Effect of Self-compassion Training Program on Social Networking Site Addiction, Fear of Missing Out and Emotion Regulation in Indian Adolescents

Description

Page: 244-252

Karni Panwar and Roopa Mathur (Department of Psychology, IIS University (Deemed to be University), Jaipur, Rajasthan)

Recent statistics reveal a rise in social networking site usage among adolescents, emphasising the need to examine the issue of problematic usage and addiction. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of a 7-week self-compassion training program in addressing social networking site addiction, fear of missing out, and difficulties in emotion regulation among Indian adolescents. 60 participants with social networking site addiction were recruited using the Social Networking Site Addiction Scale. Subsequently, they completed the Fear of Missing Out Scale, Self-compassion Scale-Short Form, and the Difficulty in Emotion Regulation Scale-Short Form. Participants were randomly assigned to experimental and waitlist control groups, with the experimental group undergoing a 7-week self-compassion training program. Statistical analyses, including paired sample t-test and independent sample t-test, were conducted to evaluate the program’s impact. Results indicated significant improvements in self-compassion and a reduction in social networking site addiction, fear of missing out, and difficulties in emotion regulation following the training program, as evidenced by the comparison of pre-test and post-test scores of the experimental group, as well as between the post-test scores of the experimental and waitlist control groups. These results highlight the role of self-compassion in mitigating problematic social networking site use and associated challenges.