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The Relationship between Intolerance of Uncertainty and Problematic Social Media Use during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Serial Mediation Model

Author

Listed:
  • Chaoran Sun

    (Department of Behavioural and Social Sciences, City University of Hong Kong, Tat Chee Avenue, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR 518057, China
    These authors contributed equally to this work.)

  • Yumei Li

    (Department of Behavioural and Social Sciences, City University of Hong Kong, Tat Chee Avenue, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR 518057, China
    These authors contributed equally to this work.)

  • Sylvia Y. C. L. Kwok

    (Department of Behavioural and Social Sciences, City University of Hong Kong, Tat Chee Avenue, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR 518057, China)

  • Wenlong Mu

    (School of Journalism and Communication, Wuhan University, Bayi Road, Wuchang District, Wuhan 430072, China)

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has brought significant interruptions to life certainty, and there has been a lack of research on the influence of uncertainty. The present research aimed to explore how intolerance of uncertainty, maladaptive coping strategies, and fear of missing out affect social media use in a Chinese community sample (N = 311) during the pandemic. Serial mediation analysis was applied, integrating the mediating role of maladaptive coping strategy and fear of missing out. Intolerance of uncertainty, maladaptive coping strategies, and fear of missing out was positively related to PSMU. Based on the mediation analysis, when age and gender were controlled, the direct effect of intolerance of uncertainty on PSMU was significant. The total indirect effect was also significant. The effect of intolerance of uncertainty on PSMU was mediated by maladaptive coping strategies and fear of missing out. Taken together, maladaptive coping strategies and fear of missing out played a serial mediating role between intolerance of uncertainty and PSMU. The findings imply that strategies to improve the tolerance of uncertainty, reduce fear of missing out, and relevant coping strategies could be potentially helpful in mitigating problematic social media use, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Suggested Citation

  • Chaoran Sun & Yumei Li & Sylvia Y. C. L. Kwok & Wenlong Mu, 2022. "The Relationship between Intolerance of Uncertainty and Problematic Social Media Use during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Serial Mediation Model," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(22), pages 1-11, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:19:y:2022:i:22:p:14924-:d:971255
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Yan-Yu Li & Yi-Ting Huang & Kai Dou, 2021. "Validation and Psychometric Properties of the Chinese Version of the Fear of Missing Out Scale," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(18), pages 1-10, September.
    2. Zbysław Dobrowolski & Grzegorz Drozdowski & Mirela Panait, 2022. "Understanding the Impact of Generation Z on Risk Management—A Preliminary Views on Values, Competencies, and Ethics of the Generation Z in Public Administration," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(7), pages 1-13, March.
    3. Zbyslaw Dobrowolski, 2021. "The Strategy of Vaccination and Global Pandemic: How Framing May Thrive on Strategy During and After Covid-19," European Research Studies Journal, European Research Studies Journal, vol. 0(1), pages 532-541.
    4. Zbyslaw Dobrowolski, 2021. "Why Some Countries Win and others Loose from the COVID-19 Pandemic? Navigating the Uncertainty," European Research Studies Journal, European Research Studies Journal, vol. 0(2), pages 1217-1226.
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