relation: http://publicatio.bibl.u-szeged.hu/31699/ title: The Role of Social Comparison and Online Social Support in Social Media Addiction Mediated by Self-Esteem and Loneliness creator: Pikó Bettina creator: Kiss Hedvig creator: Hartmann Alice creator: Hamvai Csaba creator: Fitzpatrick Kevin M. subject: 05.01. Pszichológia description: Introduction: The diversity of information on social media provides a ubiquitous possibility for social comparison. Online social comparisons have both detrimental and beneficial effects; besides lowering one’s self-esteem, heightening loneliness and addiction, they also bring together people with similar interests which may offer a form of social support. Aims: This study examines a path model for understanding the link between social comparison and social media addiction while examining online social support, loneliness, and self-esteem. Methods: Hungarian university students (N = 201, 70.6% women, aged between 18 and 30 years, SD = 2.77) completed an online survey in the spring of 2022. Results: The final path model suggests that social comparison can directly contribute to social media addiction. This link was mediated by loneliness and self-esteem, resulting in a path with different outcomes: a) social comparison may strengthen loneliness (β = .22, p < .001) which can lead to lower self-esteem (β = .60, p < .001), and b) social comparison may have a negative effect on self-esteem (β = -.22, p < .001) which can reduce social media addiction (β = -.26, p < .001). In addition, social comparison may help obtain online social support (β = .15, p < .050) which can reduce loneliness (β = -.41, p < .001) but increase the likelihood of addiction (β = .26, p < .001). Conclusions: These findings draw attention to the double-edged sword of social comparison and online social support: we need to learn to consciously manage online social comparison tendencies. date: 2024 type: Folyóiratcikk type: PeerReviewed format: text identifier: http://publicatio.bibl.u-szeged.hu/31699/1/ejmh_2024_0019_piko_et_al_1_11.pdf identifier: Pikó Bettina; Kiss Hedvig; Hartmann Alice; Hamvai Csaba; Fitzpatrick Kevin M.: The Role of Social Comparison and Online Social Support in Social Media Addiction Mediated by Self-Esteem and Loneliness. EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF MENTAL HEALTH, 19. ISSN 1788-4934 (2024) identifier: doi:10.5708/EJMH.19.2024.0019 relation: https://doi.org/10.5708/EJMH.19.2024.0019 relation: 34865609 language: eng relation: info:eu-repo/semantics/altIdentifier/doi/10.5708/EJMH.19.2024.0019 rights: info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess