitasking computer self-efficacy will attenuate the effect of social media affordances on both information overload and communication overload. Similarly, they also hypothesize that multitasking computer self-efficacy will attenuate the effects of both information overload and communication overload on fatigue. The authors test this model by collecting two-wave data from 220 professionals using PLS techniques.

Findings

Social media affordances have significant impacts on information overload, but not on communication overload. In turn, information overload and communication overload significantly affect social media fatigue. Multitasking computer self-efficacy was found to attenuate the effect of social media affordances on both information overload and communication overload. Furthermore, the study results suggest that multitasking computer self-efficacy attenuates the effect of information overload and reinforces the effect of communication overload on social media fatigue.

Originality/value

Most prior literature focused on students rather than on professionals. There is a lack of research that investigates how the affordances of social media relate to social media overload and fatigue. Furthermore, research that investigates mitigating mechanisms of social media fatigue has been rare. This paper fills these important research gaps.

Problematic Facebook use and problematic video gaming as mediators of relationship between impulsivity and life satisfaction among female and male gamers

Over the past few decades, many new technologies have emerged, such as portable computers, the internet and smartphones, which have contributed to improving the lives of individuals. While the benefits of these new technologies are overwhelmingly positive, negative consequences are experienced by a minority of individuals. One possible negative aspect of new technologies is their problematic use due to impulsive use which may lead to lower life satisfaction. The present study investigated the mediating role of problematic video gaming (PVG) and problematic Facebook use (PFU) in the relationship between impulsivity dimensions and life satisfaction as well as the relationship between impulsivity dimensions and problematic behaviors. Additionally, the potential impact of gender differences was also examined. The study comprised 673 gamers (391 females) aged 17-38 years (M = 21.25 years, SD = 2.67) selected from 1365 individuals who completed an offline survey. PFU was assessed using the Facebook Intrusion Scale, and PVG was assessed using the nine-item Internet Gaming Disorder Scale-Short-Form (IGDS9-SF). Impulsivity dimensions such as attention, cognitive instability, motor, perseverance, self-control, and cognitive complexity were assessed using the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale (BIS-11), and life satisfaction was assessed using the Satisfaction With Life Scale (SWLS). Depending on the specific impulsivity dimension, findings showed both positive and negative relationships between impulsivity and life satisfaction. Attention and perseverance subtypes of impulsivity were primarily associated with problematic behaviors. Additionally, cognitive complexity was associated with PFU among female gamers, whereas cognitive instability was associated with PVG among male gamers. Additionally, PVG was primarily associated with lower life satisfaction. However, there was no mediation effects between impulsivity dimensions and life satisfaction via PFU or PVG. These findings provide a better understanding of the relationship between problematic behaviors, life satisfaction, and impulsivity among gamers and the differences between male and female gamers.

Directing Technology Addiction Research in Information Systems

Technology-related addictions have become common in many societies. Consequently, IS research has started examining such issues. In these embryonic stages of research, this line of work has already shown some promise in terms of understanding and tackling technology addiction problems. Nevertheless, there is a need to step back and understand the roots of technology-related addictions and how their foundations evolved in reference disciplines in order to be able to conduct more scientifically informed research on such issues. This study, therefore, explains the concept of behavioral addictions (the family of addictions to which technology-related addictions presumably belong), reviews the field's history and evolution, explains the relevant brain circuitry, and discusses similarities and differences between behavioral and substance addictions. A synthesis of this information provides eight key observations and recommendations that should help the field move forward.

"I'll use it differently now": using dual-systems theory to explore youth engagement with networked technologies

OBJECTIVES

Many young Canadians experience high levels of networked connectivity, which some suggest may negatively impact their health. Adult monitoring has not been shown to be an effective long-term strategy for supporting young people in healthy engagement with tech. In this study, we explore the benefits of empowering young people to set healthy goals and monitor themselves. We engage with Shapka's (2019) critique of dual-systems theory, and consider the relationship between the neurological and behavioural systems in relation to adolescent internet use.

METHODS

Using a youth participatory action research approach, we co-designed a project with six adolescents to explore the ways that their use of networked technologies was affecting their lives by disconnecting and observing how the lack of networked connectivity changed their experiences. The youth used a media diary to track their use of devices both before and after disconnecting.

