Comparative role of self-factors: A gender-based network analysis of problematic social media use and physical health

Abstract

The growing prevalence of problematic social media use (PSMU) and its negative association with health has become a significant public health concern. Despite increasing attention to its psychological correlates, there remains a critical need to investigate factors that might be associated with the co-occurrence of physical health and PSMU on a fine-grained level. This study aims to examine the symptom-level relationships between PSMU, physical health, self-esteem, and self-compassion and investigate potential gender differences in these relationships. A sample of 2912 Czech adults (Age: M = 27.6, SD = 12.3, Females: 61.02%) was used to examine the relationships. A stratified network analysis based on undirected mixed graphical models and network comparison tests were conducted to inspect the gender differences. Distinct gender-specific patterns were found. In women, the use of social media to escape negative emotions emerged as a bridge symptom linking PSMU with physical health. In men, fewer and weaker connections were observed between specific PSMU and physical health symptoms. Self-esteem bridged a new cluster of physical health symptoms through escape-use in both genders. Self-compassion bridged escape-use with physical health symptoms in women, whereas no direct associations were observed in men. However, the inclusion of self-compassion in the men’s network was associated with changes in existing connections, making all links between PSMU and physical health absent. These findings highlight the gender-specific nature of PSMU and underscore the need for nuanced approaches when fostering potentially protective factors that may be relevant to physical health.