Social Media Addiction as a Determining Factor in Aggressive Behavior Among Adolescents

Abstract

Background: Social media addiction has become a major phenomenon in modern life, especially among young people. With the rise of platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok, communication and social interaction have been radically transformed. Furthermore, a possible link between social media addiction and aggression tendencies has been observed.  Aim: This study aims to examine the relationship between social media addiction and aggression in young individuals. The research employed a descriptive-correlational design, suitable for exploring the characteristics of the variables without interfering with the natural processes of the data.Methodology: Statistical analyses, including exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses, were conducted to validate the proposed theoretical models. Data were also assessed for skewness, kurtosis, and multicollinearity between items. The sample comprised 772 participants from a public higher education institution, of whom 309 were male (40.03%) and 463 female (59.97%). A non-probabilistic purposive sampling method was used, which allowed for an in-depth examination of the phenomenon within a specific group. Two validated questionnaires were used for data collection: the Aggression Questionnaire (AQ) developed by Buss and Perry (1992) and a Social Media Addiction Questionnaire. Results: revealed a significant association between social media addiction and aggressive behaviours. As addiction levels increased, a corresponding increase in aggressive behaviours was observed, suggesting that dependence on these platforms may amplify aggression. Single Contribution: These findings shall provide insight into how social media addiction is interrelated with aggression and at the same time the emergence in relation to other indicators that could become stronger and more relevant clues in current aggressive tendencies, thereby allowing for further theoretical knowledge. Recommendations: Future studies could investigate the influence of demographic factors (e.g., age, gender, socio-economic background) on the relationship between addiction and aggression.