Development of a Causal Model of Virtual Social Networking Dependence in High School Students

Abstract

Purpose: Extreme dependence on virtual social networks has devastating consequences such as academic underachievement, sleep disorder, and social isolation, clearly highlighting the need for research in this area.  The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of rumination, social support, loneliness and social anxiety on dependence on virtual social networks with an emphasis on the mediating role of self-regulation. Methodology: The statistical population included all female upper secondary school students in Tehran who studied in the academic year of 2017-18. Six hundred (600) students were selected by multistage random cluster sampling. Research data was analyzed using structural equation modeling. Findings: The results indicated that the model had a good fit. Also the direct and indirect effects of social anxiety and social support, as well as the direct impact of loneliness on the dependence on virtual social networks, are rejected at the alpha level of 0/05 and are not significant.   Discussion: Rumination and self-regulation variables were significant in direct effect. Rumination and loneliness variables were also significantly correlated with self-regulation mediation in indirect effect.