Longitudinal Relationship Between Problematic Social Networking Use and Internalizing Problems
Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: The purpose of this study is to examine the longitudinal and bidirectional relationships between problematic social networking use (PSNU) and internalizing problems (depressive symptoms and self-esteem) in adolescents. Data were collected from N = 360 adolescents from two public high schools in Turkey, 14.58 years old in 9th grade at Time 1 (54.3% females). Participants completed four assessments regarding problematic social media use, depression and self-esteem, over the course of two school years, once per semester in 9th and 10th grades. The study tested a series of hypotheses which tested the bidirectional relationships between PSNU on depressive symptoms and self-esteem. Study findings provided only partial support to such relationships; PSNU positively predicted depressive symptoms from Time 2 to 3, but none of the paths from depressive symptoms to PSNU were statistically significant. For self-esteem, PNSU predicted it from Time 3 to 4; on the other hand, self-esteem predicted PNSU from Time 3 to 4, thus providing some evidence of bidirectional effects. These findings provide evidence of a limited number of bidirectional effects.
DOI: 10.13023/etd.2025.16
Author: Roesel, Lindsay
Institution: University of Kentucky
Language: English
Subfield: Sociology and Political Science
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W6903683415
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