title: Who benefits from chatting, and why? The roles of extraversion and supportiveness in online chatting and emotional adjustment.
abstract: The current study aimed to provide more insight into the role of online chatting in young adults' emotional adjustment. A model was tested that takes into account (a) extraversion of individuals who communicate online, (b) the kind of peers these individuals communicate with online (i.e., online-exclusive peers vs. friends), and (c) the extent to which effects of online chatting on emotional adjustment are mediated by individuals' ability to provide support to others. Young adults (age M = 18.9) filled out questionnaires about themselves and their fellow students at three measurements with a 4-month interval. Results showed that only for less extraverted individuals, chatting with peers found exclusively online directly predicted higher self-esteem and indirectly predicted less depressive symptoms through increases in supportiveness. Thus, results supported a model of social compensation where effects of online chatting with online-exclusive peers improved young adults' emotional adjustment.
authors.affiliation: Örebro University, Örebro, Sweden. Maarten.vanzalk@oru.se
authors.forename: Maarten H W
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Van Zalk
authors.forename: Susan J T
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Branje
authors.forename: Jaap
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Denissen
authors.forename: Marcel A G
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Van Aken
authors.forename: Wim H J
authors.initials: WH
authors.lastname: Meeus
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000293:Adolescent; D003863:Depression / Q000523:psychology; D056348:Emotional Intelligence; D005120:Extraversion, Psychological; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008960:Models, Psychological; D010379:Peer Group; D010555:Personality Inventory; D011581:Psychological Tests; D012649:Self Concept; D061108:Social Media; D060756:Social Networking; D012944:Social Support