Insomnia links aggressive behavior to problematic social media and online video game use in young adults

In a sample of 480 young individuals, problematic use of social media and online gaming was linked to aggression severity through insomnia.

• Self-reported symptoms of social media addiction and Internet gaming disorder were both significantly associated with increased aggression.
• Insomnia severity may play a mediating role in the relationship between problematic Internet use and aggression.
• The total effects of social media addiction symptoms on aggression severity were significant (B = 0.018; p = .010).
• The total effects of Internet gaming disorder symptoms on aggression severity were also significant (B = 0.018; p = .041).
• The associations of both social media addiction and gaming disorder symptoms with aggression severity were mediated by insomnia-related symptoms.

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