IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jijerp/v19y2022i5p2576-d756543.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

The Effect of Problematic Social Media Use on Happiness among Adolescents: The Mediating Role of Lifestyle Habits

Author

Listed:
  • Jiewen Zhang

    (Department of Developmental and Social Psychology, University of Padova, 35131 Padova, Italy)

  • Claudia Marino

    (Department of Developmental and Social Psychology, University of Padova, 35131 Padova, Italy)

  • Natale Canale

    (Department of Developmental and Social Psychology, University of Padova, 35131 Padova, Italy)

  • Lorena Charrier

    (Department of Public Health and Paediatrics, School of Medicine, University of Torino, 10126 Torino, Italy)

  • Giacomo Lazzeri

    (Department of Molecular and Developmental Medicine, University of Siena, 53100 Siena, Italy)

  • Paola Nardone

    (National Centre for Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Italian National Institute of Health, 00161 Roma, Italy)

  • Alessio Vieno

    (Department of Developmental and Social Psychology, University of Padova, 35131 Padova, Italy)

Abstract

Background: Although the relationship between problematic social media use (PSMU) and happiness has been already explored, less is known about the mechanisms that translate PSMU into lower happiness through lifestyle habits. Therefore, the current study focuses on the association between PSMU and happiness, exploring a mediating effect of lifestyle habits (e.g., difficulties in getting to sleep and frequency of physical activity) among Italian adolescents. Methods: A total of 58,976 Italian adolescents (mean age = 13.6, SD = 1.63; age range = 10.5–16.5; 49.4% females) were included. The pattern of relationships specified by the theoretical model was examined through path analysis. Results: Difficulties in getting to sleep ( β = −0.037, p < 0.001) and frequency of physical activity ( β = −0.012, p < 0.001) were mediators in the relationship between PSMU and happiness. Multi-group analyses across gender and age groups (11, 13, and 15 years old) showed that the chain mediating effect of the frequency of physical activity on the difficulties in getting to sleep was not significant for females but significant for males and for all of the three age groups. Overall, females and older ages were sensitive to the whole model. Conclusion: Along with difficulties in getting to sleep and the frequency of physical activity, lifestyle habits may contribute to the association between PSMU and happiness. We also recommend that future studies focus on PSMU in females and older adolescents, as they show more general sleep problems and reduced physical activity.

