Satisfaction with online/in-person social interactions and psychological well-being: The mediating role of social connectedness

There are various interpersonal interaction modalities in this current digital age, such as social media networks. The literature on the effects of social media on health and well-being indicators is saturated with studies that primarily focus on the frequency of social media use or amount of time spent on social media, neither of which captures the quality of social interactions. To address this gap in the literature, the present study aimed to (a) measure satisfaction with social interactions—for both social media and in-person interactions—and examine its links to indices of mental health (distress, anxiety, depression, anger, and loneliness), and (b) test one’s sense of social connectedness as the mediator in the relation between satisfaction with social interactions and psychological well-being. Data were collected through a web-based survey that was administered to 2,782 incoming undergraduate students. The results showed that, after controlling for gender and race, both satisfaction with social interactions through social media and with in-person interactions were significantly and inversely related to self-reports of distress, anxiety, depression, anger, and loneliness. In addition, the findings from robust mediation tests indicated that social connectedness mediated the path between satisfaction with social interactions and the indices of well-being, and the indirect effects were all significant. The study contributed to our understanding of how satisfaction with interpersonal interactions—digitally or in-person—can impact psychological well-being directly and indirectly, with important implications for students, educators, and practitioners.