Date of Award

2024

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Arts (MA)

Department

Psychology

First Advisor

Gary Kose

Committee Chair and Members

Gary Kose, Chair

Tristan Adams

Keywords

Gender stereotypes, Instagram, Loneliness, Mental health, Problematic social media use, Social connectedness

Abstract

The purpose of the present study was to examine the direct and indirect effects of Problematic Instagram use (PIU) on different psychopathological outcomes including loneliness, depression, anxiety, and social anxiety. Additionally, moderating role of gender on the relationships among variables was investigated. A total of 191 adolescents (Mage= 21.45 years, SD=2.07; range=18 to 24 years) were recruited for the study to complete a questionnaire that included the relevant assessment tools for the variables. Mediation and moderation analyses showed that among male adolescents, PIU was directly associated with loneliness, depression, general anxiety, and social anxiety. Among females, PIU was directly associated with depression and indirectly with general anxiety, social anxiety. Gender significantly moderated the direct relationships of PIU with loneliness, general anxiety, and social anxiety. PIU was directly associated with loneliness, general anxiety, and social anxiety among males only, whereas among females, PIU was indirectly associated with general and social anxiety but was not related to loneliness. Results of this study indicate that PIU has different negative psychological effects on male and female adolescents.

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