Social anxiety and problematic social network site use: The sequential mediating role of self-esteem and self-concept clarity

Abstract

This study explored the relationship between social anxiety and problematic social network sites use and the mediating role of self-esteem and self-concept clarity. A total of 811 college students (female= 58.2%; mean age= 19.18 years, SD = 1.12 years) completed the Interaction Anxiety Scale, Self-Esteem Scale, Self-Concept Clarity Scale, and Problematic Social Network Sites Use Scale. Latent variable structural equation modelling analysis indicated, not only directly but also indirectly through self-esteem and self-concept clarity, that social anxiety was associated with problematic use of social network sites. Self-esteem and self-concept clarity mediated the relationship between social anxiety and problematic social network sites use, respectively. Moreover, self-esteem and self-concept clarity played a sequential mediating role between social anxiety and problematic social network sites use. These findings suggest a need to reduce social anxiety among college students through enhancing their self-esteem and self-concept clarity. Such interventions would decrease their problematic use of social network sites.

Keywords:

• Interaction Anxiety Scale
• Internet addiction
• Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale
• Self-Concept Clarity Scale
• sequential mediation model

Conflict of interest

The authors affirm that they have no conflicts of interest to disclose.

Ethical approval

The procedures carried out in studies involving human participants adhered to the ethical standards set by the institutional and/or national research committee, in accordance with the 1964 Helsinki Declaration and its subsequent amendments, or similar ethical guidelines.

Data availability statement

The corresponding author can provide the supporting data for this study upon reasonable request.

Informed consent

All individual participants included in this study provided informed consent prior to their involvement.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the 2024 Zhejiang Provincial Philosophy and Social Sciences Planning Youth Project (no. 24NDQN139YBM) and the Teaching Reform Programme of the "14th Five-Year Plan" for General Undergraduate Colleges and Universities in Zhejiang Province (no. jg20220541).