SOCIALLY-PRESCRIBED PERFECTIONISM, MINDFULNESS AND DEPRESSION: THE MODERATING ROLE OF SOCIAL MEDIA SELF-CONTROL FAILURE

In the competitive society of South Korea, the prevalence of depressive symptoms among young adults has been observed to increase.Depression affects the psychological well-being of individuals, and socially-prescribed perfectionism (SPP), characterized by self-criticism and self-doubt, has been identified as a primary predictor of depression.SPP is a difficult personality trait to change.Mindfulness, however, can help individuals view themselves with greater objectivity, which may help reduce negative emotions.The proliferation of social media among young adults has created new avenues for information sharing and communication.However, it has also led to social comparison and idealization, which can have detrimental effects on individuals.It is noteworthy that social media self-control, defined as the ability to control social media use, may enhance internal locus of control and self-regulation, thereby mitigating the negative effects of SPP.The present study examined the mediating effect of mindfulness in the relationship between SPP and depression, moderated by social media self-control failure.The study included 747 South Korean adults who participated in an online survey.The data were analyzed using SPSS 29.0 and Process Macro 4.2.First, the mediating effect of mindfulness in the relationship between SPP and depression was examined.The results indicated that SPP was negatively related to mindfulness and that mindfulness was negatively related to depression.In addition, SPP was positively linked to depression, with the mediation effect being statistically significant.Second, the moderated mediation effect of mindfulness and social media self-control failure was supported.The results indicated that social media self-control failure had a significant influence on the pathway to mindfulness, and the interaction between socially prescribed perfectionism and social media self-control failure also influenced the pathway to mindfulness.This study provides empirical support that social media self-control ability can mitigate the pathway from SPP to depression via mindfulness.Interventions aimed at enhancing this ability may promote psychological well-being and prevent depression among young people in South Korea.