Perfectionist self-presentation and problematic social media use serially mediate the association between attachment and depression among adolescent girls

This study examined the serial mediation of perfectionistic self-presentation and problematic social media use in the relationship between attachment dimensions (i.e. anxiety and avoidance) and depression among adolescent girls. We hypothesized that attachment insecurities would predict higher levels of perfectionistic self-presentation, which in turn would predict increased problematic social media use, potentially contributing to elevated depressive symptoms. The study included 100 adolescent girls aged 11.4–16.6 years (M = 14.2, SD = 1.2) from a non-clinical population in Israel. Attachment, perfectionistic self-presentation, problematic social media use, and depressive symptoms were assessed through self-report instruments. The results confirmed the serial mediation hypotheses, revealing nuanced differences between the models for attachment anxiety and attachment avoidance. These findings elucidate mechanisms by which insecure attachment is associated with depression in adolescent girls.