Life Satisfaction and Instagram Addiction among University Students during the COVID-19 Pandemic: The Bidirectional Mediating Role of Loneliness

Abstract

Social isolation during the lockdown, and the greater use of online platforms to connect with other people, can alter the dynamic relationship between loneliness, social media use, and subjective well-being. The study examines the mediating role of loneliness in the bidirectional association between Instagram addiction and life satisfaction. Methods: A sample of 954 university students from Poland were enrolled in a cross-sectional online study during the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. Participants aged between 19 and 42 (M = 22.56, SD = 2.36), and most of them were women (86.48%). Standardized questionnaires were used to measure Instagram addiction (BIAS), loneliness (DJGLS), and life satisfaction (SWLS). Results: The prevalence of Instagram addiction, loneliness, and dissatisfaction with life was 17.19%, 75%, and 40.15%, respectively. The mediating effect of loneliness on the relationship between Instagram addiction and life satisfaction was found bidirectionally in women but not among men. Conclusions: Loneliness seems to play a crucial role in the mechanism of social media addiction, so increasing loneliness should be a priority among emerging adults. The target group for intervention and prevention programs at campuses should include lonely and dissatisfied with life university students of the female gender.

Impact of Internet Addiction, Social Media Use and Online Pornography on the Male Sexual Function in Times of the COVID-19 Pandemic

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Use of social network as a coping strategy for depression among young people during the COVID-19 lockdown: findings from the COMET collaborative study

“…3 Aggressiveness in the mediation analyses between the depressive symptomatology and problematic social networking use and external factors, including social isolation, decreased community engagement, and loneliness [26,[60][61][62][63]. In turn, the impact of SM use on mental wellbeing/illness is influenced by several factors such as use modality (occasional vs. excessive), users' age and gender, intrinsic and extrinsic motivations in SM use (e.g., to manage impressions, to share emotions, to reduce loneliness feelings, to increase social connectedness) [64,65].…”

Procrastination Mediates the Relationship between Problematic TikTok Use and Depression among Young Adults

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