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Concurrent Validity of Self-Reported Social Media Use in Adolescents and Young Adults: Associations with Objective Data and Psychosocial Functioning

DOI:10.1007/s10862-022-10013-9
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Ric G Steele at University of Kansas
Ric G Steele
Devanshi Khetawat
Devanshi Khetawat
Devanshi Khetawat
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Jennifer Christofferson at University of Kansas
Jennifer Christofferson
Jeffrey A. Hall at University of Kansas
Jeffrey A. Hall
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Abstract

A growing literature attests to the associations between social media use (SMU) and psychosocial outcomes. However, recent meta-analyses and systematic reviews indicate relatively small and inconsistent effect sizes across studies. Such reviews also indicate that measurement approaches have focused almost exclusively on self-report methodologies to assess SMU, raising concerns about the role of common method variance. The current study was designed to examine the concurrent validity of self-reported SMU, the degree to which objective SMU estimates fall within the categorical ranges indicated by the self-report data, and the degree to which objectively reported SMU explains psychosocial functioning beyond that accounted for by self-reported SMU in a sample of adolescents (n = 317) and young adults (n = 325). Results indicate small but significant associations between self-reported SMU and objective minutes of SMU (r = .25), number of pick-ups (r = .13), and number of notifications (r = .12). For approximately one-third (34.6%) of the total sample, objectively reported SMU fell within the range indicated by self-report categorical data. Slightly more participants (42.6%) overestimated their SMU relative to objective data. Finally, for adolescents only, objective SMU variables (pick-ups and notifications) was associated with self-reported depressive symptoms and social role functioning after accounting for self-reported SMU estimates. Overall, results support the use of self-reported SMU estimates, particularly in research designs that rely on correlational methods to examine associations between SMU and psychosocial outcomes. However, results also suggest that both adolescents and young adults significantly under- and over-report SMU relative to objective data.
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Vol.:(0123456789)
1 3
Journal of Psychopathology and Behavioral Assessment (2023) 45:97–108
https://doi.org/10.1007/s10862-022-10013-9
Concurrent Validity ofSelf‑Reported Social Media Use inAdolescents
andYoung Adults: Associations withObjective Data andPsychosocial
Functioning
RicG.Steele1 · DevanshiKhetawat1· JenniferL.Christofferson1· JeffreyA.Hall2
Accepted: 29 November 2022 / Published online: 29 December 2022
© The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature 2022
Abstract
A growing literature attests to the associations between social media use (SMU) and psychosocial outcomes. However, recent
meta-analyses and systematic reviews indicate relatively small and inconsistent effect sizes across studies. Such reviews also
indicate that measurement approaches have focused almost exclusively on self-report methodologies to assess SMU, raising
concerns about the role of common method variance. The current study was designed to examine the concurrent validity of
self-reported SMU, the degree to which objective SMU estimates fall within the categorical ranges indicated by the self-
report data, and the degree to which objectively reported SMU explains psychosocial functioning beyond that accounted for
by self-reported SMU in a sample of adolescents (n = 317) and young adults (n = 325). Results indicate small but significant
associations between self-reported SMU and objective minutes of SMU (r = .25), number of pick-ups (r = .13), and number
of notifications (r = .12). For approximately one-third (34.6%) of the total sample, objectively reported SMU fell within
the range indicated by self-report categorical data. Slightly more participants (42.6%) overestimated their SMU relative
to objective data. Finally, for adolescents only, objective SMU variables (pick-ups and notifications) was associated with
self-reported depressive symptoms and social role functioning after accounting for self-reported SMU estimates. Overall,
results support the use of self-reported SMU estimates, particularly in research designs that rely on correlational methods
to examine associations between SMU and psychosocial outcomes. However, results also suggest that both adolescents and
young adults significantly under- and over-report SMU relative to objective data.
Keywords Social media use· Concurrent validity· Digital stress· Self-report· Adolescents· Young adults
The ubiquity of mobile phones and social media use (SMU),
particularly among adolescents and young adults, has
prompted considerable concern about and empirical research
on the associations among digital technologies and behavio-
ral and psychosocial adjustment (e.g., Jiang, 2018; Meier &
Reinecke, 2020; Odgers etal., 2020; Valkenburg etal., 2022).
Indeed, a number of studies demonstrate associations between
SMU and psychological distress (e.g., anxiety and depressive
symptoms; Shensa etal., 2017; Twenge etal., 2018) and peer/
social problems (e.g., loneliness; Ohannessian & Vannucci,
2021; Smith etal., 2021). However, recent meta-analyses indi-
cate that associations between social media use and psychoso-
cial problems fall generally in the “small” range (effect sizes
between 0.07 and 0.13; Hancock etal., 2019; Huang, 2017;
Keles etal., 2020).
In contrast, other studies have reported associations
between SMU and positive psychosocial outcomes such as
increased relational well-being (Hancock etal., 2019) and
increased frequency of positive social interactions (Bekalu
etal., 2019). Consistent with such findings, Mitev etal.
(2021) noted decreases in social functioning following a
planned hiatus from social media use. Still other studies find
no association between SMU and psychosocial functioning
(e.g., Best etal., 2014; Hall etal., 2021). Despite dozens of
empirical articles and systematic reviews, the literature has
not coalesced around strong conclusions regarding the asso-
ciation between SMU and the mental health of adolescents
* Ric G. Steele
rsteele@ku.edu
1 Clinical Child Psychology Program, Dole Human
Development Center, University ofKansas, 1000 Sunnyside
Avenue, Suite 2010, Lawrence, KS66045, USA
2 Department ofCommunication Studies, University
ofKansas, 1440 Jayhawk Blvd., Suite 102, Lawrence,
KS66045, USA
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