RESULTS

The main benefit of disconnecting appeared to be having the opportunity to reflect on one's own use of networked devices. This enabled the participants to reconnect in a more intentional way. Findings support Shapka's speculation that dual-systems theory, with a focus on regulation, may not be the most useful way of supporting adolescents in developing healthy habits around their wired tech.

CONCLUSION

Adolescent experiences of networked technologies are complex, yet they are able to navigate this landscape with intelligent strategies. Their self-directed exploration of disconnection helped them to become reflexive practitioners who were able to revisit their use of networked technologies with new insights and self-control.

Which conditions should be considered as disorders in the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-11) designation of "other specified disorders due to addictive behaviors"?

BACKGROUND

Gambling and gaming disorders have been included as "disorders due to addictive behaviors" in the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-11). Other problematic behaviors may be considered as "other specified disorders due to addictive behaviors (6C5Y)."

METHODS

Narrative review, experts' opinions.

RESULTS

We suggest the following meta-level criteria for considering potential addictive behaviors as fulfilling the category of "other specified disorders due to addictive behaviors":1. Clinical relevance: Empirical evidence from multiple scientific studies demonstrates that the specific potential addictive behavior is clinically relevant and individuals experience negative consequences and functional impairments in daily life due to the problematic and potentially addictive behavior.2. Theoretical embedding: Current theories and theoretical models belonging to the field of research on addictive behaviors describe and explain most appropriately the candidate phenomenon of a potential addictive behavior.3. Empirical evidence: Data based on self-reports, clinical interviews, surveys, behavioral experiments, and, if available, biological investigations (neural, physiological, genetic) suggest that psychological (and neurobiological) mechanisms involved in other addictive behaviors are also valid for the candidate phenomenon. Varying degrees of support for problematic forms of pornography use, buying and shopping, and use of social networks are available. These conditions may fit the category of "other specified disorders due to addictive behaviors".

CONCLUSION

It is important not to over-pathologize everyday-life behavior while concurrently not trivializing conditions that are of clinical importance and that deserve public health considerations. The proposed meta-level-criteria may help guide both research efforts and clinical practice.

Cognitive biases and excessive use of social media: The facebook implicit associations test (FIAT)

Many theoretical accounts of addictive behaviors, including models of Internet use disorders, implicate cognitive biases in the formation and maintenance of excessive behaviors. Yet, little empirical evidence regarding the role of such biases, including implicit attitude, in the development and maintenance of excessive use of social media exists. We seek to bridge this gap in this study. To this end, we present the development of the Facebook Implicit Association Test (FIAT) and employ it in a sample of 220 Facebook users. The results (1) confirm the validity of the concept of implicit attitude and its measure in the context of social media, (2) demonstrate that implicit attitude is significantly positively associated with excessive use scores, in a magnitude similar to that observed for associations with substance use, and (3) show that implicit attitude is sheltered against social desirability bias, unlike self-reported and explicit measures, such as excessive use. Overall, this study builds theoretical and methodological foundations for further inquiries into the role of implicit attitude in research on the excessive use of social media.

Unlocking the smart home: exploring key factors affecting the smart lock adoption intention

Purpose

This study examines the factorial structure of salient user beliefs associated with smart locks. We also examine the predictive value of the identified constructs on the smart lock adoption intention and we evaluate gender differences in the predictive value of the identified constructs.

Design/methodology/approach

The study assumes pragmatic epistemological stance and it leverages mixed-methods research design. The research progresses through three stages: belief elicitation, exploratory factor analysis and confirmatory factor analysis within a nomological network. New groups of participants were recruited for each stage of the study.

Findings

We find that while potential adopters express a broad range of perceived benefits and concerns associated with smart locks, only the perceived relative advantage of smart locks vis-à-vis conventional locks in providing safety and security is significantly correlated with adoption intention for both genders. We also find that perceived novel benefits are a significant predictor of the smart lock adoption intention for women, but not for men.

