Loneliness in the Digital Age:Role of Loneliness in Online Self-Verification and Social Media Addiction in Six Countries

Background: The self-verification theory posits that individuals typically utilize their social interactions as chances to collect social feedback that confirms their self-conceptions. Individuals experiencing loneliness may lack these social interactions and turn to social media for communication and a sense of connection. Seeking validation and affirmation from others through online platforms can become a driving force for increased social media usage. The need for likes, comments, and social approval may contribute to problematic social media usage as individuals seek external validation to bolster their self-worth. This cross-national study across six countries explores the role of loneliness in the relationship between online self-verification and social media addiction.

Methods: Our analyses are based on samples collected from 18–75-year-old participants residing in Finland (N = 1,541), France (N = 1,561), Germany (N = 1,529), Ireland (N = 1,112), Italy (N = 1,530), and Poland (N = 1,533). Measures included the three-item UCLA loneliness scale, a self-verification in social media scale adapted from Swann’s measures on self-verification and self-enhancement, and the Bergen Social Media Addiction Scale. Robust regression with the mm-estimator was employed for data analysis. We ran two models, Model 1 observing the direct effects and Model 2 analyzing the interaction between loneliness and online self-verification.

Results: Systematically across the six countries, loneliness and online self-verification were directly associated with social media addiction. A significant positive interaction was observed between online self-verification and loneliness in each country, indicating that the relationship between online self-verification and social media addiction amplifies as loneliness increases. Gender was associated with social media addiction in Finland, females being more likely to be addicted to social media, while younger age emerged as a significant predictor in each country.

Conclusions: Utilizing the online realm and the connections therein for self-verification is a viable social resource for many. However, our findings suggest a potential downside, indicating that this behavior may contribute to addictive use of social media, particularly when individuals are experiencing loneliness. The consistency of these results underscores the importance of addressing loneliness in social media addiction interventions among adults.