# Insecure attachment and problematic social media use: the chain mediating role of social support and social anxiety

## TL;DR

This study shows how insecure attachment styles lead to problematic social media use through social support and anxiety.

## Contribution

It identifies a chain mediation pathway involving social support and social anxiety in the link between attachment and social media use.

## Key findings

- Attachment anxiety and avoidance are positively linked to problematic social media use.
- Social support and social anxiety mediate the relationship between attachment anxiety and problematic use.
- A similar chain mediation exists for attachment avoidance through social support and anxiety.

## Abstract

The prevalence of problematic social media use among college students has reached levels that constitute a public health concern. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between insecure attachment (attachment anxiety and attachment avoidance) and problematic social media use, while exploring the potential mediating roles of social support and social anxiety.

The study utilized the Intimacy Experience Scale, the Interaction Anxiety Scale, the Social Support Scale, and the Problematic Social Media Use Scale to investigate 454 college (Mage = 20.33, SD = 2.15, 74.2% female).

The results showed that both attachment anxiety and attachment avoidance were positively correlated with problematic social media use. The results of the chain mediation model indicated that both social support and social anxiety independently mediated the relationship between attachment anxiety and problematic social media use. Furthermore, social support and social anxiety acted as chain mediators between attachment anxiety and problematic social media use. A similar chain mediation pathway was identified for attachment avoidance, whereby social support and social anxiety also served as sequential mediators.

These findings offer new insights for the intervention and treatment of problematic social media use. The implications of the results are discussed.