Research limitations/implications

Our results indicate that perceived relative advantage can be the singular critical consideration in the adoption of smart home technologies that replace incumbent solutions. The results also demonstrate that gender-specific models can better capture gender effects that influence technology adoption and use.

Practical implications

Smart home technology vendors would need to convince prospective users that new technology is better than the incumbent solutions on the core affordances of the incumbent technology. Men and women differ in the consideration of novel benefits afforded by novel technologies.

Originality/value

This is among the first studies to examine salient beliefs that affect smart home technology adoption. The findings suggest that the traditional models (TAM, UTAUT) do not capture the key salient beliefs that can influence innovative smart home technology adoption. The study also suggests that gendered models are needed to understand technology adoption in contexts where technology adoption intersects with gender roles.

Linguistic Predictors of Problematic Drinking in Alcohol-related Facebook Posts

Emerging adults often increase problematic drinking during college. Although they generally do not seek help for problematic drinking, college students discuss their drinking on social media. This study followed college students' Facebook profiles from the inception of their attendance at a university and identified alcohol-related posts. Within 28 days of their first alcohol-related Facebook post, participants were interviewed to assess problematic drinking (binge drinking episodes and number of drinks). Linguistic analysis of alcohol-related Facebook posts found that use of negative emotion language and swear words were related to problematic drinking, in support of proposed hypotheses. Results are situated within alcohol use disorder and health research examining the link between problematic drinking and anxiety, deviant behavior, and negative emotions.

Interactions of impulsivity, general executive functions, and specific inhibitory control explain symptoms of social-networks-use disorder: An experimental study

While the use of social media and online-communication applications has become an integral part of everyday life, some individuals suffer from an excessive, uncontrolled use of social media despite experiencing negative consequences. In accordance with neuropsychological models of addiction, we assume the tendency of a social-networks-use disorder to be related to an interplay of predisposing personality traits (e.g., impulsivity), and reductions in cognitive functions (e.g., executive functions, inhibitory control). The current study makes first strides towards examining this interplay. In addition to a newly developed social-networks-specific auditory Go-NoGo paradigm, other neuropsychological paradigms were used. Impulsivity and social-networks-use-disorder symptoms were assessed by standardized questionnaires. The results show that the symptom severity of a social-networks-use disorder is mainly associated with attentional impulsivity. General executive functions and specific inhibitory control of social-networks-related cues have no direct effect on symptom severity. However, moderated regression analyses emphasize that increased symptom severity is associated with higher attentional impulsivity, especially if there are additionally reductions in executive functions or specific inhibitory control. The results complement previous findings and inform future research on social-networks-use disorder. The findings support the applicability of theoretical models of addictive behaviors to the social-networks-use disorder and point to social-networks-related specificities regarding attention-related facets.

Depression and anxiety symptoms are related to problematic smartphone use severity in Chinese young adults: Fear of missing out as a mediator

INTRODUCTION

Recently studies examined mediating psychological constructs accounting for relations between both depression and anxiety with problematic smartphone use (PSU) severity. The aim of the current study was to analyze the fear of missing out (FOMO) as a possible mediator in these relationships.

METHOD

We recruited 1034 Chinese undergraduate students via a web-based survey that measured smartphone use frequency, PSU, depression, anxiety and FOMO.

RESULTS

Structural equation modeling demonstrated that FOMO was significantly related to smartphone use frequency and PSU severity. FOMO significantly mediated relations between anxiety and both smartphone use frequency and PSU severity. FOMO did not account for relations between depression and smartphone use/PSU.

CONCLUSION

This is one of the first studies testing FOMO in relation to PSU severity among Asian participants. FOMO may be an important variable accounting for why some types of psychopathology (e.g., anxiety) are associated with PSU.

Well-Being and Social Media: A Systematic Review of Bergen Addiction Scales

Does social media addiction impair the well-being of non-clinical individuals? Despite the Internet being able to be considered as a promoting factor for individual empowerment, previous literature suggests that the current massive availability of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) may be dangerous for users’ well-being. This article discusses the relationship between the most used social media addiction measures (i.e., the Bergen Facebook Addiction Scale—BFAS, the Bergen Social Media Addiction Scale—BSMAS) and well-being. A systematic review considering all the publications indexed by PsycInfo, PsycArticles, PubMed, Science Direct, Sociological Abstracts, Academic Search Complete, and Google Scholar databases was performed to collect the data. Ten of 635 studies were included in the qualitative synthesis. Overall, most of the included works captured a negative but small relationship between BFAS/BSMAS and well-being, across multiple definitions and measurement.

