Likes and Problematic Instagram Use: The Moderating Role of Self-Esteem

Mobile devices have contributed to fuel Internet use and in particular social network sites. Instagram has now become one of the most popular social network sites. Along with this growth, concerns arise about problematic use. "Likes" are one of the main factors catching people's attention due to their rewarding power. Particularly, during adolescence, likes are considered a sign of social approval. Surprisingly, the study of likes relationship to problematic use is scarce. In contrast, the direct effect of variables such as self-esteem on problematic use has been widely analyzed, but moderation studies to underscore the dynamics with other variables are scarce. The aim of this study is to expand current literature by analyzing the influence of likes and self-esteem on Instagram problematic use and the moderating role of self-esteem in the relationship between likes and problematic use. Participants were 244 teenagers. Regression analysis with Process macro for SPSS evidence the impact of likes on problematic use and the moderating role of self-esteem, serving as a protective factor, so that the impact of likes increase on problematic use is lower in participants with higher self-esteem compared to those with lower self-esteem. Results open the door for future research as well as for intervention efforts to benefit from social network use, while reducing teen's problematic use.