Social anxiety as a predisposing factor for social media addiction: A two-wave longitudinal investigation of social comparison as an underlying mechanism

The growing popularity of social media has fundamentally transformed the way people communicate, socialize, and engage with their social environments. While social media-based interactions offer numerous benefits, they have also given rise to social media addiction, particularly among socially anxious individuals. This two-wave longitudinal study examined the relationship between social anxiety and social media addiction, with a focus on the mediating role of social media social comparison and potential gender differences. A sample of 330 emerging adults in Hong Kong (75.2% women, 24.8% men; M age = 21.24; age range = 18-25) was included in the study. Of these participants, 243 were retained at follow-up and completed measures of social anxiety, social media social comparison, and social media addiction across two time points. The study revealed that 30.0% of participants were at risk of social media addiction. The results showed that social anxiety was positively associated with social media addiction over a three-month period. Social media social comparison significantly mediated this relationship, particularly among women. The study highlights the need for mental health interventions that address both social anxiety and problematic social media use, while considering the role of social media social comparison in maintaining these difficulties. These results have important implications for mental health professionals, social media developers, and educational institutions in supporting well-being in the digital age.