Prevalence and predictive factors of problematic social media use: A regression analysis

Problematic social media use (PSMU) is a growing societal concern; however, its prevalence remains uncertain due to differences in research tools and assessment criteria employed. Therefore, we evaluated the prevalence and predictive factors of PSMU through a comprehensive survey of 400 college students, assessing depression, anxiety, the personality traits of extraversion and neuroticism, fear of missing out (FOMO), childhood psychological neglect, and PSMU. Correlation and regression analyses were used to investigate the factors associated with PSMU. The prevalence of PSMU was found to be 1.5%. Anxiety, neuroticism, FOMO, and childhood psychological neglect predicted PSMU in our hierarchical regression model. Hence, reducing anxiety and FOMO may help alleviate PSMU tendencies. We recommend that parents prioritize the provision of high-quality companionship and proactively address their children’s psychological needs.