Relationship Among Mothers’ Social Media Addiction, Maternal Attachment, and Maternal Role

PURPOSE: The current study was conducted to determine the relationship among mothers’ social media addiction, maternal attachment, and maternal role. METHOD: A descriptive and correlational study was conducted with mothers (N = 271) who live in the central Anatolia region of Turkey, use smartphones, have social media accounts, and have infants aged between 1 and 12 months. Data were collected via a personal information form, Bergen Social Media Addiction Scale (BSMAS), Maternal Attachment Inventory, and Maternity Role Gaining Scale. RESULTS: A statistically significant negative relationship was found between social media addiction and maternal attachment and maternal role and its subdimensions (p < .05). In the regression analysis, using social media to spend leisure time (t = –2.037, p = .043) and high BSMAS score (t = –4.025, p < .001) were associated risk factors that negatively affected maternal attachment. In addition, using social media for ≥7 to 8 hours (t = –2.113, p = .036) and high BSMAS score (t = –4.104, p < .001) were associated risk factors negatively affecting maternal role. A negative relationship was found between social media addiction and maternal attachment and maternal role. CONCLUSION: Using social media for leisure time and high BSMAS scores were identified as risk factors that negatively affect maternal attachment and maternal role. These results suggest that excessive and aimless social media use may negatively affect postpartum maternal functioning.