Uso pasivo de redes sociales y malestar psicológico. El rol de la comparación social / Passive use of social media sites and psychological distress. The role of social comparison

Resumen La presente investigación se focalizó en los diferentes tipos de uso (activo/pasivo) que hacen los usuarios de redes sociales y los efectos psicológicos que esto puede conllevar, sobre todo en aquellos sujetos tendientes a compararse con los demás. Por un lado, se examinó el poder predictor de variables relacionadas al uso de redes sociales (i. e., tiempo de conexión, tipo de uso -pasivo/activo-, motivaciones de uso) y la comparación social, sobre el malestar psicológico percibido (i. e., depresión, ansiedad, estrés). Por otro lado, se analizó el rol mediador de la comparación social en la relación entre el uso pasivo de redes sociales y la percepción de malestar psicológico percibido. La muestra fue de conveniencia y estuvo compuesta por 420 sujetos de población general (211 hombres, 209 mujeres), con una media de edad de 40.29 años (DE = 14.93). Se utilizaron los siguientes instrumentos de recolección de datos: Motives for SMSs use Scale; Iowa-Netherlands Comparison Orientation Measure (INCOM-E), Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale (DASS-21) y una escala diseñada ad-hoc para evaluar el uso activo y pasivo que se hace de redes sociales. Los resultados obtenidos mostraron que la comparación social es el principal predictor de malestar psicológico junto con el motivo de uso relacionado con pasatiempo/exhibicionismo. Además, se pudo comprobar un efecto indirecto del uso pasivo sobre el malestar psicológico considerando a la comparación social como variable mediadora. Por lo tanto, usar pasivamente las redes generaría mayor malestar si el usuario tiende a compararse con quienes realizan las publicaciones.

Abstract The present investigation is framed in the field of cyberpsychology. It aimed to analyze the predictive power of variables related to the use of social media sites -SMSs- (i. e., connection time, type of use -passive / active-, motivations for use) and social comparison, on perceived psychological distress (i. e., depression, anxiety, stress). Furthermore, the mediating role of social comparison in the relationship between the passive use of SMSs and the perceived psychological distress, was also analyzed. It is important to study these topics since different international studies have shown inconsistent and contradictory results regarding the effects of SMSs use on individuals' well-being (e. g., Frison y Eggermont, 2015; Kraut et al., 2002; Nie et al., 2015). Consequently, some studies have focused on understanding whether the manner in which people use the networks, whether actively or passively, explains how technology impacts on users' well-being and/or psychological distress (Verduyn et al., 2015). The negative impact of passive use of SMSs can be explained by the Social Comparison Theory (Festinger, 1954), which suggests that people tend to evaluate themselves in comparison with others. These comparisons might generate negative effects on the individual (Giagkou et al., 2018) and, according to Lup et al. (2015), social comparison may be a mediating variable in this association. Regarding participants of the study, a convenience sample of 420 subjects of general population was studied (211 men, 209 women). The mean age was 40.29 years old (SD = 14.93). The majority of the participants (n = 278) lived in Buenos Aires City and surroundings. In terms of variables related to the use of SMSs, when asked about type of SMSs, most participants reported using more than one SMS, mainly Facebook (72 %) and Instagram (57 %). Regarding time spent on SMSs, 60 % of the respondents used their favorite SMS more than three times a day. The mean daily time engaged on all the SMSs exceeded five hours. Data were gathered using the Motives for SMSs use Scale (Lupano Perugini y Castro Solano, 2021a), the Iowa-Netherlands Comparison Orientation Measure (INCOM-E) (Buunk et al., 2005; Gibbons y Buunk, 1999), the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale (DASS-21) (Antúnez y Vinet, 2012; Lovibond y Lovibond, 1995). Furthermore, a survey to assess individuals' use of social networks was designed. The first part explored the most frequently used SMSs, the number and type of friends/followers, and the time spent on SMSs. The main SMSs were listed and participants were asked to indicate whether they used them or not, and if they did, they rated the amount of time spent on SMSs daily. The total amount of time per day was also surveyed. The second part of the survey was designed based on The Passive Active Use Measure (PAUM, Gerson et al., 2017) and some users' suggestions. This instrument assesses the frequency of certain activities performed on the networks to find out if participants make active use (e. g., posting information, commenting) or passive use (e. g., viewing profiles and posts, scrolling). The obtained results showed that social comparison is the main predictor of psychological distress. The motivation for use related to pass time / exhibitionism was also a significant predictor. In addition, an indirect effect of passive use on perceived psychological distress could be verified, considering social comparison as a mediating variable. Therefore, using the social networks passively would generate greater discomfort if the user tends to compare themselves with those who make the publications. The results of this study allow both users and healthcare and education providers to have greater knowledge of the consequences of using social media on individuals' overall well-being, and to promote their proper use.

