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Journals / Ahi Evran Üniversitesi Kırşehir Eğitim Fakültesi Dergisi / 2025 / Cilt: 26 Sayı: 3

The Mediating Role of Experiential Avoidance in The Relationship Between General Anxiety and Social Media Addiction in Adolescents

Ergenlerde Genel Kaygı ile Sosyal Medya Bağımlılığı Arasındaki İlişkide Yaşantısal Kaçınmanın Aracı Rolü

Mehmet S. Vangölü(BİTLİS EREN ÜNİVERSİTESİ)0000-0002-8312-9795
Mehmet Ali Padır(SİİRT ÜNİVERSİTESİ)0000-0002-4192-4360
Fırat Ünsal(BİTLİS EREN ÜNİVERSİTESİ)0000-0001-9561-554X
Pages
875–894
Publication Date
2025-09-30
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AI Summary & Key Takeaways

AI Insight
⚡ TL;DR(Too Long; Didn't Read)

These results suggest that reducing anxiety levels and experiential avoidance tendencies in adolescents may reduce excessive social media use.

📌 3 Key Takeaways

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Objective & Hypothesis:Adolescence is a critical period of significant changes in an individual's emotional, social, and cognitive development.
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Key Findings & Data:The uncertainties and identity searches experienced during this period can lead to increased anxiety levels.
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Conclusion & Impact:These results suggest that reducing anxiety levels and experiential avoidance tendencies in adolescents may reduce excessive social media use.
🔬Design:Araştırma Makalesi
📍Scope:Comprehensive Sample
⚙️Variables:ergen · yaşantısal kaçınma · sosyal medya bağımlılığı

Abstract

Adolescence is a critical period of significant changes in an individual's emotional, social, and cognitive development. The uncertainties and identity searches experienced during this period can lead to increased anxiety levels. Adolescents who struggle to cope with increased anxiety may use social media platforms as a means of escape or relief. This study aimed to examine the role of experiential avoidance as a mediator in the relationship between general anxiety levels and social media addiction in adolescents. The study included 444 adolescents aged 15-17 who were attending high school. According to the study findings, a positive relationship was found between general anxiety levels, experiential avoidance, and social media addiction in adolescents. Additionally, the study revealed that experiential avoidance plays a mediating role between general anxiety and social media addiction. These results suggest that reducing anxiety levels and experiential avoidance tendencies in adolescents may reduce excessive social media use. Intervention programmes can be designed to reduce anxiety, experiential avoidance, and social media addiction. The current study supports and contributes to previous studies related to experiential avoidance, anxiety, and social media addiction in adolescents.

Özet

Ergenlik dönemi, bireyin duygusal, sosyal ve bilişsel gelişiminde önemli değişimlerin yaşandığı kritik bir süreçtir. Bu dönemde yaşanan belirsizlikler ve kimlik arayışları, kaygı düzeyinin artmasına neden olabilmektedir. Artan kaygıyla başa çıkmakta zorlanan ergenler, sosyal medya platformlarını bir kaçış ya da rahatlama aracı olarak kullanabilir. Bu çalışma ergenlerde genel kaygı düzeyi ile sosyal medya bağımlılığı arasındaki ilişkide yaşantısal kaçınmanın aracı rolünü incelemeyi amaçlamıştır. Çalışmaya lise düzeyinde okula devam eden yaşları 15-17 arasında değişen 444 ergen dahil edilmiştir. Çalışma bulgularına göre ergenlerde genel kaygı düzeyi ile yaşantısal kaçınma ve sosyal medya bağımlılığı arasında pozitif yönde ilişki olduğu bulunmuştur. Bu ilişkiye ek olarak çalışma, yaşantısal kaçınmanın genel kaygı ile sosyal medya bağımlılığı arasında aracı rolünün olduğunu ortaya koymuştur. Bu sonuçlar ergenlerde kaygı düzeyinin ve yaşantısal kaçınma eğilimlerinin azaltılmasının aşırı sosyal medya kullanımını azaltabileceğini göstermektedir. Kaygının yaşantısal kaçınma ve sosyal medya bağımlılığını azalmaya yönelik müdahale programları tasarlanabilir. Mevcut çalışma, ergenlerde yaşantısal kaçınma, kaygı ve sosyal medya bağımlılığı ile ilişkili önceki çalışmaları desteklemiş ve katkı sağlamıştır.

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Cite This Article

Vangölü, M. S., Padır, M. A., Ünsal, F., *, M. S. V. (2025). The Mediating Role of Experiential Avoidance in The Relationship Between General Anxiety and Social Media Addiction in Adolescents. Ahi Evran Üniversitesi Kırşehir Eğitim Fakültesi Dergisi, Cilt: 26 Sayı: 3, 875–894. https://doi.org/10.29299/kefad.1512179

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