A 2-wave study on the associations between dissociative experiences, maladaptive daydreaming, bodily dissociation, and problematic social media use.

Background and aims: Previous studies have reported an association between dissociative experiences (e.g., absorption, depersonalization) and Problematic Social Media Use (PSMU), but the directionality of these relationships remains unclear. Moreover, there is a dearth of research on the link between bodily dissociation and PSMU, despite the widespread practice of editing and manipulating pictures of oneself, which requires users to view themselves from a third-person perspective. The present study aimed to examine the directionality of the relationship between various dissociative-related experiences and PSMU through a longitudinal study.

Method: A total of 216 participants (79.20% female; Mage = 20.46 ± 2.26, range = 18-33), completed a survey twice, with a 4-month interval. A cross-lagged panel analysis within a Structural Equation Modeling framework was employed.

Results: PSMU severity at T0 predicted Bodily dissociation (β = 0.15, p = 0.005) and Absorption and imaginative involvement (β = 0.13, p = 0.026) at T1. No other cross-lagged effects were detected.

Discussion and conclusions: Excessive involvement in social media activity, along with its emphasis on appearance, may contribute to increased dissociative experiences, including a weakened emotional connection with one's own body and reduced awareness of bodily sensations.