Modeling problematic use of social media in a western culture: an Italian study

Background: The cross-cultural generalization of a theoretical model of problematic use of social media (PUSM) is currently lacking in the literature. The cognitive-behavioral model of generalized Pathological Internet Use (GPIU) proposed by Caplan (2010) may provide a conceptual basis for understanding the problematic use of social media (SMs). The present study is a part of a larger international research project aimed to examine whether the factor structure of the Problematic Social Network Sites Use Scale (PSNSUS; an adaptation to SM use of the Generalized Problematic Internet Use Scale 2; Caplan, 2010) and the relationships among constructs are similar across multiple cultures and geographic regions globally. Thus, this study aimed to test the factor structure of PSNSUS and the feasibility of the model of GPIU in the context of PUSM in Italy. Method: The Italian version of the PSNSUS (including five subscales, i.e., preference for online social interaction - POSI, mood regulation, cognitive preoccupation, compulsive use, and negative outcomes) was administered to 706 Italian participants. A Confirmatory Factor Analysis and a Structural Equation Modeling analysis were used to test the theoretical model. Results: The POSI domain positively predicted SM use for mood regulation and poor self-regulation; using SMs for mood regulation positively predicted poor self-regulation; and poor self-regulation positively predicted negative outcomes of SM use. Conclusion: Our findings support the feasibility of the model and the hypothesized relationships among the latent constructs in the context of PUSM in Italy