WITHDRAWN: The Relationship of Perceived Social Support and Problematic Social Media Use among Homosexuality and Heterosexuality: A Comparative Analysis

Abstract

The objective of this study was to investigate the potential impact of perceived social support on problematic social media use, as well as to examine the underlying mechanisms of career adaptability and rumination. Furthermore, we analyzed whether there were differences between heterosexual(N=241) and homosexual(N=206) groups. To achieve this, we utilize the questionnaire method with four scales. Results have indicated that: (1) Perceived social support was associated with career adaptability and rumination. Problematic social media use was associated with career adaptability and rumination. Career adaptability was associated with rumination. However, perceived social support was not associated with problematic social media use. (2) The results of the mediation analysis showed that career adaptability and rumination play a suppressing role respectively, and the chain mediation path was significant, which also has a suppressing effect. (3) The results of multigroup comparisons revealed that the predictive effect of career adaptability on problematic social media use was not significant for homosexual subjects, suggesting that career adaptability no longer played a suppressing role. Our study reveals that individuals who perceive low levels of social support are more likely to engage in problematic social media use. This can be attributed to three main factors: a decrease in career adaptability, causing individuals to experience rumination or reducing individual career adaptability and thereby inducing rumination. In addition, through a comparative analysis of the disparities between the homosexual and heterosexual communities, our research also facilitates a fresh understanding of the homosexual community for the general public.