Problematic use of social media and smartphone in eastern and western contexts

Symposium summary: Background: Smartphone and social media (SM) usage has increased over time and currently the usage of both is prevalent across countries and among people of varying ages. Usage may differ according to many factors including different jurisdictions that may have different policies and cultures. Method: This symposium considers data from western and eastern cultures with a focus on SNS and smartphone usage. Results: Similarities and differences across studies will be discussed. Dr. Moretta will discuss relationships between preferences for online social interaction, mood and self-regulation, and negative outcomes related to SNS usage in an Italian sample, and Dr. Chen will discuss these relationships in a Chinese sample. Dr. Canale will discuss three factors (addictive pattern, antisocial and risky patterns of use) as they relate to problematic smartphone use in an Italian sample. Dr. Bhang will discuss how stress factors associate with SM use differentially based on smartphone addiction status in youth from South Korea. Dr. Beatrix Koronczai will discuss results from a meta-analysis on the association between problematic internet or social media use and body image, referring to studies from several cultural contexts. Conclusion: More research into factors that may influence smartphone and SNS usage is needed. Future research should use similar methodologies across countries and assessments of specific policy and cultural measures to better understand smartphone and SM usage and their correlates.