Alexithymia, Negative Affectivity, and Social Media Use Among Young Adults in Italy

This study examines the relationship between negative affectivity-specifically depression, anxiety, and alexithymia-and patterns of social network site (SNS) use in a sample of young adults aged 20 to 29. While previous research has primarily focused on adolescents, the present study investigates how negative emotional traits influence SNS behaviors among university students. Regression analyses revealed that alexithymia, particularly difficulties in identifying and describing feelings (DIF, DDF), significantly predicted a preference for online communication, increased responsiveness to online content, and greater emotional distress when access to SNSs was restricted. In contrast, depressive symptoms and anxiety did not significantly predict SNS use. These findings suggest that difficulties in emotional awareness and regulation, rather than general negative affective states, may be more directly associated with patterns of digital engagement. The results further indicate a potential form of emotional dependency on SNSs, even among individuals with subclinical alexithymic traits. Limitations include gender imbalance, the non-clinical nature of the sample, the cross-sectional design preventing causal inference, and reliance on self-report measures. Future research should address these methodological constraints and develop interventions aimed at enhancing emotional competence in self-regulation in digital contexts to promote healthier online social interactions.