Embrace the Moment Using Social Media: A Cross-Cultural Study of Mindful Use of Social Media

This study examined the mindful use of social media, or the extent to which users are aware of their environment, sensations, thoughts, and feelings during social media consumption. We tested the psychometric properties of two versions of the Mindful Use of Social Media Scale (MUSMS), one in English and one in Persian. Potential correlates of mindful use of social media were also investigated among Iranian and American users.

Participants were 676 active social media users from Iran and the USA (451 women and 225 men aged between 18 and 65 years) recruited between July and September 2022. Participants’ social media use integration and symptoms of social media addiction were assessed. Participants also completed a range of self-report measures measuring sociodemographics, peace of mind, emotion regulation, anxiety, depression, psychological well-being, and life satisfaction.

Statistical analyses revealed a unifactorial model with robust psychometric characteristics of the MUSMS in both Persian- and English-speaking samples. The US sample reported lower mindful social media use than the Iranian sample. Lower psychological distress predicted greater mindful use of social media in both Iranian and US participants. In both samples, mindful use of social media predicted lower social media use intensity and fewer symptoms of addiction.

Results indicate that positive affective states predispose users to mindful use of social media, which, in turn, may enhance subjective mental health and protect from dysfunctional social media consumption.

This study was not preregistered.