Social Media Addiction and Aggression in Pakistani Young Adults: Social Connectedness as a Moderator

Social media serves as a platform for communication and connection in the digital realm, but its problematic use can negatively affect health. Research indicates a link between problematic social media use and increased aggression. This study explores the moderating role of social connectedness in the relationship between social media addiction and aggression among young adults in Pakistan, involving 162 participants (82 men, 77 women) aged 18 to 25 years (M=22.09, SD=2.06). Using instruments like the Bergen Social Media Addiction Scale (Andreassen et al., 2017), the Revised Social Connectedness Scale (Lee et al., 2001), and the Buss and Perry Aggression Questionnaire (Buss & Perry, 1992), the analysis revealed a positive but nonsignificant relationship between social media addiction, social connectedness, and aggression. However, using Hayes' 4.1 Model 1, findings showed a significant negative effect of social media addiction on aggression (?=-5.65*, SE=2.75, p<.05) and a significant negative impact of social connectedness on aggression (?=-2.16*, SE=1.08, p<.05). The interaction between social media addiction and social connectedness also had a positive and significant effect on aggression (?=.09*, SE=.04, p<.05), suggesting that social connectedness moderates the impact of social media addiction on aggression in young Pakistani adults. Additionally, independent sample t-tests indicated that social media addiction (M=25.95, SD=3.35, **p<.01) and aggression (M=84.32, SD=19.49, ***p<.001) were significantly higher in men than in women, with no significant differences in social connectedness. The study concludes with a discussion of its limitations, recommendations, and implications for societal welfare.