Problematic internet and social network site use in young adults: The role of emotional intelligence and fear of negative evaluation

The present study contributes to the existing literature by testing a model that considers the relationship between emotional intelligence (EI), fear of negative evaluation (FNE), and problematic internet (PIU) and social network site use (PSNSU). In this study, 1067 young adults (44.6 % males, 55.4 % females) within the age bracket of 18 to 25 years completed self-administered online questionnaires. It was found that low self-esteem and high social anxiety facilitate fear of negative evaluation in social situations, thus mediating the relationship between emotional intelligence and problematic internet and social network site use. The moderation analysis confirmed that the strength of the relationship between emotional intelligence and problematic internet and social network site use is not constant. It depends on the level of fear of negative evaluation. We have confirmed that heightened social anxiety and low self-esteem result in overuse of the internet and social network site due to fear of negative evaluation from others.