Date of Conferral

2018

Degree

Ph.D.

School

Psychology

Advisor

Dr. Kathyrne Mueller

Abstract

Social networking has become an integral part of daily communication and information sharing. Although researchers continue to explore the fields of social networking and emotion regulation separately, there is a lack of research bridging these areas of interest, particularly in the adolescent population. The purpose of this study was to examine the predictive relationship between the environmental and social variables of Facebook use, online social connectedness, and quality of parent-child relationship with adolescent emotion regulation. Fogel's social process theory of emotion provided the framework for this study and allowed for examination of the social networking environment. Research questions addressed independent variables of Facebook use, online social connectedness, and quality of parent-child relationship as well as interactions. Hypotheses were directed at different facets of emotion regulation including emotional control, emotional self-awareness, and situational responsiveness. A sample of 80 adolescents 13- to 18-years old was gathered through snowball sampling of Facebook groups and pages targeting parents of adolescents. Individual multiple regressions were used to examine prediction and interaction among variables. Results showed greater Facebook use predicted decreased emotional self-awareness and greater quality of parent-child relationship predicted improved emotional control in adolescents. The findings of this study promote positive social change by implicating the role of social networking use in predicting maladaptive adolescent emotional development and well-being. Future research will benefit from a larger sample size and include various social networking platforms along with gender and age-specific data.

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