Interpersonal Sensitivity and Problematic Facebook Use in Turkish University Students

Abstract

Facebook has held vital importance for socialization for university students, and has occasionally becomes problematic for them. As personality traits may have impacts on problematic Facebook use, the purpose of this research is to examine the relationship between problematic Facebook use and interpersonal sensitivity among Turkish university students. Participants included 349 university students (224 female, 125 male; M-age = 20.83 yr.) who answered a questionnaire package that included the Bergen Facebook Addiction Scale, the Interpersonal Sensitivity Measure and a Personal Information Form. The relationship between problematic Facebook use and the three subscales of interpersonal sensitivity that are interpersonal worry and dependency, low self-esteem, and unassertive interpersonal behavior were examined by using correlation analysis and multiple regression analysis. According to the results, the scores on the problematic Facebook use scale were predicted positively (32%) by subscales of interpersonal sensitivity. These findings were discussed in light of the social compensation theory.