Measuring Metacognitions about Social Media Use and their Contribution to Problematic Social Network Use in Relation to User Expectancies

The mediating role of metacognitions in the relationship between psychological distress and problematic social network use (PSNU) has recently emerged and needs to be further investigated. This study has two main aims: (i) to further examine the psychometric properties of the Metacognitions about Social Media Use Scale (MSMUS) and (ii) to clarify the contribution of metacognitions relative to expectancies about social network use in the relationship between psychological distress and PSNU. In Study 1 (N = 896; %F = 48.9; Mage = 16.96 ± 2.15), the two-factor structure of the MSMUS was confirmed, as well as gender and age invariance. In Study 2 (N = 629; %F = 63.1; Mage = 32.04 ± 12.95), results showed that positive and negative metacognitions, along with avoidance expectancies, mediated the relationship between psychological distress and PSNU, with positive metacognitions playing a prominent role. These findings support the distinct contribution of metacognitions in explaining PSNU and highlight their relevance for interventions.