How the social dimension of fitness apps can enhance and undermine wellbeing

Purpose

While the positive health benefits of fitness apps, which motivate and track physical exercise, are widely acknowledged, the adverse connection between these technologies and wellbeing has received little attention. The purpose of this paper is to determine how the social dimensions of fitness apps predict the type of passion (harmonious and obsessive) one has for physical exercise, and what the resulting positive and negative implications are for wellbeing.

Design/methodology/approach

Drawing from the theoretical frameworks of social influence and the dual model of passion (DMP), this study develops a model depicting how fitness apps relate to the causes and consequences of harmonious and obsessive passion for exercise. Survey data were collected from 272 fitness app using cyclists and analysed with partial least squares structural equation modelling techniques.

Findings

Different social influence aspects of fitness apps appeal to different types of exercisers. A harmonious passion for physical exercise is predicted by the positive reciprocal benefits attained from one’s fitness app community, while an obsessive passion is predicted by positive recognition. In turn, a harmonious passion for exercise is negatively associated with life burnout, while an obsessive passion strongly affirms that relationship. In addition, the relationship between social influence and life burnout is fully mediated by the type of passion a fitness app user possesses.

Originality/value

Underpinned by the DMP, the study provides a theoretical framework explaining how the use of fitness apps can result in opposing wellness outcomes.

Identity Health

Identity health has especially specific meanings for social relationships in contemporary digital age. First, computerized digital communication makes many citizens in severe maladaptation. The WHO often warns mental addictions of internet usages and online gaming among the youth. The advent of social media and online networking has endangered them in ambiguous situations which are not stabilizing in those basic grounds for human relationships. Further, because social networking sites and social gaming frequently enforce each member to interconnect with the others, many of participating members often hold harder mental debts to respond and maintain their interconnections. In this situation, in other words, it can say that all of users simultaneously might share common conditions under mental illness.

Food-Specific Inhibitory Control Mediates the Effect of Disgust Sensitivity on Body Mass Index

Disgust is an emotion that drives food avoidance. People vary in their responses to disgust, which is captured by their disgust sensitivity. Disgust sensitivity is clinically significant because it can influence eating behaviors, and indirectly people's body mass index (BMI). Inhibitory control can also influence BMI through the role that such reflective abilities play in governing food intake. In this study, we relied on neural models of disgust to suggest that disgust and inhibitory control are intertwined, and that inhibitory control facilitates the translation of disgust sensitivity into BMI. Mediation analyses applied to 46 subjects, including 29 normal body weight [BMI = 18.34 kg/m² (SD = 1.58)] and 17 overweight/obese [BMI = 26.03 kg/m² (SD = 2.58)] subjects, were used to test the hypothesis. Subjects completed the Chinese version of the Disgust Scale-Revised, and an inhibition control test (Food-Specific Stop-Signal Task). There were negative correlations between the disgust sensitivity score (DS) and body mass index (BMI), and between DS and stop-signal reaction time (SSRT). Moreover, BMI was positively correlated with SSRT. The mediation model results showed that disgust sensitivity was associated with BMI and that this relationship was mediated via inhibition control. There was no significant effect of DS on BMI, while the effect of SSRT on BMI was significant. This suggested that the effect of disgust sensitivity on BMI was fully mediated through food-specific inhibitory control. This supports our hypothesis that BMI is affected by disgust sensitivity and that this relationship is mediated by inhibition control. These findings reveal a key mechanism that underlies disgust sensitivity-BMI association and point to future research and potential interventions aimed at food intake management.

