Social media addiction, self-concept clarity, and social media fatigue: a two-wave longitudinal study

Although social media addiction has been linked to numerous negative psychological outcomes, the self-level processes underlying the connection between this addiction and psychological burnout have not been sufficiently elucidated. This study examined whether self-concept clarity plays a mediating role in the longitudinal relationship between social media addiction and social media fatigue in a sample of Turkish adults. Conducted using a two-wave cross-lagged panel design, the study collected data from 344 adults ( M age = 34.06, SD = 8.81; 68% female) at two different measurement points three months apart. The model fit indices were χ 2 (4) = 38.20, p < .001, χ 2 / df = 9.55, GFI = .97, CFI = .95, NFI = .95, IFI = .96, SRMR = .05, and RMSEA = .158, 90% CI [.12, .21]. Although several incremental fit indices were within acceptable ranges, χ 2 / df and RMSEA exceeded conventional thresholds, indicating that the model did not achieve acceptable overall fit. Cross-lagged panel model analyses revealed that, when controlling for initial self-concept clarity, social media addiction at Time 1 significantly and negatively predicted self-concept clarity at Time 2 (β = -.27, p < .01). Additionally, self-concept clarity at Time 2 significantly and negatively predicted social media fatigue during the same period (β = -.14, p < .01). The indirect effect of social media addiction at Time 1 on social media fatigue at Time 2 was found to be significant via self-concept clarity at Time 2 (B = .14, 95% CI [.02, .34], p < .05); however, the direct path from social media addiction to social media fatigue was not statistically significant. The findings suggest that self-concept clarity may be one of the key psychological mechanisms explaining the relationship between social media addiction and social media fatigue, and suggest that identity-focused approaches could be explored in future intervention research for individuals experiencing the negative consequences of compulsive social media use.