Stress, Social Anxiety, and Problematic Social Media Use: The Role of Coping Styles

Problematic social media use (PSMU) is a growing concern among undergraduate students with emerging evidence linking it to elevated stress and poor mental health. However, the relationship between social anxiety and PSMU remains underexplored, especially whilst considering stress and coping. This study examines these relationships while incorporating coping styles to assess the role of emotion, avoidance, and problem-focused coping. We aim to investigate the association between perceived stress, social anxiety and PSMU, in addition to the mediating and moderating role of coping styles. A sample of 100 undergraduate students from Carleton University completed self-report measures, including the Bergen Social Media Addiction Scale (BSMAS), Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale (LSAS), and the Short Survey of Coping Profile Endorsement (SCOPE). Results yielded a significant positive correlation between PSMU and emotion-focused coping and perceived stress. Linear regression analysis revealed a significant positive correlation between perceived stress and social anxiety, yet neither variable significantly predicted PSMU. Coping styles did not significantly moderate the relationship between stress and PSMU or mediate the relationship between social anxiety and PSMU. These findings suggest that the relationship between stress, social anxiety, and PSMU may be more complex and context dependent. While stress and social anxiety remain closely linked, their impact on PSMU may be moderated by other factors, such as motivation for social media use. These results underscore the need for further research to clarify the role coping styles play and the mechanisms underlying PSMU to inform targeted interventions for at-risk student populations.