Communication attributes modify the anxiety risk associated with social media addiction: a prospective diary method study (Preprint)

BACKGROUND Research on social media use in younger individuals shows mixed effects on mental health. While previous studies have linked problematic social media use to mental health outcomes, there is limited knowledge on how specific communication behaviors during social media engagement can modify these associations. The rapid increase in social media usage, especially among youth and adolescents, necessitates a deeper understanding of pragmatic interventions that address the relationship between social media addiction (SMA) and anxiety. OBJECTIVE This study examines how four distinct communication dimensions – Consumption, Broadness, Online Exclusivity, and Parasociality – modify the association between SMA and anxiety in young adults. METHODS We recruited a cohort of undergraduate students aged 18-26 to participate in daily surveys over two weeks using a diary method to assess daily social media use, SMA, anxiety symptoms, and the four dimensions of communication. Lagged logistic regression models with generalized estimation equations evaluated the influence of daily SMA and communication type on subsequent anxiety levels. RESULTS Out of 79 participants, 1009 daily records were analyzed. SMA positively correlated with anxiety (Kendall rank correlation τ=0.30). Interaction analysis indicated that levels of parasociality and consumption moderated the association between SMA components and anxiety outcomes. In young adults with high levels of consumption or parasociality, a 1-standard-deviation rise in SMA’s social conflict component led to an 11%-13% increase in next-day anxiety scores. This association was absent for those with low to moderate levels of parasociality and consumption. CONCLUSIONS Elevated levels of passive consumption and one-sided interactions amplify the anxiety risk associated with social media dependence. Further longitudinal evidence can elucidate the connections between communication types, social media exposure, and anxiety, guiding the development of a model for healthy social media use.