SOCIAL COMPETENCE AND PSYCHOLOGICAL VULNERABILITY AS PREDICTORS OF FACEBOOK ADDICTION

This study examined the predictive roles of social competence and psychological vulnerability in Facebook addiction. The study was carried out with 248 (139 women, 109 men, Mage = 21.5 years, SD = 2.04, and age range: 18-37) Turkish university students. Participants completed the Turkish version of the Bergen Facebook Addiction Scale, the Psychological Vulnerability Scale, and the Perceived Social Competence Scale. The research data were analysed by correlation and multiple regression analysis. Facebook addiction was in a positive correlation with psychological vulnerability and in a negative correlation with social competence. What’s more, the findings indicated that psychological vulnerability and social competence were significant predictors of Facebook addiction. The contributions and limitations of the results were discussed.