Moderating effect of gender between social media needs and psychological wellbeing: a case study of Pakistani adolescents

ABSTRACT

This study investigated the correlation between social media usage and psychological wellbeing among university students as well as the moderating role of gender between this relationship. A conceptual model was developed to empirically test and explore the effects of five social media needs derived from the Uses and Gratification theory on Ryff’s six dimensions of psychological wellbeing. Structural equation modeling analysis results revealed that social media needs vary between males and females. The significant moderating effect of gender was thus found on the relationship between social media needs and psychological wellbeing.

KEYWORDS:

• Gender
• moderating effect
• psychological wellbeing
• social media needs

Acknowledgments

We confirm that the manuscript has been submitted solely to this journal and is not published in the press or submitted elsewhere. Further, we do not have any organizational, institutional, or personal conflict of interest.