Super interesting study Ian! 😊

This plot shows the number of users in the Study 1 sample that self-described as 'addicted' to Instagram versus those who were 'at risk' of clinical addiction. The ratios for the addiction symptom scale are 9:371 and for the perceived addiction 69: 311, suggesting a much greater proportion of users self-perceive as addicted than are actually addicted to Instagram

Excited to see these studies (finally) published in Scientific Reports! 🚨

S1: More social media users perceived themselves as addicted than met clinical addiction criteria.

S2: Increasing perceived addiction hurt perceived control over use and increased self-blame for overuse.

Thread below... 🧵

Congratulations Alicia! Very interesting! 😊

Methodological considerations for social media intervention studies - Nature Reviews Psychology There is extensive debate about whether and how social media use affects well-being. In this Perspective, Vanden Abeele et al. outline key methodological issues in experimental intervention studies on social media use and how they could be addressed.

There is extensive debate about whether and how social media use affects well-being. A Perspective in Nature Reviews Psychology outlines key methodological issues in experimental intervention studies on social media use and how they could be addressed. 🔒

Methodological considerations for social media intervention studies

Perspective by Mariek M. P. Vanden Abeele, Stephen L. Murphy, Laura Lemahieu & Ernst H. W. Koster

🚨FREE🚨web access (with registration) until Aug 28: go.nature.com/45cerHT
PDF: rdcu.be/eyaz8

Had a wonderful time presenting our systematic review and meta-analysis on the effects of social media detox on well-being at #ICA25 😊

The effects of social media abstinence on affective well-being and life satisfaction: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Abstaining from social media has become a popular digital disconnection strategy of individuals to enhance their well-being. To date, it is unclear whether social media abstinences are truly effective in improving well-being, however, as studies produce inconsistent outcomes. This preregistered systematic review and meta-analysis therefore aims to provide a more precise answer regarding the impact of social media abstinence on well-being. The databases of PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, Communication Source, Cochrane Library, and Google Scholar were searched for studies examining the effect of social media abstinence on three outcomes, namely positive affect, negative affect, and/or life satisfaction. In total, ten studies (N = 4674) were included, allowing an examination of 38 effect sizes across these three outcomes. The analyses revealed no significant effects

Image description Figure 1. Forest plot showing results from a meta-analysis of studies on digital interventions and their effect on positive affect. Each row lists a study with its estimated effect size (Hedges' g), 95% confidence interval (CI), and weight in the meta-analysis. Most individual study estimates are close to zero, with some negative and some positive. The overall effect size is 0.03 [95% CI: -0.11, 0.16], suggesting a small, non-significant positive effect. The prediction interval spans from -0.42 to 0.47. The plot indicates moderate heterogeneity (I² = 61%, p < .01). A diamond represents the overall effect at the bottom of the plot.

Image description Figure 2. Funnel plot displaying the relationship between standard error (y-axis) and effect size (Hedges' g, x-axis) for individual studies in a meta-analysis. Each dot represents a study. The plot includes a vertical dashed line at zero, a solid triangle indicating the estimated overall effect, and shaded areas representing regions of increasing statistical significance. The distribution of studies appears slightly asymmetrical, with more studies showing positive effect sizes. A dashed diagonal line and funnel-shaped contours illustrate expected dispersion under no publication bias.

Abstaining from social media does not significantly affect positive affect, negative affect, or life satisfaction, finds
@lauralemahieu.bsky.social et al., in a meta analysis doi.org/10.1038/s415...

Thank you for the kind words, Ian! I’m glad you liked our study! 😊

The effects of social media abstinence on affective well-being and life satisfaction: a systematic review and meta-analysis - Scientific Reports Scientific Reports - The effects of social media abstinence on affective well-being and life satisfaction: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Does taking a temporary break from social media truly impact our well-being? Discover the answer in our meta-analysis, now published in Scientific Reports 🎉: www.nature.com/articles/s41...

Unburdening the (Dis)Connected Individual? A Digital Disconnection Policy Paradox in Flanders (Belgium) | Article | Media and Communication Tom De Leyn, Alice Verlinden, Laura Lemahieu, Lore Geldof, Marthe Mennes, Arturo Cocchi, Marijn Martens, Mariek Vanden Abeele

Tom De Leyn and colleagues focus on disconnection at a collective level. Through interviews with Belgian policymakers, they examine the institutional conditions of disconnection, revealing a conflict between autonomy and regulation in digital policy bit.ly/3WYwCgT

Yesterday, I presented the findings of our qualitative daily diary study on how emerging adults navigate the tensions between their online and offline relationships when (dis)connecting, as well as how phubbing and FoMO can drive and/or hinder these (dis)connection experiences.

#etmaal2025

The final #mediapsychology parallel session featured some highly complementary presentations exploring the blurring of online and offline lives of children and adolescents.

Our minds are certainly nourished for the day. Looking forward to continuing the conversation over dinner!