Motives for social media use in adults: associations with platform-specific use, psychological distress, and problematic engagement

Social media has become an integral part of daily life, particularly among young adults, yet the psychological motives driving social media engagement remain underexplored. This study examines the motivations underlying social media use and their associations with key psychological and behavioral outcomes, including problematic social media use, mental health, and loneliness. Using a survey design, 1.015 participants aged 16 and older who enrolled in courses at Swedish universities were assessed through validated measures of social media motives, problematic use, distress, and perceived loneliness. Factor analysis identified four additional motivational dimensions beyond traditional frameworks: algorithmic recommendations, habitual use and boredom, feedback-driven engagement, and seeking new social connections. Results indicated that habitual use and mood management were the strongest predictors of problematic social media use. At the same time, socialization and entertainment motives were more prevalent but less associated with adverse outcomes. Psychological distress was most strongly linked to social media use for emotional regulation, whereas loneliness was associated with attempts to form new social connections online. Platform-specific analyses revealed that TikTok and Instagram were more strongly associated with entertainment and algorithm-driven engagement, while Facebook was more linked to self-presentation and information sharing. These findings highlight the evolving role of social media platforms in shaping user engagement and underscore the potential risks of compulsive usage driven by algorithms and passive consumption. Understanding these motivations is essential for developing targeted interventions to promote healthier digital habits and mitigate the adverse psychological effects of excessive social media use.