Theoretical Perspectives and Empirical Evidence on the Association Between Alexithymia and Social Media Addiction

Social media (SM) serves as widely utilized platforms for entertainment, communication, and relationship-building. While holding potential benefits for many, for a significant minority, SM can become an addictive element, adversely affecting personal well-being. Extensive research has delved into social media addiction (SMA), yielding varied theoretical perspectives to enhance comprehension of this phenomenon. This narrative review synthesizes perspectives on SMA and explores how alexithymia is conceptualized as a risk factor for this issue. The overview considers two axes: (1) alexithymia as poor awareness of own/others’ emotions and (2) alexithymia conceptualized as a defense/deficit. The description and proposal of an integrated theoretical framework is also provided. In investigating the association between SMA and alexithymia conceptualized as a lack of awareness about one’s emotions, the Deficient Self-Regulation Model (alexithymia as a deficit) and the Self-Medication Theory (alexithymia as a defense) were emphasized. Parallelly, exploring SMA’s link with alexithymia as a lack of awareness about others’ emotions, the Self-Determination Theory (alexithymia as a deficit) and the Compensatory Internet Use Theory (alexithymia as a defense) emerged. The narrative concludes with an application of the Comprehensive Model of Addiction to SMA, offering an integrated perspective both on theories and conceptualizations of alexithymia. This model underscores the significance of a holistic consideration of alexithymia in contributing to a broader and deeper understanding of addiction.