Adverse Childhood Experiences and Social Media Addiction.

BACKGROUND

Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are linked to various behavioral and psychological issues. This study explored the relationship between ACEs and social media addiction (SMA), examining the mediating role of quality of life (QoL) and the moderating effect of occupational status.

METHODS

Overall, 1,247 adults (55.4% females), aged 19 to 65 yr, were recruited through convenience sampling in Kerman, southeast Iran. Validated Persian versions of the ACE-ASF, WHOQOL-BREF, and Bergen Social Media Addiction Scale were used. Structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) assessed direct, indirect, and moderated pathways.

RESULTS

ACEs were significantly associated with higher SMA (β=0.088, P=0.002) and lower QoL (β = -0.234, P<0.001). QoL was inversely related to SMA (β = -0.225, P<0.001), and partially mediated the ACE-SMA relationship (β=0.053, P < 0.001). Occupational status moderated the effects of ACEs on both QoL (β=0.066, P=0.021) and SMA (β= -0.055, P=0.046), Higher job levels reduced adverse effects. However, no significant moderation was found in the QoL-SMA path.

CONCLUSION

ACEs significantly increase the risk of SMA, partly through reduced QoL. Improving occupational status and QoL can reduce the long-term behavioral effects of childhood adversity.