Instagram Passive Active Use Measure (iPAUM): Development, validation and relation to self-esteem

This preregistered study aimed to design and validate a questionnaire which measures passive and active Instagram use (iPAUM), and to explore its connection to users’ self-esteem levels. While Instagram, as an image-based social media platform, shares common features with other social networking sites (SNS) in enabling sharing of information and social interaction, its emphasis on visual content and specific digital features, such as algorithmic exposure to strangers’ content and public and one-directional interaction, may influence user experiences differently compared to other SNSs. Individual users interact with Instagram in a variety of ways. Consequently, studies that rely on general use measures, such as the time spent on Instagram, often yield mixed results in regard to psychological outcomes, as these measures do not account for variability in use. To address these nuances, a new scale for Instagram behaviours was created in two phases. In Study 1 (N = 289, Mage = 30.4, SD = 10.21), an 18-item questionnaire was developed, reflecting four categories of Instagram use: Active reacting, Active direct social, Active creating, and Passive use. The four-factor structure was established through exploratory factor analysis (EFA), and good internal reliability and validity were demonstrated. In Study 2 (N = 297, Mage = 29.6, SD = 9.8), confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was performed on an independent sample to validate the factor structure, confirming the reliability and discriminant validity of the measure. In the second part of Study 2, the iPAUM was employed to investigate associations between the four types of Instagram use and self-esteem, and whether following strangers on Instagram moderates this relationship. Self-esteem was not significantly associated with most types of Instagram use, except for a negative association between self-esteem and active direct social use, which was moderated by the percentage of strangers followed. The findings confirm the importance of differentiating between various types of Instagram use. The iPAUM is a validated tool which provides a more nuanced view of Instagram use for future research.