Histrionic Personality, Narcissistic Personality, and Problematic Social Media Use: Testing of a New Hypothetical Model

In the present study, a hypothetical model examining the relationships between histrionic personality belief, need for social approval, desire for being liked, social media disorder, and narcissistic personality belief was proposed and tested. The effect of histrionic personality belief on the need for social approval and desire for being liked was tested first. Then the effect of the need for social approval and desire for being liked on social media addiction were tested. Finally, the effect of social media addiction on narcissistic personality belief was tested. The present study comprised 305 adolescents (165 girls and 140 boys) and they were administered the Personality Belief Questionnaire-Short Form, Need for Social Approval Scale, Desire for Being Liked Scale, and Social Media Disorder Scale. Before the proposed hypothetical model was tested, each latent variable was tested with measurement models to determine if it could be used in structural models. Findings demonstrated that histrionic personality belief positively affected the need for social approval and desire for being liked. The need for social approval and desire for being liked positively affected social media addiction. Finally, social media addiction positively affected narcissistic personality belief.

Connecting personality traits to social networking site addiction: the mediating role of motives

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate whether four motives – conformity, enhancement, social and coping – mediate relationships between four personality types – agreeableness, extraversion, neuroticism and openness to experience – and social networking site (SNS) addiction. Impulse control is included as a moderator.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper uses a survey to collect data at two points in time from 304 SNS users. Structural equation modeling was used for data analysis.

Findings

Empirical results show that conformity, enhancement and coping motives act as mediators between various personality types and SNS addiction. Furthermore, impulse control weakens the effects of two motives – enhancement and social – on SNS addiction.

Research limitations/implications

The research model included only four motives. Future research could investigate other motivational mechanisms and moderators. The research method surveyed university students in the USA; thus, results may not generalize to a different user population. The method also included only one SNS, Facebook.

Originality/value

The paper contributes to the literature by showing that motives of SNS use connect personality to SNS addiction. This study also shows that self-reflective factors like impulse control can reduce the positive effects of motives on SNS addiction.

Strategies for self-controlling social media use: Classification and role in preventing social media addiction symptoms

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

Many people present excessive patterns of social networking site (SNS) use and try to self-regulate it. However, little is known regarding the strategies employed by young adult SNS users and their role in preventing the emergence of addiction-like symptoms in relation to SNS use.

METHODS

In Study 1, we employed a naturalistic-qualitative approach for finding commonly employed self-control strategies in relation to SNS use. In Study 2, we examined differences between the frequency and difficulty of the strategies identified in Study 1 and tested the process through which trait self-control exerts influence on reducing SNS addiction symptomology.

RESULTS

Study 1 revealed six families of self-control strategies, some reactive and some proactive. Study 2 pinpointed the most commonly used and most difficult to enact ones. It also showed that the difficulty to enact self-control strategies in relation to SNS use partially mediates the effect of trait self-control via SNS use habit on SNS addiction symptom severity.

CONCLUSIONS

Taken together, the present findings revealed that strategies for self-controlling SNS use are common and complex. Their theoretical and clinical significance stems from their ability to prevent the translation of poor trait self-control and strong SNS use habit to the emergence of excessive use as manifested in SNS addiction-like symptoms.

The Interaction of Person-Affect-Cognition-Execution (I-PACE) model for addictive behaviors: Update, generalization to addictive behaviors beyond internet-use disorders, and specification of the process character of addictive behaviors

We propose an updated version of the Interaction of Person-Affect-Cognition-Execution (I-PACE) model, which we argue to be valid for several types of addictive behaviors, such as gambling, gaming, buying-shopping, and compulsive sexual behavior disorders. Based on recent empirical findings and theoretical considerations, we argue that addictive behaviors develop as a consequence of the interactions between predisposing variables, affective and cognitive responses to specific stimuli, and executive functions, such as inhibitory control and decision-making. In the process of addictive behaviors, the associations between cue-reactivity/craving and diminished inhibitory control contribute to the development of habitual behaviors. An imbalance between structures of fronto-striatal circuits, particularly between ventral striatum, amygdala, and dorsolateral prefrontal areas, may be particularly relevant to early stages and the dorsal striatum to later stages of addictive processes. The I-PACE model may provide a theoretical foundation for future studies on addictive behaviors and clinical practice. Future studies should investigate common and unique mechanisms involved in addictive, obsessive-compulsive-related, impulse-control, and substance-use disorders.

