Features of empathy among adolescents with different level of problematic social networks use

Relevance. The study of empathy features in adolescents using social networks makes it possible to identify specific components of social competencies in interpersonal communication. Empathy components such as emotional response and sensitivity, respect for the feelings of others may be associated with the severity of problematic social networks use signs.

Intention was to study the empathy features of adolescents with different levels of problematic social networks use signs.

Methodology. The study involved 90 school students aged 15 years (48.9% boys and 51.1% girls). The study was carried out using the following psychological methods: Problematic Facebook Use Scale – PFUS; Emotional Empathic Tendency Scale – EETS. Methods of mathematical statistics were as follows: cluster analysis, Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient. The results were checked for the normal distribution of data. The article presents the arithmetic means and their standard deviations (M ± SD).

Results and Discussion. According to the results of the study, adolescents with pronounced signs of problematic social networks use showed more developed empathy skills, which tended to decrease in the presence of obsessive thoughts about the use of social networks and the negative consequences of their excessive use. There was a higher self-assessment of their empathic abilities when using social networks to regulate their emotional state. There was also a decrease in emotional sensitivity with adverse consequences due to the priority use of social networks. Adolescents with less severe signs of problematic networks use showed higher emotional sensitivity and a decrease in the ability to adopt the psycho-emotional state of another person when using social networks as a means for emotional regulation. A limited ability to express an emotional response in the presence of obsessive thoughts about the use of social networks was revealed. Also, this group was characterized by higher self-assessment of their own skills of respectful understanding the feelings of other people while having difficulties in controlling the duration of social networks use.

Conclusion. The results of studying the characteristics of empathy among adolescents with different severity of signs of problematic social networks use could be used for developing prevention programs at the universal, selective and indicative levels. In addition to preventing the formation of problematic social networks use as a type of addictive behavior, preventive programs may include activities aimed to develop social communication skills and empathy.

1. Gudimenko O.V., Shilova I.M. Sotsial’naya psikhologiya [Social Psychology]. Omsk. 2010. 182 p. (In Russ.)

2. Dolgova V.I., Mel’nik E.V., Petrova N.M. Fenomen empatii v psikhologicheskikh issledovaniyakh [Empathy phenomenon in psychological research]. Nauchno­metodicheskii elektronnyi zhurnal Kontsept [Scientific and methodological electronic journal Concept]. 2015; 31: 86–90. (In Russ.)

3. Issledovatel’skaya kompaniya Mediascope [Mediascope research company]. URL: https://mediascope.net/ (In Russ.)

4. Obukhova L.F., Shapovalenko I.V. Vozrastnaya psikhologiya [Developmental Psychology]. Moscow. 2013. 460 p. (In Russ.)

5. Rubtsova O.V., Poskakalova T.A., Shiryaeva E.I. Osobennosti povedeniya v virtual’noi srede podrostkov s raznym urovnem sformirovannosti «obraza Ya» [Features of on-line behavior in adolescents with different levels of selfconcept clarity]. Psikhologicheskaya nauka i obrazovanie [Psychological science and education]. 2021; 26 (4): 20–33. DOI: 10.17759/pse.2021260402. (In Russ.)

6. Sirota N.A., Moskovchenko D.V., Yaltonsky V.M. Razrabotka russkoyazychnoi versii oprosnika problemnogo ispol’zovaniya sotsial’nykh setei [Development of the Russian version of the questionnaire for the problematic use of social networks]. Konsul’tativnaya psikhologiya i psikhoterapiya [Counseling psychology and psychotherapy]. 2018; 26 (3): 33–55. DOI: 10.17759/cpp.2018260303. (In Russ.)

7. El’konin B.D. K probleme periodizatsii psikhicheskogo razvitiya v detskom vozraste [To the problem of periodization of mental development in childhood]. Voprosy psikhicheskogo zdorov’ya detei i podrostkov [Mental Health of Children and Adolescents]. 2004; 4 (1) 68–77. (In Russ.)

8. Arrivillaga C., Rey L., Extremera N. A mediated path from emotional intelligence to problematic social media use in adolescents: The serial mediation of perceived stress and depressive symptoms. Addictive Behaviors. 2022; 124:107095. DOI: 10.1016/j.addbeh.2021.107095.

9. Dalvi-Esfahani M., Niknafs A., Alaedini Z., Barati H. Social Media Addiction and Empathy: Moderating impact of personality traits among high school students // Telematics and Informatics. 2020. Vol. 57, № 6. P. 101516. DOI: 10.1016/j.tele.2020.101516.

10. Griffiths M. Internet addiction: Does it really exist? San Diego: Academic Press. 1998. 149 p.

11. Kuss D., Griffiths M. Social Networking Sites and Addiction: Ten Lessons Learned. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 2017; 14 (3): 311. DOI: 10.3390/ijerph14030311.

12. Luo Y., Jiang Y. The Influence of Problematic Mobile Social Media Use on Adolescent Empathy and the Moderating Effect of Peer Attachment. American Journal of Applied Psychology. 2021; 16 (6): 178. DOI: 10.11648/j.ajap.20211006.17.

13. Marino C., Vieno A., Altoè G., Spada M. [et al.]. Factorial validity of the Problematic Facebook Use Scale for adolescents and young adults. Journal of Behavioral Addictions. 2016; 6 (1): 5–10. DOI: 10.1556/2006.6.2017.004.

14. Marino C., Gini G., Angelini F. [et al.]. Social norms and e-motions in problematic social media use among adolescents. Addictive Behaviors Reports. 2020; 11: 100250. DOI: 10.1016/j.abrep.2020.100250.

15. Mehrabian A., Epstein N. A measure of emotional empathy. Journal of Personality. 1972; 40 (4): 525–543.