The model introduced and tested in the current study suggests that lonely and depressed individuals may develop a preference for online social interaction, which, in turn, leads to negative outcomes associated with their Internet use. Participants completed measures of preference for online social interaction, depression, loneliness, problematic Internet use, and negative outcomes resulting from their Internet use.Results indicated that psychosocial health predicted levels of preference for online social interaction, which, in turn, predicted negative outcomes associated with problematic Internet use. In addition, the results indicated that the influence of psychosocial distress on negative outcomes due to Internet use is mediated by preference for online socialization and other symptoms of problematic Internet use.T he results support the current hypothesis that that individuals’ preference for online, rather than face-to-face, social interaction plays an important role in the development of negative con...

Preference for Online Social Interaction A Theory of Problematic Internet Use and Psychosocial Well-Being

Contents: J.M. Wiemann, Foreword. J.O. Greene, B.R. Burleson, Preface. Part I:General Theoretical and Methodological Issues. S.R. Wilson, C.M. Sabee, Explicating Communicative Competence as a Theoretical Term. J.O. Greene, Models of Adult Communication Skill Acquisition: Practice and the Course of Performance Improvement. B.H. Spitzberg, Methods of Interpersonal Skill Assessment. C. Segrin, M. Givertz, Methods of Social Skills Training and Development. Part II:Fundamental Interaction Skills. J.K. Burgoon, A.E. Bacue, Nonverbal Communication Skills. R.E. Sanders, Applying the Skills Concept to Discourse and Conversation: The Remediation of Performance Defects in Talk-in-Interaction. C.R. Berger, Message Production Skill in Social Interaction. R.S. Wyer, Jr., R. Adaval, Message Reception Skills in Social Communication. S. Metts, E. Grohskopf, Impression Management: Goals, Strategies, and Skills. Part III:Function-Focused Communication Skills. K.E. Rowan, Informing and Explaining Skills: Theory and Research on Informative Communication. D. Hample, Arguing Skill. J.P. Dillard, L.J. Marshall, Persuasion as a Social Skill. D.J. Canary, Managing Interpersonal Conflict: A Model of Events Related to Strategic Choices. B.R. Burleson, Emotional Support Skills. J. Mandelbaum, How to "Do Things" With Narrative: A Communication Perspective on Narrative Skill. Part IV:Skills in Close Personal Relationships. W. Samter, Friendship Interaction Skills Across the Life Span. K. Dindia, L. Timmerman, Accomplishing Romantic Relationships. A.B. Kelly, F.K. Fincham, S.R.H. Beach, Communication Skills in Couples: A Review and Discussion of Emerging Perspectives. C.H. Hart, L.D. Newell, S.F. Olsen, Parenting Skills and Social-Communicative Competence in Childhood. Part V:Skills in Public and Professional Contexts. M.E. Roloff, L.L. Putnam, L. Anastasiou, Negotiation Skills. D.S. Gouran, Communication Skills for Group Decision Making. J.A. Daly, A.L. Vangelisti, Skillfully Instructing Learners: How Communicators Effectively Convey Messages. R.L. Street, Jr., Interpersonal Communication Skills in Health Care Contexts. C. Hajek, H. Giles, New Directions in Intercultural Communication Competence: The Process Model.

Handbook of Communication and Social Interaction Skills

This longitudinal study examined whether social self-efficacy and self-disclosure serve as mediators between attachment and feelings of loneliness and subsequent depression. Participants were 308 freshmen at a large midwestern university. Results indicated that social self-efficacy mediated the association between attachment anxiety and feelings of loneliness and subsequent depression, whereas selfdisclosure mediated the association between attachment avoidance and feelings of loneliness and subsequent depression. These relationships were found after controlling for the initial level of depression. A total of 55% of the variance in loneliness was explained by attachment anxiety, social self-efficacy, and self-disclosure, whereas 42% of the variance in subsequent depression was explained by the initial level of loneliness and depression. Implications of the findings for enhancing freshman adjustment are discussed.

Adult Attachment, Social Self-Efficacy, Self-Disclosure, Loneliness, and Subsequent Depression for Freshman College Students: A Longitudinal Study

This study integrates research on social skill and self-presentation into the recently introduced cognitive-behavioral theory of generalized problematic Internet use. The model proposed and tested here predicted that individuals who lack self-presentational skill are especially likely to prefer online social interaction over face-to-face communication. Further, the model predicted that a preference for online social interaction fosters compulsive Internet use, which results in negative outcomes. Participants in this study completed measures of social skill, preference for online social interaction, compulsive Internet use, and negative outcomes associated with Internet use. Structural equation modeling analysis techniques tested the proposed model. The analysis indicated a good fit between the hypothesized model and the current data.

Steven DePaola

Papers

Social skills and self-esteem