The relationship between perceived stress and problematic social networking site use among Chinese college students

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

Perceived stress has been regarded as a risk factor for problematic social networking site (SNS) use, yet little is known about the underlying processes whereby confounding variables may mediate or moderate this relationship. To answer this question, this study examined whether depression and anxiety mediated the relationship between perceived stress and problematic SNS use, and whether these mediating processes were moderated by psychological resilience and social support.

METHODS

Participants were 641 Chinese college students who completed anonymous questionnaires measuring perceived stress, depression/anxiety, psychological resilience, social support, and problematic SNS use.

RESULTS

The results showed that (a) depression/anxiety mediated the relationship between perceived stress and problematic SNS use; (b) the mediating effects of depression/anxiety on the association between perceived stress and problematic SNS use were moderated by psychological resilience. Specifically, the mediating effects of depression/anxiety were stronger for individuals with lower levels of psychological resilience, compared with those with higher levels of psychological resilience; and (c) the mediating effects of depression/anxiety were not moderated by social support, although social support was negatively related to depression/anxiety.

DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION

This study can contribute to a better understanding of how and when perceived stress increases the risk of problematic SNS use, and implies the importance of enhancing psychological resilience in preventing problematic SNS use.

Effect of Abstinence from Social Media on Time Perception: Differences between Low- and At-Risk for Social Media "Addiction" Groups

Time distortion is a hallmark feature of addictive behaviors including excessive technology use. It has clinically significant implications for diagnosis and treatment. Additional information on such distortions after prolonged abstinence from technology use is needed. We seek to examine differences in the effects of several days of abstinence on time-distortion in two groups: social media users who are at-risk and those who are at low risk for social media "addiction." To examine this, we employed a randomized, two group, pre (t1) - post (t2) design. Both groups completed survey tasks that cued social media use at t1 and at t2. Between t1 and t2, the treatment group (n = 294) abstained from social media use for up to one week (less if they "broke" and decided to resume use), and the control group (n = 121) did not. Results indicated that low-risk individuals in both the treatment and control groups presented downward time bias at t1; at-risk individuals presented non-significant upward bias. After abstinence, both low- and at- risk individuals in the treatment group presented upward time distortion. This effect did not take place in the control group; low-risk users still presented significant downward bias at t2. The post-abstinence increase in time distortion was significantly more pronounced in at-risk users. These differences between pre- and post-abstinence time distortion patterns in normal and at-risk-for-"addiction" social media users can be used for adjusting and interpreting self-reports related to addictive uses of technologies.

Little video-gaming in adolescents can be protective, but too much is associated with increased substance use

BACKGROUND

Studies have demonstrated inconsistent results regarding the association between video gaming time and substance use in teenagers. Understating intricacies of this association can help with substance use reduction in teenagers.

OBJECTIVES

This study aimed to untangle this complex relationship by theorizing and examining a U-shaped association.

METHODS

We analyzed two large samples (n₁ = 7313 [52.5% female] and n₂ = 8079 [51.6% female]) of 8th and 10th graders in the United States. Substance use was operationalized as the sum of self-reported number of lifetime use instances of 14 unprescribed substances. Video game use time (hours per week) was self-reported on a 1 (none) to 9 (40+) scale. Common covariates/risk factors were included.

RESULTS

Consistently across datasets, partial-correlation between squared video gaming time and substance use (r = .10, p < .001 in 2014 and r = .08, p < .001 in 2015) supported the hypothesized u-shaped association. Analysis of covariance revealed that teenagers playing video games for 1-5 h a week report on significantly fewer instances of substance use compared with non-gamers (p < .001-.007). Post hoc analyses revealed that those who play at least 30 h per week report on significantly (p < .001) more instances of substance use (3.92 in 2014 and 3.38 in 2015) compared with teenagers playing video games for 1-5 h a week (2.17 in 2015 and 1.96 in 2015).

CONCLUSIONS

Video gaming time and substance use follow a u-shaped association; light video gaming can be protective in terms of substance use, while too much video gaming is associated with increased substance use.

