Emotional and Psychosocial Correlates of Problematic Social Media Use in Adults: A Cross-Sectional Study (Preprint)

BACKGROUND Social media platforms have become integral to daily life, particularly among younger users. While they offer opportunities for connection, they also introduce new psychological stressors. Prior research has often relied on simplistic metrics such as screen time, failing to capture complex emotional and behavioral dimensions of digital engagement. There is a growing need to understand how design features and user experiences contribute to problematic social media use (PSMU), especially in adult populations. OBJECTIVE To assess the psychosocial dimensions of social media use and their associations with problematic use in an adult population, with particular attention to emotional fatigue, avoidance, and interface-induced stress. METHODS A cross-sectional online survey was completed by 402 participants, of which 393 completed the entire questionnaire (response rate: 97.8%). Recruitment was conducted through targeted advertisements on major social media platforms. Participants self-reported demographic information and completed a modified version of the CAGE-AID screener, adapted to detect PSMU. They also responded to 49 Likert-scale items measuring seven thematic psychosocial dimensions: empathic fatigue, silent stressors, identity fragmentation, pressure for visibility, algorithmic influence, digital detox behaviors, and nostalgia-linked affective responses. Descriptive and correlational statistics were used to analyze data. CAGE-AID positivity was defined as ≥1 affirmative response. RESULTS Among respondents, 65.4% identified as women, with a mean age of 32.7 years. Younger adults (18-24) reported significantly higher PSMU rates. CAGE-AID positivity was associated with younger age (r = –0.160), lower education (r = -0.121), and unstable employment. Emotional fatigue was prevalent: 51.9% of participants agreed that emotionally charged content exhausted them (μ = 3.35), while 47.1% reported avoidance of emotional engagement (μ = 3.20). Emotional detachment (“I became indifferent to emotional hardship”) was less endorsed (μ = 2.30). Fatigue-related statements showed moderate correlations with CAGE-AID positivity (r = 0.19-0.22). Silent interface cues (e.g., read receipts, typing indicators) also contributed to digital stress. The statement “I feel pressured to reply quickly due to ‘seen’ indicators” had the highest mean score (μ = 3.44) and correlated with CAGE-AID positivity (r = 0.15). CONCLUSIONS Problematic social media use in adults is closely tied to emotional fatigue, interface-related stress, and avoidance. Younger users appear particularly susceptible to emotional saturation and compulsive engagement. These findings highlight the need to consider psychological and design-related mechanisms in public health responses to digital overuse. Interventions should move beyond screen time to address emotional reactivity and structural stressors embedded in platform design.