Evaluation of factors affecting social media addiction in adolescents during the COVID-19 pandemic

Aim: Daily internet use, particularly the use of social media, is preferred as a method for coping with stress and anxiety caused by the current outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) or for reducing depressive mood. This study aimed to investigate the relationship of changes in social media use among children aged 12 to 18 years who were at risk for excessive use of social media during the pandemic period with anxiety and a sense of loneliness. Material and Methods: The study population consisted of children aged 12 to 18 years and living in Turkey. Participants completed the COVID-19 information form, the Social Media Disorder Scale, the Loneliness Scale, and the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI). Results: This study evaluated the data of 1,142 patients. The mean age of the participants was 15.6 years, and 63.2% were females. Among the participants, 63.8% stated that they knew someone diagnosed with COVID-19 in their family or close environment, and 7.1% stated that they were diagnosed with COVID-19. Furthermore, 46.4% stated that what they learned from the media increased their anxiety, and 60.4% stated that their academic success decreased during the pandemic period. In the model, STAI (B: 0.166 p: 0.001), age (B: 0.397, p: 0.001), and UCLA loneliness (B: 0.150, p: 0.001) were observed to predict social media addiction. Discussion: The present study has revealed factors predicting an increase in social media addiction in this period, during which the use of social media by adolescents in the high-risk group for social media addiction has increased. Taking the necessary measures to reduce the risks and increase the protective factors is the most important way to protect adolescents' mental health in times of difficult life conditions.