Clarifying the Relationship Between Instagram Use and Mental Health: Exploring the Role of Individual Differences in Problematic Instagram Use and Goal Pursuit

03 Introduction . 04 Methods.12 Results . 18 Discussion . 23 Limitations . 26 Future Directions . 28 Conclusion . 28 References.30 Tables . 34 Appendices . 39 INSTAGRAM & SELF-REGULATION 3 Abstract Social media platforms are increasingly becoming part of the everyday life of Americans. The increasing use of social media platforms has been parallel to the declining mental health of adolescents, and young adults causing scientists and the public alike to wonder if there is a link between these trends. The aim of this study was to explore how the self-regulation framework can enrich social media use research by taking into account individual differences in goal pursuit, and conflict. In addition, this study aimed to clarify the relationship between screen time and mental health. Social media use, mental health, and self-regulation strategies were measured in a digital sample of young adults ages 18-29 (N=200). The results indicated that there were no significant relationships between anxiety, depression, negative affect, and Instagram screen time. There was, however, a significant relationship between anxiety, depression, negative affect, and problematic Instagram use which depicted conflict between social media use and other goals. In addition, results suggested that the process model of self-control can be applied to self-regulatory strategies in relation to social media use. Situational strategies seem to be more effective at reducing Instagram use, as opposed to cognitive strategies. These findings clarify the current contradictory screen time literature, and expand the domains in which the process model of self-control has been examined. There are practical implications from these results. Namely that future research about social media use and mental health should decentralize screen time as a key factor and begin to further explore the role of goal pursuit and conflict in this domain.Social media platforms are increasingly becoming part of the everyday life of Americans. The increasing use of social media platforms has been parallel to the declining mental health of adolescents, and young adults causing scientists and the public alike to wonder if there is a link between these trends. The aim of this study was to explore how the self-regulation framework can enrich social media use research by taking into account individual differences in goal pursuit, and conflict. In addition, this study aimed to clarify the relationship between screen time and mental health. Social media use, mental health, and self-regulation strategies were measured in a digital sample of young adults ages 18-29 (N=200). The results indicated that there were no significant relationships between anxiety, depression, negative affect, and Instagram screen time. There was, however, a significant relationship between anxiety, depression, negative affect, and problematic Instagram use which depicted conflict between social media use and other goals. In addition, results suggested that the process model of self-control can be applied to self-regulatory strategies in relation to social media use. Situational strategies seem to be more effective at reducing Instagram use, as opposed to cognitive strategies. These findings clarify the current contradictory screen time literature, and expand the domains in which the process model of self-control has been examined. There are practical implications from these results. Namely that future research about social media use and mental health should decentralize screen time as a key factor and begin to further explore the role of goal pursuit and conflict in this domain.