ArticleBMC psychology2018
An exploration of the link between adult attachment and problematic Facebook use.
Article in BMC psychology, 2018. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 13 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
13 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.
- Association between problematic social networking use and anxiety symptoms: a systematic review and meta-analysis.BMC psychology · 2024Pooled it
- The relationship between social comparison orientation and social media posting anxiety among WeChat users in China: FoMO as a mediator and self-esteem as a moderator.BMC psychology · 2026Article
- Insecure attachment and problematic social media use: the chain mediating role of social support and social anxiety.Frontiers in psychology · 2026Article
- The Role of Fear of Negative Evaluation and Loneliness in Linking Insecure Attachment to Social Media Addiction: Evidence from Chinese University Students.Brain sciences · 2025Article
- Clarifying the relationship between insecure attachment and problematic social media use across platforms: a network analysis.Social psychiatry and psychiatric epidemiology · 2025Article
- Narcissism, Social Media Addiction, Self-Esteem, and Haxeco Traits: Exploring Influences on Life Satisfaction Among Generation Z.Psychology research and behavior management · 2025Article
- Status and Influencing Factors of Social Media Addiction in Chinese Workers: Cross-Sectional Survey Study.Journal of medical Internet research · 2024Article
- Insecure Minds through the Looking Glass: The Mediating Role of Mentalization in the Relationships between Adult Attachment Styles and Problematic Social Media Use.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2024Article
- The Dark Triad and Trait Emotional Intelligence as Predictors of Problematic Social Media use and Engagement: The Mediating Role of the Fear of Missing Out.Clinical neuropsychiatry · 2023Article
- Negative psychological and physiological effects of social networking site use: The example of Facebook.Frontiers in psychology · 2023Review
- Article
- Adult Attachment Orientations and Social Networking Site Addiction: The Mediating Effects of Online Social Support and the Fear of Missing Out.Frontiers in psychology · 2019Article
- Adult Attachment Style, Emotion Regulation, and Social Networking Sites Addiction.Frontiers in psychology · 2019Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
3 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundPrevious studies have reported on positive and negative psychological outcomes associated with the use of social networking sites (SNSs). Research efforts linking Facebook use with depression and low self-esteem have indicated that it might be the manner in which people engage with the site that makes its use problematic for some people. The aim of the current study was to test a theoretical model of problematic Facebook use, using adult attachment style as the predictor variable of interest.
methodA cross-sectional design was employed wherein adult Facebook users (n = 717) completed measures of psychological distress, self-esteem, and adult attachment, in addition to measures of problematic Facebook use (i.e. social comparison, self-disclosures, impression management, & intrusive Facebook use). Data were analysed using hierarchical multiple regression and mediation analyses.
resultsThe results of this study indicated that attachment anxiety was predictive of all facets of problematic Facebook use, and that attachment avoidance was predictive of impression management, and social consequences of intrusive Facebook use. Further analyses confirmed the mediating influences of psychological distress and self-esteem on these relationships.
conclusionsUsers of Facebook with higher levels of attachment insecurity may be gravitating towards the site in order to fulfil their attachment needs. This tendency is likely to be particularly prevalent for those individuals with low self-esteem who are experiencing psychological distress.
Indexed as
Identifiers
What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.