Impact of Social Media Usage on Relationship Development among female college students: The Mediating role of trust

Abstract

This study investigates the correlation between social media participation and trust in interpersonal interactions, along with its ramifications for relationship growth among female college students. This research examines the correlations between these factors, acknowledging the growing influence of social media in everyday life, through a non-experimental quantitative survey methodology. The correlation study identified a positive correlation among social media usage, trust, and relationship development. Further analysis showed that the direct effect of social media usage on relationship development in the presence of the mediator was insignificant. However, the results revealed a significant indirect effect of social media usage on the relationship development through the mediation of trust. Therefore, trust mediates the relationship between social media usage and relationship development. This study discusses the significance and theoretical implications of the findings.