Drivers and outcomes of Instagram Addiction: Psychological well-being as moderator

Abstract

Addiction to social networking sites is a growing problem which has social, physical, and psychological impacts on students' lives. So, developing prevention strategies is essential for promoting the safe and healthy use of social networking sites such as Instagram. This study aims to investigate the influence of students' needs on Instagram addiction by considering the moderating role of psychological well-being. Furthermore, the association among Instagram addiction, academic performance, shyness, and loneliness is explored. A total of 364 university students from Malaysia were recruited to take part in this research. The hypothesized model was assessed using the Partial Least Squares approach. The results show that recognition and social needs have a significant influence on Instagram addiction, whereas information and entertainment needs have no influence on Instagram addiction. Additionally, the results provide evidence of the moderating effect of psychological well-being on the relationship between social needs and Instagram addiction. The findings also uncover the negative association between Instagram addiction and academic performance and show a positive impact of Instagram addiction on shyness and loneliness; although life satisfaction was positively influenced by academic performance, it was negatively influenced by shyness and loneliness. This study contributes to the literature by examining the drivers and consequences of Instagram addiction.