Table 1 Comparing the average problematic use of social media and mental health with demographic variables (n = 781)

Gender

Female

503

64.4

15.03(4.84)

0.011

31.88(28.62)

0.016

Male

278

35.6

14.17(4.77)

26.93(27.31)

Age

≤ 20

168

21.5

16.40(4.83)

0.000

40.03(29.19)

0.000

21–25

382

48.9

14.11(4.70)

25.20(25.66)

≥ 26

231

29.6

14.52(4.77)

31.03(29.72)

Major

Medical

228

29.2

14.50(4.55)

0.517

23.85(23.59)

0.000

Non-Medical

553

70.8

14.82(4.93)

32.70(29.59)

semester

1–3

317

40.6

14.93(5.03)

0.404

31.07(28.71)

0.394

≥ 4

460

58.9

14.58(4.67)

29.55(28.04)

Employ status

Employed

233

29.8

14.07(4.77)

0.008

26.42(27.51)

0.003

Unemployed

544

69.7

15.01(4.84)

31.57(28.33)

Province of residence

Lorestan

308

39.4

14.00(4.78)

0.000

27.68(29.84)

0.001

Other

469

60.1

15.22(4.76)

31.79(27.01)

Residence status

Urban

671

85.9

14.67(4.78)

0.559

29.72(27.72)

0.528

rural

110

14.1

15.08(5.11)

32.50(31.29)

Residential status

With Family

688

88.1

14.49(4.78)

0.000

28.95(27.69)

0.000

In dormitory

61

7.8

15.85(4.77)

48.12(36.02)

other

32

4.1

17.53(5.00)

33.80(26.84)

Race

Lor

342

43.8

13.94(4.69)

0.000

27.67(28.79)

0.000

Fars

273

35.0

15.25(4.94)

32.32(28.68)

Other

166

21.3

15.46(4.70)

31.53(26.06)

Education

Associate’s degree

141

18.1

14.68(4.82)

0.814

31.07(28.26)

0.814

Bachelor’s degree

417

53.4

14.62(4.80)

29.98(28.34)

Master’s Degree

139

17.8

14.96(4.80)

28.04(26.59)

Doctorate

84

10.8

14.91(5.09)

32.64(30.55)

Household income (Toman currency)

≤ 5 Million

181

23.2

15.70(4.88)

0.000

36.99(27.97)

0.000

5–7 Million

170

21.8

16.15(4.79)

36.14(28.80)

7–10 Million

240

30.7

13.65(4.48)

22.11(25.47)

≥ 10 Million

190

24.3

13.86(4.76)

28.29(28.68)

Marital status

Single

557

71.3

15.01(4.66)

0.000

31.07(27.27)

0.000

Married

207

26.5

13.53(4.81)

24.10(27.35)

other

17

2.2

19.76(6.03)

2.23(32.20)