Impact of Facebook use on Depression with Mediating Effect of Social Comparison in Pakistan

Abstract

This study has focused mainly on investigating the impact of Facebook use on depression with mediating effect of social comparison in Pakistan. This study has considered Facebook use as independent variable, social comparison as mediating variable, and depression as dependent variable in this study. However, this study has finalized Facebook users of Pakistan to testify the relationship between variables mentioned above. The major emphasis in this study has been on assessing the relationship between Facebook use (independent variable), social comparison (mediating variable) and depression (dependent variable) in Pakistan. To prove this relationship, a survey has been conducted through an adopted structured questionnaire regarding this literature, in which Facebook users in Pakistan have been requested to share their experiences by filling the questionnaires. Then, to identify the results on data gathered from the respondents, statistical instruments have been used. Some of the statistical instruments used in this study includes descriptive frequencies, reliability, correlation, regression, etc. Results derived through statistical instruments have shown that there exists a significant positive relationship between Facebook use (independent variable), social comparison (mediating variable) and depression (dependent variable) in Pakistan. Conclusively, it has been proved that Facebook use and social comparison positively impacts depression in Pakistan. In addition, Facebook use positively impacts social comparison in Pakistan. Finally, it has been proved that social comparison significantly mediates the relationship between Facebook use and depression in Pakistan.