Social comparison and maladaptive emotion regulation are associated with poorer mental health in social media users

The ubiquity of social technologies in daily life has intensified concerns about their psychological impact. Emerging evidence points to the quality of engagement and the psychological processes that social media use activates. This study examined these processes in a nationally representative sample of 1,707 adults aged 16-75 (M = 44.5, SD = 14.8), 50.40% females. Objective screen-time verification was complemented with validated self-report questionnaires measuring anxiety and depression symptomatology, anger reactions and displaced aggression, social comparison, and maladaptive emotion regulation. Data were analyzed using correlation analyses, multivariate analysis of covariance (MANCOVA), and path analysis. Findings revealed consistent gender differences: women spent more time online and reported higher levels of social comparison and maladaptive regulation strategies. Cohort analyses showed Generation Z to be most vulnerable, scoring highest on social comparison, maladaptive strategies such as rumination and catastrophizing, and symptoms of depression, anxiety, and anger, whereas Boomers consistently reported the lowest levels. Our work also shows that mental health indicators such as anxiety, depression, and anger are more strongly associated with social media time when higher use co-occurs with greater social comparison and maladaptive emotion regulation strategies. These findings are interpreted considering emerging work on digital emotion regulation, suggesting that the quality of engagement may be more relevant than sheer time online. The present work refines the ongoing debate on screen time, underscoring the importance of fostering emotional regulation to promote healthier and more adaptive engagement in today's hyperconnected digital world.