Focus on Self-Presentation on Social Media across Sociodemographic Variables, Lifestyles, and Personalities: A Cross-Sectional Study

Gunnhild Johnsen Hjetland; Turi Reiten Finserås; Børge Sivertsen; Ian Colman; Randi Træland Hella; Jens Christoffer Skogen

doi:10.3390/ijerph191711133

Focus on Self-Presentation on Social Media across Sociodemographic Variables, Lifestyles, and Personalities: A Cross-Sectional Study

Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2022 Sep 5;19(17):11133. doi: 10.3390/ijerph191711133.

Authors

Gunnhild Johnsen Hjetland^{1

2}, Turi Reiten Finserås¹, Børge Sivertsen^{1

3

4}, Ian Colman^{5

6}, Randi Træland Hella⁷, Jens Christoffer Skogen^{1

2

8}

Affiliations

¹ Department of Health Promotion, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, 5015 Bergen, Norway.
² Centre for Evaluation of Public Health Measures, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, 0473 Oslo, Norway.
³ Department of Research and Innovation, Helse Fonna HF, 5525 Haugesund, Norway.
⁴ Department of Mental Health, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, 7491 Trondheim, Norway.
⁵ School of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON K1G 5Z3, Canada.
⁶ Centre for Fertility and Health, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, 0473 Oslo, Norway.
⁷ Department of Work, Section for Children, Families and Disabled, Social Services and Housing, 5014 Bergen, Norway.
⁸ Alcohol and Drug Research Western Norway, Stavanger University Hospital, 4036 Stavanger, Norway.

Abstract

Upward social comparison and aspects of self-presentation on social media such as feedback-seeking and strategic self-presentation may represent risk factors for experiencing negative mental health effects of social media use. The aim of this exploratory study was to assess how adolescents differ in upward social comparison and aspects of self-presentation on social media and whether these differences are linked to sociodemographic variables, lifestyle, or personality. The study was based on cross-sectional data from the "LifeOnSoMe" study performed in Bergen, Norway, including 2023 senior high school pupils (response rate 54%, mean age 17.4, 44% boys). Nine potentially relevant items were assessed using factor analysis, and latent class analysis was used to identify latent classes with distinct patterns of responses across seven retained items. The retained items converged into one factor, called "focus on self-presentation". We identified three groups of adolescents with a low, intermediate, and high focus on self-presentation. Associations between identified latent classes and covariates were assessed using regression analyses. Being a girl, higher extraversion, lower emotional stability, more frequent alcohol consumption, and having tried tobacco were associated with membership in the high-focus group. These results suggest some characteristics that are associated with a higher focus on self-presentation and that could inform targeted interventions.

Keywords: adolescent; feedback-seeking; self-presentation; social comparison; social media.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Adolescent
Cross-Sectional Studies
Female
Humans
Life Style
Male
Personality
Schools
Social Media*

Grants and funding

The present study is associated with a larger innovation project led by the Bergen municipality in Western Norway related to the use of social media, mental health, and well-being. The innovation project is funded by a program initiated by the Norwegian Directorate of Health and aims to explore social media as a platform for health promotion among adolescents. Hjetland’s postdoc position is funded by the DAM Foundation and supported by the Norwegian Council for Mental Health (grant number 2021/FO347287). Finserås’ postdoc position is funded by the Research Council of Norway (project number 319845). This work was also partly supported by the Research Council of Norway through its Centers of Excellence funding scheme, project number 262700. The funding sources were not involved in the study design, in the collection, analysis, or interpretation of the data, or in the writing of the manuscript.