A structural model of psychological vulnerability in the era of social media

Psychological vulnerability reflects a heightened susceptibility to psychological distress when individuals encounter stressors, particularly in the absence of adequate coping resources. In the digital era, has emerged as a potential risk factor contributing to this vulnerability. Family functioning has been proposed as a protective factor; however, its moderating role in the relationship between and psychological vulnerability remains insufficiently examined.

This study employed a cross-sectional quantitative design involving 284 active social media users in Pekanbaru, Indonesia, aged 18-50 years (M = 22.6, SD = 3.9), with the sample predominantly consisting of students (98.2%). Participants were recruited using a convenience sampling approach through online distribution. Data were analyzed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) with a disjoint two-stage approach.

The results indicated that was positively associated with psychological vulnerability (β = 0.400, p < .001), while family functioning showed a significant negative association (β = - 0.174, p = .001). The interaction effect between and family functioning was statistically significant but very small in magnitude (β = 0.103, p = .009; f² = 0.016). Conditional effect analysis showed that the association between and psychological vulnerability was stronger at higher levels of family functioning, indicating a non-buffering moderation pattern.

These findings suggest that is an important risk factor for psychological vulnerability, whereas family functioning demonstrates a protective direct effect. However, its moderating role appears limited and does not operate in a buffering manner. Given the very small interaction effect and the use of convenience sampling with a predominantly student sample, the findings should be interpreted with caution. Future research employing longitudinal designs and more diverse samples is needed to further clarify these relationships.