Benign and Malicious Envy Scale: cross-cultural adaptation and validity evidence for adolescents / Escala de Inveja Benigna e Maliciosa: adaptação transcultural e evidências de validade para adolescentes / Escala de Envidia Benigna y Maliciosa: adaptación transcultural y evidencia de validez para adolescentes

Although there are few Brazilian studies on this subject, envy is a universal phenomenon present in the cultural and social spheres. This research aimed to conduct a cross-cultural adaptation to Brazilian Portuguese and to evaluate validity evidence for the Benign and Malicious Envy Scale (BeMaS), a measure of benign and malicious envy. A total of 248 adolescents aged between 12 and 17 (M=13.93 ±1.39, 47.9% boys) participated in this research. Evidence of validity based on content, internal structure, relationship to other variables (stress, anxiety, depression, and life satisfaction), and reliability indicators were estimated. The exploratory factor analysis suggested the adequacy of the internal structure composed of two factors, demonstrating the equivalence of the internal structure with the original version and good indicators of reliability (ω= 0.760 e 0.823) and relationships with external variables consistent with the theoretical hypotheses. The Results suggest the adequacy of the instrument.

Embora ainda pouco explorada nos estudos nacionais, a inveja é um fenômeno universal e observado nas esferas sociais e multiculturais. Esta pesquisa teve como principal objetivo a adaptação transcultural para o português brasileiro e avaliação de evidência de validade da Escala de Inveja Benigna e Maliciosa (BeMaS), instrumento que avalia dimensões benigna e maliciosa da inveja disposicional. Participaram 248 adolescentes, com idade entre 12 e 17 anos (M = 13,93 ± 1,39, 47,9% meninos). Foram estimadas evidências de validade baseadas no conteúdo, na estrutura interna, na relação com outras variáveis (estresse, ansiedade, depressão e satisfação com a vida) e nos indicadores de precisão. A Análise Fatorial Exploratória sugeriu a adequação da estrutura com dois fatores da versão brasileira da BeMaS, demonstrando equivalência da estrutura interna com a versão original, bem como bons indicadores de precisão (ω = 0,760 e 0,823) e relações com variáveis externas coerentes com as hipóteses teóricas. Os resultados sugerem adequação do instrumento.

Aunque hay pocos estudios brasileños acerca del tema, la envidia es un fenómeno universal presente en las esferas cultural y social. Esta investigación tuvo como objetivo llevar a cabo una adaptación transcultural al portugués brasileño y evaluar la evidencia de validez de la Escala de Envidia Benigna y Maliciosa (BeMaS), una medida de la envidia benigna y maliciosa. Un total de 248 adolescentes, de 12 a 17 años de edad (M = 13.93 ± 1.39, 47.9% de los niños) participaron en esta investigación. Se estimaron las evidencias de validez basadas en el contenido, la estructura interna, la relación con otras variables (estrés, ansiedad, depresión y satisfacción con la vida) y los indicadores de confiabilidad. El análisis factorial exploratorio sugirió la adecuación de la estructura interna compuesta por dos factores, lo que demuestra la equivalencia con la versión original, así como buenos indicadores de confiabilidad (ω = 0.760 e 0.823) y relaciones con variables externas consistentes con el hipótesis teóricas. Los resultados sugieren la adecuación del instrumento.

Use of Instagram, social comparison, and personality as predictors of self-esteem / Uso do Instagram, comparação social e personalidade como preditores da autoestima / Uso de Instagram, comparación social y personalidad como predictores de la autoestima

In the face of a population that is increasingly connected electronically, the objective of this research was to test the predictive power of Instagram's use intensity, social comparison and the five major personality factors of self-esteem. The survey, made available on the internet with sociodemographic questions and four scales, was answered by 625 Brazilians, of which 63.7% were women. The results indicated neuroticism and social comparison (abilities factor) as negative predictors of self-esteem. Extraversion, agreeableness, consciousness, social comparison (opinions factor), and age were shown to be positive predictors of self-esteem. For women, the higher the intensity of Instagram's use, the lower the levels of self-esteem. The negative relationship between self-esteem and the intensity of Instagram use was mediated by social comparison (suppression effect). It is suggested that the harm of using the social network relates to the activity of comparing himself to other people. (AU)

