Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: Instagram parasocial relationships maladaptive schemas negative emotions daily diary multilevel mediationInstagram exposes users to idealized representations of lifestyles and bodies, and fosters onesided parasocial relationships with media figures, both of which may shape how young adults present themselves online.The present study examined whether daily negative emotions and engagement in parasocial relationships mediate the link between early maladaptive schemas in the disconnection and rejection domain and ideal self-presentation on Instagram.Eighty-four participants completed online daily questionnaires for 14 consecutive days, and five multilevel parallel-mediation models were estimated, one per schema (abandonment, mistrust/abuse, emotional deprivation, defectiveness/shame, and social isolation).Daily negative emotions significantly mediated the schema -self-presentation link for emotional deprivation, defectiveness/shame, and social isolation, reflecting a compensation pathway in which schema-driven distress was associated with elevated idealized self-presentation.However, the direct paths from defectiveness/ shame and social isolation to ideal self-presentation were negative, revealing a competing avoidance pathway in which participants with stronger schemas withdrew from public self-display; total effects were null or negative.Engagement in parasocial relationships did not mediate the schemaself-presentation link in any of the five models, although it was independently and positively associated with daily ideal self-presentation after controlling for schemas.The findings suggest that both excessive idealized self-presentation and conspicuous avoidance of it on Instagram may signal the same underlying schema-driven distress and could serve as a diagnostic and therapeutic cue for clinicians working with young adults.
Author: Bernd Leplow
Language: English
Subfield: Sociology and Political Science
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W7045176136