The effect of body image satisfaction on problematic internet use through social support, problem solving skills and depression

This study investigates whether social support, problem solving skills and depression mediate the relationship between body image satisfaction and problematic Internet use. The research was carried out with the participation of 492 Turkish university students. The findings indicate that the individuals more dissatisfied with their body image have insufficient social support and consider their problem solving skills to be inadequate. This consequently makes them more depressed, and depression causes them to misuse the Internet more. According to these findings, body image satisfaction has significantly and directly affects social support, problem solving skills and depression. Furthermore, body image satisfaction has an indirect effect on depression through the partial mediation of social support and problem solving skills. Results also show that social support, problem solving skills and depression act as mediators between body image satisfaction and problematic Internet use. Moreover, social support and problem solving skills have also indirect effects on problematic Internet use through the partial mediation of depression.

Problematic Internet Use ,

Problematic Internet Use ,

Body Image Satisfaction ,

Social Support ,

Problem Solving ,

Depression ,