From Emotional (Dys)Regulation to Internet Addiction: A Mediation Model of Problematic Social Media Use among Italian Young Adults

Alessandro Quaglieri; Silvia Biondi; Paolo Roma; Manuel Varchetta; Angelo Fraschetti; Jessica Burrai; Giulia Lausi; Manuel Martí-Vilar; Francisco González-Sala; Alberto Di Domenico; Anna Maria Giannini; Emanuela Mari

doi:10.3390/jcm11010188

Journal of Clinical Medicine (Dec 2021)

From Emotional (Dys)Regulation to Internet Addiction: A Mediation Model of Problematic Social Media Use among Italian Young Adults

Alessandro Quaglieri,
Silvia Biondi,
Paolo Roma,
Manuel Varchetta,
Angelo Fraschetti,
Jessica Burrai,
Giulia Lausi,
Manuel Martí-Vilar,
Francisco González-Sala,
Alberto Di Domenico,
Anna Maria Giannini,
Emanuela Mari

Affiliations

Alessandro Quaglieri: Department of Psychology, Sapienza University of Rome, Via dei Marsi 78, 00185 Rome, Italy
Silvia Biondi: Department of Human Neuroscience, Sapienza University of Rome, Piazzale Aldo Moro 5, 00185 Rome, Italy
Paolo Roma: Department of Human Neuroscience, Sapienza University of Rome, Piazzale Aldo Moro 5, 00185 Rome, Italy
Manuel Varchetta: Department of Psychology, Sapienza University of Rome, Via dei Marsi 78, 00185 Rome, Italy
Angelo Fraschetti: Department of Psychology, Sapienza University of Rome, Via dei Marsi 78, 00185 Rome, Italy
Jessica Burrai: Department of Psychology, Sapienza University of Rome, Via dei Marsi 78, 00185 Rome, Italy
Giulia Lausi: Department of Psychology, Sapienza University of Rome, Via dei Marsi 78, 00185 Rome, Italy
Manuel Martí-Vilar: Departamento de Psicología Básica, Facultad de Psicología y Logopedia, Universidad de Valencia, Av. Blasco Ibáñez, 21, 46010 Valencia, Spain
Francisco González-Sala: Departamento de Psicología Evolutiva y de la Educación, Facultad de Psicología y Logopedia, Universidad de Valencia, Av. Blasco Ibáñez, 21, 46010 Valencia, Spain
Alberto Di Domenico: Department of Psychological, Health and Territorial Sciences, University “G. d’Annunzio” of Chieti-Pescara, Via dei Vestini 31, 66100 Chieti, Italy
Anna Maria Giannini: Department of Psychology, Sapienza University of Rome, Via dei Marsi 78, 00185 Rome, Italy
Emanuela Mari: Department of Psychology, Sapienza University of Rome, Via dei Marsi 78, 00185 Rome, Italy

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm11010188
Journal volume & issue: Vol. 11, no. 1
p. 188

Abstract

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Internet addiction (IA) has mostly been investigated with the fear of missing out and difficulties in emotional regulation. The present study examined the link between IA and variables related to problematic social media use (i.e., fear of missing out, social media addiction), together with emotional (dys)regulation and personality traits, providing new insights and an integrated assessment of IA. In total, 397 participants, aged 18–35 years (M = 22.00; SD = 3.83), were administered a set of questionnaires pertaining to IA, problematic social media use, emotional (dys)regulation, and personality traits. Pearson’s correlations showed significant associations between IA and the investigated variables, and the tested mediation model highlighted the crucial role played by emotional (dys)regulation in the fear of missing out and problematic use of social networks. Overall, the findings provide support for a new integrated model for understanding the features, predictors, and risk factors of IA.

Published in Journal of Clinical Medicine

ISSN: 2077-0383 (Online)
Publisher: MDPI AG
Country of publisher: Switzerland
LCC subjects: Medicine
Website: http://www.mdpi.com/journal/jcm

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