Much more to it: The relation between facebook usage and self-esteem

Abstract

The aim of this study was to examine closer the conflicting results from previous studies concerning the relationship between Facebook use and self-esteem using the Facebook Intensity Scale and Rosenberg's Self-Esteem Scale (N = 107). In line with some previous studies, our data confirmed that there is a relationship between Facebook usage and self-esteem, but the applied scales allowed a more refined assessment of it. The results showed, after controlling for demographic variables, that participants with low Facebook intensity reported on average higher self-esteem than those who did not use Facebook or those with high Facebook intensity, while those with medium Facebook intensity had significantly higher self-esteem compared to the participants with high Facebook intensity. Future studies should address the underlying causal relations using a time-bound observation method.