The Effect of Emotional Intelligence on Problematic Use of Social Media Through the Mediation of Perceived Stress and Depression

Abstract

Objective: This study aimed to examine the impact of emotional intelligence on problematic social media use through the mediating roles of perceived stress and depression among adults in Tehran. Methods and Materials: The study adopted an applied and descriptive–correlational design. The statistical population consisted of adults aged 18–73 years in Tehran. Based on Krejcie and Morgan’s table, 385 participants were selected through convenience sampling. Data were collected using Arrivillaga et al.’s (2022) standardized 35-item questionnaire measuring emotional intelligence, perceived stress, depression, and problematic social media use. Content validity was confirmed by experts, and construct validity was supported through confirmatory factor analysis. The overall Cronbach’s alpha was 0.855. Data analysis was conducted using SPSS 25 and LISREL 8.8 within a structural equation modeling (SEM) framework. Findings: Emotional intelligence had a significant negative effect on problematic social media use (β = -0.98, p < 0.01), perceived stress (β = -0.85, p < 0.01), and depression (β = -0.77, p < 0.01). Moreover, perceived stress and depression both independently and serially mediated the relationship between emotional intelligence and problematic social media use (β = -0.96, β = -0.85, and β = -0.90, respectively). Model fit indices (RMSEA = 0.067, CFI = 0.98, GFI = 0.99) indicated excellent model fit. Conclusion: The findings highlight that higher emotional intelligence decreases levels of perceived stress and depression, thereby reducing problematic social media use. Enhancing emotional intelligence through educational and psychological interventions may serve as a preventive and corrective strategy against social media addiction.