Social media and high-risk behavior in first-year college students: Real-time assessment of interpersonal mechanisms

The first year of college is an increasingly vulnerable time for engagement in high-risk behaviors, which can carry significant personal and societal consequences. Prior research has linked social media use to engagement in risky behaviors. However, this relationship has not been examined in this population using real-time methods that can capture how it unfolds in everyday life, nor have the underlying mechanisms been well understood, particularly relevant interpersonal factors (e.g., feelings of inferiority, negative interpersonal cognitions). The current study addresses this gap by investigating momentary feelings of inferiority and negative interpersonal cognitions as potential mediators of the relationship between social media use and high-risk behaviors in first-year college students. A sample of 249 first-year college students completed ecological momentary assessment (EMA) surveys four times per day for one month, reporting on social media use, interpersonal factors, and engagement in high-risk behaviors. Dynamic structural equation modeling was used to examine whether (1) time spent on social media and social media frequency predicted subsequent 24-hour high-risk behavior engagement and (2) whether this relationship was mediated by interpersonal processes. Results showed that both social media metrics significantly predicted subsequent high-risk behaviors, and that feelings of inferiority, but not negative interpersonal cognitions, significantly mediated these relationships. Findings highlight a momentary social emotional mechanism linking social media use to risky behaviors, underscoring the importance of addressing social comparison and interpersonally related emotions in prevention and intervention efforts to promote college student well-being.