Causal factors of social media addiction among students at a Peruvian university.
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.46990/relep.2026.8.2.2800Keywords:
Addiction, self-esteem, stress, psychological wellbeing, social mediaAbstract
The objective of this study was to analyze the causal factors associated with social media addiction among university students, focusing on psychological constructs related to personal and socio-emotional aspects. The research employed a quantitative, non-experimental, and explanatory design using a sample of 203 students. Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) was used to estimate the model, which demonstrated an adequate overall fit (CFI = .980; TLI = .972, RMSEA = .060; SRMR = .038). Self-esteem (β = − .20) and stress management (β = − .27) showed significant effects on social media addiction, whereas psychological well-being (β = − .03) reached a very low effect in addiction. The study highlights the need to strengthen personal resources in order to prevent problematic social media use among the university’s population.
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