Diante de uma população cada vez mais conectada virtualmente, o objetivo desta pesquisa foi testar o poder preditivo da intensidade de uso do Instagram, da comparação social e dos cinco grandes fatores de personalidade sobre a autoestima. O questionário, disponibilizado na internet com perguntas sociodemográficas e quatro escalas, foi respondido por 625 brasileiros, sendo 63,7 % mulheres. Os resultados indicaram o neuroticismo e a comparação social (fator habilidades) como preditores negativos da autoestima. A extroversão, a socialização, a realização, a comparação social (fator Opiniões) e a idade mostraram-se preditores positivos da autoestima. Para as mulheres, quanto maior a intensidade de uso do Instagram, menores os níveis de autoestima. A relação negativa entre a autoestima e a intensidade de uso do Instagram foi mediada pela comparação social (efeito de supressão). Sugere-se que os prejuízos do uso da rede social para o indivíduo relacionam-se com a atividade de comparar-se com outras pessoas. (AU)

Ante una población cada vez más conectada virtualmente, el objetivo de esta investigación fue probar el poder predictivo de la intensidad de uso de Instagram, de la comparación social y de los cinco grandes factores de personalidad sobre la autoestima. El cuestionario, disponible en Internet con preguntas sociodemográficas y cuatro escalas, fue respondido por 625 brasileños, siendo 63,7% mujeres. Los resultados indicaron el neuroticismo y la comparación social (factor habilidades) como predictores negativos de la autoestima. La extroversión, la socialización, la realización, la comparación social (factor opiniones) y la edad se mostraron predictores positivos de la autoestima. Para las mujeres, cuanto mayor es la intensidad de uso de Instagram, más bajos los niveles de autoestima. Se medió la relación negativa entre autoestima e intensidad de uso de Instagram por comparación social (factor habilidad). Se sugieren los perjuicios del uso de la red social para el individuo se relacionan con la actividad de compararse con otras personas. (AU)

Comparación social y su impacto en enfermedades crónicas. Una revisión sistemática / Social comparison and its impact on chronic diseases. A systematic review

Resumen Las enfermedades crónicas, generalmente se asocian con bajos niveles de adherencia al tratamiento, baja calidad de vida, morbilidad y mortalidad. Aunque los procesos interpersonales tales como la comparación influyen la adherencia a los tratamientos, poca investigación ha sido desarrollada con la Teoría de la Comparación Social como fundamento teórico. El objetivo de este estudio fue analizar el rol que la comparación social tiene en las conductas en salud relacionadas a enfermedades crónicas. Usando metodología PRISMA, se seleccionó artículos publicados sin límite de fecha. Los resultados sugieren que la comparación social se asocia con el ajuste psicológico a la enfermedad, dependiendo de las características de ésta. Futuros estudios deben considerar si es posible diseñar intervenciones específicas basadas en la teoría y qué moderadores mejorarían su efectividad.

Abstract Chronic diseases are generally associated with low adherence to treatment, poor quality of life, morbidity, and mortality. Although interpersonal processes such as social comparison influence treatment adherence, little research has been conducted with the Social Comparison Theory as a theoretical background. This study aimed to analyze the role that social comparison has on health behaviors related to chronic diseases. Using the PRISMA methodology, we selected manuscripts published without any limit date. Our results suggest that social comparison is associated with the psychological adjustment to chronic diseases, depending on its characteristics. Future studies must address whether it is possible to design tailored interventions based on the theory and what moderators improve the intervention´s effectiveness.

The influence of social comparison orientation and family function on relocation stress in families of patients transferred from ICU / 中国实用护理杂志

Objective To explore the relocation stress in families of patients transferred from ICU, and the influence of social comparison orientation and family function on it. Methods There were 168 participants recruited from Critical Medical Department of the First Affiliated Hospital of Xi′an Jiaotong University by convenience sampling method between June 2017 and February 2018. The ICU patients′Family Relocation Stress Scale, Chinese version of the Iowa-Netherland Social Comparison Orientation Measure and Family Adaptation and Cohesion Evaluation Scale Ⅱ were used. Results The score of relocation stress and social comparison orientation were 58.47±7.66 and 37.83±9.11. The score of family real cohesion was 65.85 ± 7.83, which was higher than norms (t=-2.067, P<0.05). The score of dissatisfaction of adaptation was 9.22±4.41, which was higher than norms (t=-3.093, P<0.05). The results of regression analysis showed that the time of patient staying in ICU, education level, religion, social comparison orientation, family real cohesion and dissatisfaction of adaptation could influence relocation stress. Conclusion Health professionals should pay attention to the relocation stress in families, provide emotional support and effective information support, guide family members to correctly understand the patients′ condition and prognosis, respect their religious beliefs, give full play to their family functions, help them adapt to the role changes quickly and reduce the level of relocation stress.

