Bahtım KÜTÜK, Muazzez AYTEMÜR
Addicta The Turkish Journal On Addictions - 2026;13(2):268-276
Social media use is widespread, spanning the daily lives of all age groups, from children to older adults. In this study, we aimed to explore the variables associated with social media addiction and to examine the potential mediating role of social media addiction in the relationship between perceived social support and depression. The study recruited 213 adults, with females comprising 77.9% of participants. The Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support, the Beck Depression Inventory, and the Social Media Addiction Scale were used as measurement instruments. The results revealed significant associations between social media addiction and level of education, perceived social support, and depression. Furthermore, structural equation modeling indicated that social media addiction played a mediating role in the relationship between perceived social support and depression. The findings of the current study add to previous research by revealing the relationship pattern between perceived social support, social media addiction, and depression. In sum, social media addiction appears to reduce perceived social support and increases the level of depression. For this reason, individuals should be careful and avoid excessive use of social media.
