'Impaired Autonomy and Performance' Predicts Instagram Addiction Among Instagram Users: A Cross-Sectional Study

Abstract

Objective: This study aims to investigate the effects of early maladaptive schemas on Instagram addiction, as a more specific, controversial, and new field, in terms of the four-factor model developed by Bach et al.

Methods: Participants over the age of 18 who have Instagram accounts were evaluated with the sociodemographic data form, Instagram Addiction Scale (IAS), Young Schema Scale - Short Form 3. Participants were divided into two groups according to their addiction scale scores; socio-demographic characteristics and early maladaptive schemas (according to the latest four-factor model) were compared. A multiple linear regression model was created to determine the factors predicting Instagram addiction.

Results: The group with a high score on the Instagram Addiction Scale consisted of statistically significantly younger participants (t:4.44, p<.001) than the other group, the rate of being single was higher (X2=6.703, p=.010), Disconnection Rejection (t:-5.36, p<.001), Impaired Autonomy and Performance (t:-6.22, p<.001), Excessive Responsibility and Standards (t:-4.96, p <.001) and Impaired Limits (t:-5.30, p<.001) scales were found to have statistically significantly higher scores. In addition, age (β=-0.27, p=.004) and scores from Impaired Autonomy and Performance (β=0.39, p<.001) were found to have a statistically significant predictive effect on IAS scores in the linear regression model.

Conclusion: Instagram addiction has been shown to be associated with early maladaptive schemas. Thus, evaluation and understanding of the clients’ schemas and interventions for this are/become important in psychotherapy programs for individuals with Instagram addiction. Prospective studies with more participants are needed on Instagram addiction and other social network addictions.