Social Media Addiction and Poor Mental Health: Examining the Mediating Roles of Internet Addiction and Phubbing

A sample of 603 young adults showed that social media addiction is associated with poorer mental health outcomes.

• Social media addiction is linked to increased levels of stress and anxiety.
• Internet addiction and phubbing may mediate the relationship between social media addiction and stress or anxiety.
• The connection between social media addiction and depression is mediated solely by internet addiction.
• Results were consistent regardless of gender, age, or frequency of internet and social media use.
• The study highlights the importance of understanding technology-related behaviors in relation to mental health.

AI simplified