title: A Preliminary Examination of the Relationship Between Social Networking Interactions, Internet Use, and Thwarted Belongingness.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Joiner's (2005) interpersonal-psychological theory of suicide hypothesizes that suicidal desire develops in response to the joint presence of thwarted belongingness and perceived burdensomeness.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To consider the potential influence of online interactions and behaviors on these outcomes.
  
  
  METHODS
  To address this, we administered an online protocol assessing suicidal desire and online interactions in a sample of 305 undergraduates (83.6% female). We hypothesized negative interactions on social networking sites and a preference for online social interactions would be associated with thwarted belongingness. We also conducted an exploratory analysis examining the associations between Internet usage and perceived burdensomeness.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Higher levels of negative interactions on social networking sites, but no other variables, significantly predicted thwarted belongingness. Our exploratory analysis showed that none of our predictors were associated with perceived burdensomeness after accounting for demographics, depression, and thwarted belongingness.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our findings indicate that a general tendency to have negative interactions on social networking sites could possibly impact suicidal desire and that these effects are significant above and beyond depression symptoms. Furthermore, no other aspect of problematic Internet use significantly predicted our outcomes in multivariate analyses, indicating that social networking in particular may have a robust effect on thwarted belongingness.
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Psychology, University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, MS, USA.
authors.forename: Fallon B
authors.initials: FB
authors.lastname: Moberg
authors.forename: Michael D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Anestis
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D003863:Depression / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D020407:Internet; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008132:Loneliness / Q000523:psychology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012929:Psychological Distance; D011582:Psychological Theory; D061108:Social Media; D060756:Social Networking; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: social networking; suicide; thwarted belongingness