A cross-sectional study on social media use and its association with social comparison and self-esteem among South Indian adolescents

ABSTRACT Background: Social media has become an integral part of adolescent life, significantly influencing their self-perception and social interactions. This study aims to bridge this gap by analyzing the relationships among social media usage, social comparison, and self-esteem. Aim: To investigate the influence of social media usage on self-esteem and social comparison among adolescents and examine whether social comparison mediates the relationship between social media usage and self-esteem. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted across various educational institutions in Hyderabad, India, between September and November 2024. A total of 179 adolescents aged 10–19 years participated in the study. Data were collected using a semi-structured pro forma and validated scales, including the Bergen Social Media Addiction Scale, the Social Comparison Scale, and the Rosenberg Self-esteem Scale. Descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation, Chi-square tests, and mediation analysis were done using the SPSS software. Results: The study revealed a significant negative correlation between social media usage and self-esteem (r = −0.324, P < 0.01), indicating that higher levels of social media addiction are associated with lower self-esteem. Mediation analysis confirmed that social comparison did not mediate the relationship between social media usage and self-esteem. Conclusion: This study highlights the direct negative impact of social media use on self-esteem among adolescents, independent of social comparison. Future research should explore the additional mediators and moderators, with a larger and more diverse sample, to provide a more comprehensive understanding of these dynamics.