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Abstract: With the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, social media became one of the most utilized sources of information relating to the disease. With the increased reliance on social media, the risk of excessive use and the development of social media addiction emerges. The aim of the present study was to explore the psychometric properties of the Slovenian version of the Bergen Social Media Addiction Scale, and to explore how psychological resilience affects social media addiction symptoms directly and indirectly through symptoms of depression, anxiety and mental distress. A large online cross-sectional study was conducted in March 2021 among Slovenian tertiary students (N = 4868). The results showed the high reliability, unidimensionality and criterion validity of the Slovenian Bergen Social Media Addiction Scale. The proposed structural model fit the data well and showed a significant direct positive effect of depression and stress on social media addiction. Moreover, the majority of the negative effects of psychological resilience on social media addiction (87.2%) were indirect, through depression and stress symptoms, whereas resilience had a significantly smaller impact on social media addiction by reducing anxiety symptoms. The overall prevalence of social media addiction symptoms was 4.6%, with females exhibiting higher proportions than men. Additionally, female social media users reported a complete absence of social media addiction symptoms less often compared to males. Future research should further explore the mechanisms behind social media addiction, in order to gain a better understanding of the apparently different risk levels for both genders.
Keywords: social media addiction, behavioral addictions, resilience, validation, Bergen Social Media Addiction Scale (BSMAS), COVID-19
Published in DKUM: 09.07.2024; Views: 102; Downloads: 3
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Abstract: Purpose: At a high-security psychiatric hospital in the UK, the Understanding Intimacy and Relationships (URI) psycho-educative group therapy was developed in an attempt to provide a therapeutic input for interpersonal difficulties displayed by patients with sex offending history. This study aimed to conduct a preliminary evaluation of the URI group effectiveness for sex offenders. Design/Methods/Approach: A longitudinal study with three groups of participants – sex offenders (n = 9) and non-sex offenders (n = 9) that completed the URI group, and the control group (n = 10), which were assessed at two time points was conducted at a high-security psychiatric hospital. Each group filled out three questionnaires at both timepoints – IIP-C, UCLA Loneliness Scale, and ECR-R. Findings: The results suggest a decrease in feelings of loneliness for both groups of patients that completed the URI programme, and a limited reduction of interpersonal difficulties. Results of within-subject changes regarding interpersonal difficulties among patients in URI group did not statistically significantly differ from the result of the control group. Research Limitations/Implications: The most evident limitation of the study is a very small sample size and lack of objective measurement of patients’ difficulties in interpersonal relations. Practical Implications: The findings suggest that the URI programme might have a limited effect on sex offenders due to the unsuccessful implementation of the Risk, Need, Responsivity Model, although several study limitations were present potentially affecting the outcome. Originality/Value: Longitudinal evaluation effectiveness of a clinical intervention for patients with sex offending history at a high-secure psychiatric hospital.
Keywords: sexual offenders, attachment style, loneliness, psycho-educative group therapy
Published in DKUM: 13.04.2023; Views: 336; Downloads: 12
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