The Mediating Role of Mobile-Based Social Media Addiction in the Relationship between Self-Concept and High-Risk Behaviors in Adolescents with Social Anxiety

 The main feature of adolescence is independence from parents; during which, some adolescents may engage in risky behaviors. Adolescents attempt to experience different behaviors, imitate roles, have independence from parents, and in some cases, ignore the rules. These are often associated with high–risk behaviors; thus, adolescence is referred to as the period of risk–taking. The concept is may play a role in preventing high–risk behaviors. A structure related to self is self–concept. Adolescents are fascinated by embracing new technology, like a smartphone. Therefore, smartphones can potentially be addictive to adolescents. Accordingly, this study aimed to investigate the mediating role of mobile–based social network addiction in the relationship between self–concept and high–risk behaviors in adolescents with social anxiety.

 The present correlational study applied structural equation modeling. The statistical population of the present study included all female second high school students (10th to 12th grades) in Tehran City, Iran, in the academic year of 2019–2020. Of them, 358 volunteers were selected by convenience sampling method to participate in the study. To determine the sample size, as in modeling research, 10–15 individuals are required per obvious variable and based on the determined variables, 358 subjects were selected. Excluding incomplete and distorted questionnaires, the remaining 254 questionnaires were analyzed. The inclusion criteria of this study included being 10th–12th–grade students and having no history of serious biopsychological illnesses, requiring medication use, i.e., determined by a school counselor and reviewing students' records. The exclusion criteria of this study were having biopsychological conditions, receiving pharmacotherapy, as well as dissatisfaction with participation in the research. After explaining the objectives of the research, providing the informed consent form, and assuring the confidentiality of information, the study subjects completed a Social Phobia Inventory (Connor et al., 2000), Piers–Harris Children’s Self–Concept Scale (Piers & Harris, 1963), Iranian Adolescents Risk Scale (Zadeh Mohammadi et al., 2011) and an addiction to mobile questionnaire based on social networks (Khajeh Ahmadi et al., 2017). Pearson correlation coefficient and structural equation model were applied in SPSS and AMOS to analyze the research data at the significance level of 0.05.

 The present study findings revealed that self–concept had reverse and significant relationship with social network addiction (r=–0.027, p<0.001) and high–risk behaviors (r=–0.046, p<0.001). Moreover, addiction to social networks and high–risk behaviors were directly and significantly correlated (r=0.041, p<0.001). Furthermore, a direct and significant relationship was observed between self–concept and addiction to mobile–based social networks (β=–0.47, p<0.001), as well as addiction to mobile–based social networks and high–risk behaviors (β=0.41, p<0.001). The indirect path of self–concept to high–risk behaviors was significant through addiction to social networks (β = –0.196, p<0.001). The goodness of fit indices supported the optimal fit of the research model with the collected data (X2/df=3.17, CFI=0.98, GFI=0.98, AGFI=0.95, RMSEA=0.066).

 In conclusion, mobile–based social media addiction mediates the effect of self–concept on high–risk behaviors. By strengthening the positive self–concept, the odds of addiction to mobile–based social networks decreases; as a result, it reduces the tendency to risky behaviors in adolescents.