The Effect of Self-compassion on Social Media Addiction Among College Students - The Mediating Role of Gratitude: An Observational Study

Overview

Journal Medicine (Baltimore)

Specialty General Medicine

Date 2024 May 24

PMID 38787992

Authors

Pengcheng Wei

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

In contemporary society, social media pervades every aspect of daily life, offering significant benefits such as enhanced access to information, improved interconnectivity, and fostering community among its users. However, its usage, particularly when excessive, can lead to negative psychological outcomes, including the prevalence of social media addiction (SMA) among adolescents. While extensive research has been conducted on the phenomenon of SMA, there is a notable paucity of studies examining the link between individual levels of self-compassion and susceptibility to SMA. This study aims to investigate the correlation between self-compassion and SMA in college students, while also examining the potential mediating influence of gratitude. The study sampled 1131 college students who engaged in an anonymous online survey. This survey utilized the Chinese translations of the Self-Compassion Scale, Gratitude Questionnaire, and SMA Scale. For data analysis, validated factor analysis was performed using IBM® SPSS® AMOS™ version 23. Correlation analyses were carried out with IBM® SPSS® version 22.0, and the PROCESS macro (Model 4) was employed to assess path and mediation effects. Higher levels of positive self-compassion were found to mitigate the effects of SMA, while elevated levels of negative self-compassion were associated with an increase in such addiction. The study further revealed that gratitude played a partial mediating role in the relationship between self-compassion and SMA. Specifically, positive self-compassion can reduce symptoms of SMA by enhancing levels of gratitude, whereas negative self-compassion may worsen these symptoms by diminishing gratitude. Positive self-compassion is instrumental in fostering personal growth among college students, with gratitude serving as a significant mediator in reducing SMA.

Citing Articles

Eyes on me: how social media use is associated with urban Chinese adolescents' concerns about their physical appearance.

Jin R, Le T Front Public Health. 2024; 12:1445090.

PMID: 39145157 PMC: 11322136. DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2024.1445090.

References

Andreassen C, Torsheim T, Brunborg G, Pallesen S . Development of a Facebook Addiction Scale. Psychol Rep. 2012; 110(2):501-17. DOI: 10.2466/02.09.18.PR0.110.2.501-517. View

Breen W, Kashdan T, Lenser M, Fincham F . Gratitude and forgiveness: Convergence and divergence on self-report and informant ratings. Pers Individ Dif. 2010; 49(8):932-937. PMC: 2943233. DOI: 10.1016/j.paid.2010.07.033. View

Worsley J, Mansfield R, Corcoran R . Attachment Anxiety and Problematic Social Media Use: The Mediating Role of Well-Being. Cyberpsychol Behav Soc Netw. 2018; 21(9):563-568. DOI: 10.1089/cyber.2017.0555. View

Zhong B, Huang Y, Liu Q . Mental health toll from the coronavirus: Social media usage reveals Wuhan residents' depression and secondary trauma in the COVID-19 outbreak. Comput Human Behav. 2020; 114:106524. PMC: 7428783. DOI: 10.1016/j.chb.2020.106524. View

Fredrickson B . The role of positive emotions in positive psychology. The broaden-and-build theory of positive emotions. Am Psychol. 2001; 56(3):218-26. PMC: 3122271. DOI: 10.1037//0003-066x.56.3.218. View

Liu A, Wang W, Wu X . Understanding the Relation Between Self-Compassion and Suicide Risk Among Adolescents in a Post-disaster Context: Mediating Roles of Gratitude and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder. Front Psychol. 2020; 11:1541. PMC: 7378767. DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2020.01541. View

Andreassen C, Pallesen S, Griffiths M . The relationship between addictive use of social media, narcissism, and self-esteem: Findings from a large national survey. Addict Behav. 2016; 64:287-293. DOI: 10.1016/j.addbeh.2016.03.006. View

Monacis L, Griffiths M, Limone P, Sinatra M, Servidio R . Selfitis Behavior: Assessing the Italian Version of the Selfitis Behavior Scale and Its Mediating Role in the Relationship of Dark Traits with Social Media Addiction. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2020; 17(16). PMC: 7460134. DOI: 10.3390/ijerph17165738. View

McCullough M, Emmons R, Tsang J . The grateful disposition: a conceptual and empirical topography. J Pers Soc Psychol. 2002; 82(1):112-27. DOI: 10.1037//0022-3514.82.1.112. View

10.

Joeng J, Turner S . Mediators between self-criticism and depression: Fear of compassion, self-compassion, and importance to others. J Couns Psychol. 2015; 62(3):453-463. DOI: 10.1037/cou0000071. View

11.

Folkman S, Moskowitz J . Positive affect and the other side of coping. Am Psychol. 2000; 55(6):647-54. DOI: 10.1037//0003-066x.55.6.647. View

12.

Sun Y, Zhang Y . A review of theories and models applied in studies of social media addiction and implications for future research. Addict Behav. 2020; 114:106699. DOI: 10.1016/j.addbeh.2020.106699. View

13.

Koster E, De Lissnyder E, Derakshan N, De Raedt R . Understanding depressive rumination from a cognitive science perspective: the impaired disengagement hypothesis. Clin Psychol Rev. 2010; 31(1):138-45. DOI: 10.1016/j.cpr.2010.08.005. View

14.

Emmons R, McCullough M . Counting blessings versus burdens: an experimental investigation of gratitude and subjective well-being in daily life. J Pers Soc Psychol. 2003; 84(2):377-89. DOI: 10.1037//0022-3514.84.2.377. View

15.

Brand M, Young K, Laier C, Wolfling K, Potenza M . Integrating psychological and neurobiological considerations regarding the development and maintenance of specific Internet-use disorders: An Interaction of Person-Affect-Cognition-Execution (I-PACE) model. Neurosci Biobehav Rev. 2016; 71:252-266. DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2016.08.033. View

16.

Monacis L, De Palo V, Griffiths M, Sinatra M . Social networking addiction, attachment style, and validation of the Italian version of the Bergen Social Media Addiction Scale. J Behav Addict. 2017; 6(2):178-186. PMC: 5520120. DOI: 10.1556/2006.6.2017.023. View

17.

Rogers M, Kelliher-Rabon J, Hagan C, Hirsch J, Joiner T . Negative emotions in veterans relate to suicide risk through feelings of perceived burdensomeness and thwarted belongingness. J Affect Disord. 2016; 208:15-21. DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2016.09.038. View

18.

Rao N, Kemper K . Online Training in Specific Meditation Practices Improves Gratitude, Well-Being, Self-Compassion, and Confidence in Providing Compassionate Care Among Health Professionals. J Evid Based Complementary Altern Med. 2016; 22(2):237-241. PMC: 5871184. DOI: 10.1177/2156587216642102. View

19.

Krentzman A . Gratitude, abstinence, and alcohol use disorders: Report of a preliminary finding. J Subst Abuse Treat. 2017; 78:30-36. PMC: 5501091. DOI: 10.1016/j.jsat.2017.04.013. View

20.

Tullett-Prado D, Stavropoulos V, Gomez R, Doley J . Social media use and abuse: Different profiles of users and their associations with addictive behaviours. Addict Behav Rep. 2023; 17:100479. PMC: 9898019. DOI: 10.1016/j.abrep.2023.100479. View