Convergent and divergent predictors of extensive use time and problematic TikTok use

Short videos on TikTok provided an entertaining pastime for 1.5 billion users worldwide in 2023. The increasing popularity of TikTok has generated considerable research interest in the psychological and social predictors of problematic use. However, recent empirical studies on Internet-based activities have found evidence that extensive time spent on TikTok is not necessarily problematic. This study explores convergent and divergent predictors of extensive and problematic TikTok use including demographics, psychological distress, and TikTok activities. A total of 618 Hungarian TikTok users (80.1% women, 18.8% men; Mage = 22.1 years, SD = 4.2) completed an online questionnaire. The unidimensional, six-item Problematic TikTok Use Questionnaire was developed, demonstrating good psychometric properties in terms of factor structure, reliability, and validity. Based on latent profile analysis, 3.07% of TikTok users were found to be at risk of problematic TikTok use. Using a structural equation model, it was found that symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress had stronger associations with problematic use than with extensive time spent on TikTok. Exploring the Discover page and viewing content creators’ videos predicted only problematic use severity. Exploring the For You page and reading comments posted to others’ videos were the strongest predictors of both extensive use time and problematic use. These factors collectively explained a notable proportion of the variance of problematic use severity (45%). The findings provide a detailed picture of risky use patterns and extend knowledge of the differences between extensive use time and problematic TikTok use.