Suggested Citation

  • Jiewen Zhang & Claudia Marino & Natale Canale & Lorena Charrier & Giacomo Lazzeri & Paola Nardone & Alessio Vieno, 2022. "The Effect of Problematic Social Media Use on Happiness among Adolescents: The Mediating Role of Lifestyle Habits," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(5), pages 1-13, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:19:y:2022:i:5:p:2576-:d:756543
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/19/5/2576/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/19/5/2576/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Derrick Wirtz & Amanda Tucker & Chloe Briggs & Alexander M. Schoemann, 2021. "How and Why Social Media Affect Subjective Well-Being: Multi-Site Use and Social Comparison as Predictors of Change Across Time," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 22(4), pages 1673-1691, April.
    2. Leena Paakkari & Jorma Tynjälä & Henri Lahti & Kristiina Ojala & Nelli Lyyra, 2021. "Problematic Social Media Use and Health among Adolescents," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(4), pages 1-11, February.
    3. Longobardi, C. & Settanni, M. & Fabris, M.A. & Marengo, D., 2020. "Follow or be followed: Exploring the links between Instagram popularity, social media addiction, cyber victimization, and subjective happiness in Italian adolescents," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 113(C).
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Edward Castronova, 2023. "Preference evolution, attention, and happiness," Kyklos, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 76(2), pages 301-315, May.
    2. Nanath, Krishnadas & Balasubramanian, Sreejith & Shukla, Vinaya & Islam, Nazrul & Kaitheri, Supriya, 2022. "Developing a mental health index using a machine learning approach: Assessing the impact of mobility and lockdown during the COVID-19 pandemic," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 178(C).
    3. Andrea Bonassi & Ilaria Cataldo & Giulio Gabrieli & Moses Tandiono & Jia Nee Foo & Bruno Lepri & Gianluca Esposito, 2022. "The Interaction between Serotonin Transporter Allelic Variation and Maternal Care Modulates Instagram Sociability in a Sample of Singaporean Users," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(9), pages 1-15, April.
    4. Matteo Angelo Fabris & Claudio Longobardi & Rosalba Morese & Davide Marengo, 2022. "Exploring Multivariate Profiles of Psychological Distress and Empathy in Early Adolescent Victims, Bullies, and Bystanders Involved in Cyberbullying Episodes," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(16), pages 1-14, August.
    5. Sergey Tereshchenko & Edward Kasparov & Nadezhda Semenova & Margarita Shubina & Nina Gorbacheva & Ivan Novitckii & Olga Moskalenko & Ludmila Lapteva, 2022. "Generalized and Specific Problematic Internet Use in Central Siberia Adolescents: A School-Based Study of Prevalence, Age–Sex Depending Content Structure, and Comorbidity with Psychosocial Problems," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(13), pages 1-19, June.
    6. Geng, Jingyu & Bao, Ling & Wang, Jing & Wei, Xinyi & Zeng, Pan & Lei, Li, 2022. "The maladaptive side of Internet altruists: Relationship between Internet altruistic behavior and cyberbullying victimization," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 134(C).
    7. Michela Bersia & Paola Berchialla & Lorena Charrier & Patrizia Lemma & Alberto Borraccino & Paola Nardone & Daniela Pierannunzio & Silvia Ciardullo & Rosanna Irene Comoretto & Paola Dalmasso, 2022. "Mental Well-Being: 2010–2018 Trends among Italian Adolescents," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(2), pages 1-19, January.
    8. Yingying Jiang & Chan Lu & Jing Chen & Yufeng Miao & Yuguo Li & Qihong Deng, 2022. "Happiness in University Students: Personal, Familial, and Social Factors: A Cross-Sectional Questionnaire Survey," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(8), pages 1-12, April.
    9. Giulia Ballarotto & Barbara Volpi & Renata Tambelli, 2021. "Adolescent Attachment to Parents and Peers and the Use of Instagram: The Mediation Role of Psychopathological Risk," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(8), pages 1-13, April.
    10. Claire van Duin & Andreas Heinz & Helmut Willems, 2021. "Predictors of Problematic Social Media Use in a Nationally Representative Sample of Adolescents in Luxembourg," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(22), pages 1-15, November.
    11. Giulia Ballarotto & Eleonora Marzilli & Luca Cerniglia & Silvia Cimino & Renata Tambelli, 2021. "How Does Psychological Distress Due to the COVID-19 Pandemic Impact on Internet Addiction and Instagram Addiction in Emerging Adults?," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(21), pages 1-19, October.
    12. Guang Yang & Masood Abdulla Badri & Saad Ibrahim Yaaqeib & Asma Salem Alrashdi & Sara Abdulrahman Alansaari & Mouza Awadh Almheiri, 2024. "The Hopeful and Resilient Maids: Assessing the Life Satisfaction of Female Migrant Domestic Workers in Abu Dhabi," Journal of International Migration and Integration, Springer, vol. 25(4), pages 2273-2298, December.
    13. Tommy K. H. Chan & Christy M. K. Cheung & Izak Benbasat & Bo Xiao & Zach W. Y. Lee, 2023. "Bystanders Join in Cyberbullying on Social Networking Sites: The Deindividuation and Moral Disengagement Perspectives," Information Systems Research, INFORMS, vol. 34(3), pages 828-846, September.
    14. Luyao Xie & Edmund W. J. Lee & Vivian W. I. Fong & Kam-Hei Hui & Meiqi Xin & Phoenix K. H. Mo, 2022. "Perceived Information Distortion about COVID-19 Vaccination and Addictive Social Media Use among Social Media Users in Hong Kong: The Moderating Roles of Functional Literacy and Critical Literacy," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(14), pages 1-13, July.
    15. Wang, Qiong & Chen, Huiling & Hu, Wei & Zhao, Fengqing, 2023. "Social networking sites addiction and depression among Chinese college students: The mediating role of cognitive flexibility and the moderating role of chronotype," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 155(C).
    16. María Angeles Peláez-Fernández & María Teresa Chamizo-Nieto & Lourdes Rey & Natalio Extremera, 2021. "How Do Cyber Victimization and Low Core Self-Evaluations Interrelate in Predicting Adolescent Problematic Technology Use?," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(6), pages 1-12, March.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:19:y:2022:i:5:p:2576-:d:756543. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.