Table 2 The univariable and multivariable generalized linear models (GLM) to determine the association between problematic use of social media and mental health (n = 781)

Age (year)

< 20 year

9.00 (3.51, 14.49)

0.001*

-

-

21–25 year

-5.82 (-10.33, -1.30)

0.012*

-

-

≥ 26 year

Reference

-

-

-

Gender

Female

4.94 (0.82, 9.06)

0.019*

-

-

Male

Reference

-

-

-

Marital status

Single

-41.16 (-54.36, -27.96)

< 0.001*

-23.03 (-33.10, -12.96)

< 0.001**

Married

-48.12 (-61.65, -34.60)

< 0.001*

-26.12 (-36.49, -15.75)

< 0.001**

Other

Reference

-

Education

Associate’s degree

-1.56 (-4.86, -2.83)

0.687

-

-

Bachelor’s degree

-2.66 (-9.27, 3.94)

0.430

-

-

Master’s Degree

-4.60 (-12.23, 3.03)

0.238

Doctorate

Reference

-

Field

Medical sciences

-8.85 (-13.16, -4.54)

< 0.001*

-8.15 (-11.37, -4.94)

< 0.001**

Other

Reference

-

Reference

-

Ethnicity

Lor

-3.85 (-9.07, 1.36)

0.148

-

-

Fars

0.79 (-4.63, 6.22)

0.775

-

-

Other

Reference

-

-

-

Semester

1–3

1.51 (-2.53, 5.56)

0.463

-

-

≥ 4

Reference

-

-

-

Employment status

Employed

-5.14 (-9.45, -0.84)

0.019*

-

-

Unemployed

Reference

-

-

-

Household income

≤ 5 Million

8.70 (3.09, 14.30)

0.002*

1.77 (-2.49, 6.04)

0.415

5–7 Million

7.84 (2.15, 13.54)

0.007*

-1.36 (-5.72, 2.98)

0.539

7–10 Million

-6.17 (-11.41, -0.93)

0.021*

-5.66 (-9.62, -1.71)

0.005**

≥ 10 Million

Reference

-

Reference

-

Province

Lorestan

-4.10 (-8.14, -0.05)

0.047*

-

-

Other

Reference

-

-

-

Residence

Urban

-2.78 (-8.46, 2.90)

0.338

-

-

Rural

Reference

-

-

-

Housing

With Family

-4.84 (-12.16, 2.47)

0.194

-

-

In dormitory

14.32 (2.36, 26.28)

0.019*

-

-

other

Reference

-

-

-

Problematic use of social media

3.79 (3.48, 4.10)

< 0.001*

3.54 (3.23, 3.85)

< 0.001**