The connection and background mechanisms of social fears and problematic social networking site use: A structural equation modeling analysis

Highlights • Self-esteem and social anxiety only indirectly predicted problematic social networking site (SNS) use and problematic internet use (PIU).• Fear of negative evaluation mediated associations between social anxiety and self-esteem and both PIU and problematic SNS use.• These indirect pathways might also highlight relevant differences behind the motivation of PIU – anonymity – and problematic SNS use – control.