The Role of Physical Appearance Comparison, Self-Esteem, and Emotional Control in the Association Between Social Media Addiction and Masculine Depression

Abstract

Social media has become an integral part of daily life, shaping behaviors, self-perception, and emotional well-being. However, its addictive use raises concerns about its potential to aggravate psychological challenges, particularly in the context of societal expectations of masculinity. The current report presents a study exploring the pathways through which social media addiction contributes to masculine depression, specifically examining the roles of physical appearance comparison, self-esteem, and emotional control among men. By investigating these relationships, it aims to provide insights into the psychological consequences of social media addiction for men. Structured questionnaires were administered to 849 Israeli men aged 18 and older. Employing a moderated sequential mediation model with social media addiction as the independent variable, physical appearance comparison and self-esteem as mediators, and masculine depression as the dependent variable, this study also investigates emotional control as a moderator in the associations between social media addiction, physical appearance comparison, self-esteem, and masculine depression. The analysis, conducted using model 89 PROCESS v4.2 macro, reveals that conforming to the masculine norm of emotional control intensifies men’s vulnerability to distress resulting from maladaptive behaviors such as social media addiction, which can lead to masculine depression. Furthermore, addiction to social media can trigger masculine depression via psychosocial factors such as physical appearance comparison and low self-esteem, which have yet to be explored in the context of masculine depression. These findings underscore the importance of targeted interventions that address the societal pressures of masculinity and the psychological repercussions of excessive social media use among men. They also emphasize the necessity of raising awareness about these issues among both the public and therapists.