Instagram and American Teens: Understanding Motives for Its Use and Relationship to Excessive Reassurance-Seeking and Interpersonal Rejection

Abstract

Drawing from the uses and gratifications theory, this study explored how excessive reassurance-seeking (the tendency to repeatedly request reassurance from close others about one’s lovability and worth) and interpersonal rejection relate to Instagram use among minors. Participating were pre-teens and teens, ages 12 to 17 years. Results from structural equation modeling analysis revealed that teens who were driven by gratifications of self-promotion and creativity were more likely to suffer from excessive reassurance-seeking. Excessive reassurance-seeking also predicted the number of hours they spent on Instagram. In addition, those who experienced interpersonal rejection were more likely to use Instagram to escape from reality.