Article

Impact of Social Media Comparisons on Marital Satisfaction among Mothers: The Role of Parental Anxiety and Materialism

Author

Hayeon Park

Information

pp. 1~17 / 2025 Vol.32 No.2

Abstract

This study aims to examine the effect of upward social comparison on social media among mothers of young children on marital satisfaction, focusing on the mediating role of parental competence anxiety and the moderating role of materialistic values. An online survey was conducted with 340 mothers of children born between 2018 and 2022. Descriptive statistics, correlation analysis, and moderated mediation analysis were performed using SPSS PROCESS macro. The results are as follows. First, upward social comparison on social media had a direct negative effect on marital satisfaction and an indirect negative effect mediated by parental competence anxiety. Second, materialistic values significantly moderated the relationship between parental competence anxiety and marital satisfaction. Specifically, the negative indirect effect of upward social comparison on marital satisfaction via parental competence anxiety was stronger among mothers with higher levels of materialistic values. These findings suggest that mothers’ experiences on social media may influence not only their individual emotional well-being but also the quality of their intimate relationships. This study offers important implications for designing interventions to support parenting and family well-being in the context of digital media use.

Keywords