The predictive role of social media addiction on perceived social support among university students

The aim of this study is to examine the relationship between university students' levels of social media addiction and their perceived social support. With the acceleration of digitalization, social media has become a significant part of individuals' daily lives and has transformed how they establish, maintain, and regulate social relationships. However, the intense and uncontrolled use of social media can lead to social media addiction, which may negatively affect individuals' psychosocial functioning. In this context, understanding the relationship between social media addiction and perceived social support constitutes an important area of research for supporting young adults' social integration and psychological well-being. This is a quantitative study based on a correlational research design. The data collection tools included the Social Media Addiction Scale (SABÖ) and the Revised Perceived Social Support Scale (ASDÖ-R), along with a Personal Information Form developed by the researcher to collect demographic data. The sample consisted of 338 university students enrolled at Osmaniye Korkut Ata University during the 2024–2025 academic year, selected through a convenience sampling method. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation, and multiple regression analyses. The findings revealed a significant negative relationship between social media addiction and perceived social support. As the level of social media addiction increased, students reported lower levels of perceived support from family, friends, and teachers. An examination of the five subdimensions of social media addiction—attention seeking, mood modification, withdrawal symptoms, conflict, and relapse—showed that each subdimension significantly and negatively predicted perceived social support. Notably, the subdimensions of mood modification and withdrawal symptoms had a more pronounced effect on perceived support from friends and teachers. Multiple regression analysis demonstrated that the total score of social media addiction significantly predicted the subdimensions of perceived social support. This finding supports the hypothesis that as social media addiction increases, perceived support from family, friends, and teachers decreases. The results of this study highlight the need to promote awareness of social media usage among university students and to strengthen social support systems. It is recommended that psychological counseling and guidance services be structured with consideration for the psychosocial impacts of students' digital behaviors. Furthermore, family, teacher, and peer support are considered critical in helping young individuals maintain balance in their digital lives. In this regard, the present study provides empirical data that may serve as a foundation for practitioners and researchers seeking to understand the impact of social media addiction on young adults' social functioning. Keywords: Social media addiction, perceived social support, university students, psychosocial interaction.