Short abstinence from online social networking sites reduces perceived stress, especially in excessive users

Online social networking sites (SNSs), such as Facebook, provide frequent and copious social reinforcers (e.g., "likes") delivered at variable time intervals. As a result, some SNS users display excessive, maladaptive behaviors on these platforms. Excessive SNS users, and typical users alike, are often aware of their intense use and psychological dependence on these sites, which may lead to elevated stress. In fact, research has demonstrated that use of SNSs alone induces elevated stress. Other research has begun to investigate the effects of short periods of SNS abstinence, revealing beneficial effects on subjective wellbeing. We aligned these two lines of research and hypothesized that a short period of SNS abstinence would induce a reduction in perceived stress, especially in excessive users. The results confirmed our hypothesis and revealed that both typical and excessive SNS users experienced reduction in perceived stress following SNS abstinence of several days. The effects were particularly pronounced in excessive SNS users. The reduction in stress was not associated with academic performance increases. These results indicate a benefit-at least temporarily-of abstinence from SNSs and provide important information for therapists treating patients who struggle with excessive SNS use.

Social networking sites use and the morphology of a social-semantic brain network

Social lives have shifted, at least in part, for large portions of the population to social networking sites. How such lifestyle changes may be associated with brain structures is still largely unknown. In this manuscript, we describe two preliminary studies aimed at exploring this issue. The first study (n = 276) showed that Facebook users reported on increased social-semantic and mentalizing demands, and that such increases were positively associated with people's level of Facebook use. The second study (n = 33) theorized on and examined likely anatomical correlates of such changes in demands on the brain. Findings indicated that the grey matter volumes of the posterior parts of the bilateral middle and superior temporal, and left fusiform gyri were positively associated with the level of Facebook use. These results provided preliminary evidence that grey matter volumes of brain structures involved in social-semantic and mentalizing tasks may be linked to the extent of social networking sites use.

Neuroticism Magnifies the Detrimental Association between Social Media Addiction Symptoms and Wellbeing in Women, but Not in Men: a three-Way Moderation Model

Addiction symptoms in relation to the use of social networking sites (SNS) can be associated with reduced wellbeing. However, the mechanisms that can control this association have not been fully characterized, despite their relevance to effective treatment of individuals presenting SNS addiction symptoms. In this study we hypothesize that sex and neuroticism, which are important determinants of how people evaluate and respond to addiction symptoms, moderate this association. To examine these assertions, we employed hierarchical linear and logistic regression techniques to analyze data collected with a cross-sectional survey of 215 Israeli college students who use SNS. Results lend support to the hypothesized negative association between SNS addiction symptoms and wellbeing (as well as potentially being at-risk for low mood/ mild depression), and the ideas that (1) this association is augmented by neuroticism, and (2) that the augmentation is stronger for women than for men. They demonstrated that the sexes may differ in their SNS addiction-wellbeing associations: while men had similar addiction symptoms -wellbeing associations across neuroticism levels, women with high levels of neuroticism presented much steeper associations compared to women with low neuroticism. This provides an interesting account of possible "telescoping effect", the idea that addicted women present a more severe clinical profile compared to men, in the case of technology-"addictions".

Association of excessive social media use with abnormal white matter integrity of the corpus callosum

Borrowing from findings regarding other problematic behaviors, we posit that excessive social media use (ESMU) can relate to impaired inter-hemispheric connections. These are often reflected in impaired white matter integrity (decreased fractional anisotropy and increased mean diffusivity) of the corpus callosum. We test this idea with diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) data from 20 normal social media users with varying degrees of ESMU. The findings of a Regions of Interest analysis focusing on the corpus callosum indicate that ESMU is associated with increased mean diffusivity in the body and splenium sub-regions of the corpus callosum. Whole-brain Tract Based Spatial Statistics analysis revealed that ESMU is positively associated with mean diffusivity of left superior and inferior longitudinal fasciculi as well as left forceps minor; and that ESMU is positively associated with the fractional anisotropy of the right Corticospinal Tract. It is concluded that inter-hemispheric white matter deficits in the corpus callosum extended to forceps minor, as well as along the ventral semantic path can be associated with ESMU.