Is psychological distress the key factor in the association between problematic social networking sites and poor sleep quality?

Background and aims: Problematic Social Networking Sites Use (PSNSU) has been indicated as potentially detrimental for users' mental and sleep health. The present study tested whether PSNSU is directly associated with poor sleep quality and indirectly via psychological distress (stress, anxiety, depression) in a healthy adult sample of Social Networking Sites (SNSs) users. Design: Cross-sectional study among Italian adults who completed online questionnaires between December 2020 and January 2021. Setting: Italy. Participants: A convenient sample of N = 726 SNSs users (51.8% females; mean age = 28.59 years, SD = 8.19 years). Measurements: Self-report data were collected on problematic social networking sites use, sleep quality, psychological distress (stress, anxiety, depression), and socio-demographics. Findings: PSNSU was not directly associated with poor sleep quality. Depression and stress mediated such association. Conclusion: Healthcare providers should consider psychological distress and PSNSU when encountering sleep problems, with consideration of the potentially important role of users' age and mental health status.

Automated summary

The study found that problematic social networking site use was not directly associated with poor sleep quality, with depression and stress playing a mediating role in this association. Therefore, healthcare providers should consider psychological distress and social networking site use when addressing sleep problems.