La edad y el sexo en la orientación a la comparación social / The age and sex in the social comparison orientation

La Orientación a la Comparación Social (OCS) es la disposición personal de los individuos propensos a la comparación social. El objetivo de este estudio fue analizar la OCS en distintas edades en hombres y mujeres. La hipótesis principal es que la media en OCS es mayor en los rangos de edades menores y desciende a medida que aumenta la edad. Participaron 2757 personas, entre los 10 y 88 años de edad, de la ciudad de Antofagasta, que fueron evaluadas con el cuestionario INCOM - E. Los resultados indican una disminución significativa en la media de la OCS a medida que aumenta la edad de los rangos. Se encuentra también que la media en OCS es significativamente mayor en los hombres que en las mujeres. Los alcances de este estudio abren paso a nuevas líneas de investigación como las implicancias de las construcciones de género en la OCS.

The Social Comparison Orientation (SCO) is the personal disposition of individuals prone to social comparison. The aim of this study was to analyze the SCO at different ages in men and women. The main hypothesis is that the average is higher in SCO younger age ranges and decreases as age increases. Participants 2757 people between 10 and 88 years of age in the city ofAntofagasta, which were assessed with a questionnaire INCOM - E. The results show a significant decrease in the mean SCO with increasing age ranges. It is also found that the average SCO is significantly higher in men than in women. The scope of this study open up new lines of research and the implications of gender constructions in the SCO.

Role of social comparison in effet of the mass media on female college students body image / 中国心理卫生杂志

Objective:To research the effect of the media on women's body image.Methods:The subjects were all from 2 colleges.The subjects of experiment 1 were 63 high and low trait social comparison female students.Among them,high trait social comparison subjects were 31 in the model image group,30 in the product image group.Low trait social comparison subjects were 30 in the model image group,32 were in the product image group.The subjects of experiment 2 were the total of 61 high trait social comparison female students.Among them,30 subjects were analyzed by similarity comparison,and 31 subjects received difference comparison.The instruments included advertisement pictures,body image states scale,the physical apperance comparion scale,and the consumer response questionnaire.Results:Analysis of variance showed that,in the model image level,the score of body image scale in high social comparison group was significantly higher than that in low social comparison group [(5.54±1.05)vs.(4.73±0.92),P<0.001].Regression analysis further showed that social comparison was moderator(ΔR~2= 0.035,P<0.01).For social comparisons mode,score of body image scale in difference comparison group was higher than that in similarity comparison group [(5.55±0.82)vs.(4.56±0.86),P<0.05].Conclusion:These findings suggested that social comparison can be used to prevent female college students' negative body images.

Study on University Students'Appraisals of Their Earlier and Present Selves / 中华医学教育探索杂志

Using questionnaire of self-concept to 144 senior students,the study tries to understand the character of university students'appraisals of their social comparison,appraisals of their earlier and present selves.The result shows:For all social comparison in the past and present,university students tend to rank themselves as superior to a majority of their peers;in comparison with their earlier and present selves,there is significant difference in feature,school achievement,maturation,ambition,and self-acceptance.And present self is superior to earlier self on feature and self-acceptance,inferior to earlier self on school achievement,ambition and maturation.

Negative Physical Self of Female Students from 12 to 22 Year-Old / 中国心理卫生杂志

Objective: To investigate the influence of social comparison and social support on negative physical self of female from adolescents to young adulthood. Methods: 980 female students aged from 12 to 22 completed NPSS-F (negative physical self scale-fatness), MSPSS (multidimensional scale of perceived social support) and PACS (physical appearance comparison scale). Their body mass index (BMI) was also calculated by weight and height of the subjects. Results: High school students had higher score in Fatness dimension than middle school students (13.5?9.3/11.0?9.0,P

Reliability and Vaiidatioa of the Social Comparison Orientation Scale / 中国心理卫生杂志

Objective: To revise the Chinese version of the Social Comparison Orientation Scale. Methods: The questionnaire was administered to two samples with total of 1023 individuals. Results: The item analysis showed that all of the 11 items met psychometric criteria. The confirmatory factor analysis indicated that the Chinese version of Social Comparison Scale was composed of two dimensions, which were ability and concept, which can explained 55. 6% of total variance. The internal consistency reliability was 0. 88 and the four weeks tesl-retest reliability coefficient was 0. 89. The further analysis revealed that the male sample had significantly lower scores than female sample (39. 4 ? 8. 7/41. 4 ?7. 3, t= -4. 06), and the employee sample had significantly lower scores than student sample (39. 5 ? 8. 6/41. 3 ?7. 5, t = -3. 98, P