Department of Applied Psychology, Bahauddin Zakariya University, Multan, 60800, Pakistan
Abstract
The widespread integration of social media into daily life has reshaped interpersonal communication and raised concerns about its effects on intimate relationships. This study examined associations among emotion regulation, social media addiction, and intimate relationship quality among married adults, focusing on the mediating role of social media addiction. It also explored differences according to gender and age. Using a cross-sectional design, data were collected from 298 married participants through an online Google Forms questionnaire. Standardized measures included the Emotion Regulation Scale, Relationship Assessment Scale, and Bergen Social Media Addiction Scale. All instruments showed excellent internal consistency (Cronbach’s α = .906, .870, and .909, respectively). Data were analyzed in SPSS using descriptive statistics, Pearson correlations, independent-samples t tests, one-way ANOVA, and mediation analysis. Results indicated that emotion regulation was positively associated with intimate relationship quality and negatively associated with social media addiction. In contrast, social media addiction was negatively related to relationship quality. Mediation findings showed that social media addiction partially mediated the association between emotion regulation and intimate relationship quality. Thus, individuals with stronger emotion-regulation capacities were less likely to engage in problematic social media use, which was subsequently associated with better relationship quality. Demographic analyses revealed significant gender and age differences: men reported higher levels of both social media addiction and relationship quality than women, while relationship quality differed across age groups. These findings identify emotion regulation as a protective psychological resource that strengthens intimate relationships directly and indirectly through reduced problematic social media use. The study contributes to scholarship on digital behavior and relationship functioning by clarifying a key psychological mechanism linking emotional competence to marital relationship quality. It also offers practical implications for couple-focused interventions that promote emotion-regulation skills and healthier social media practices within increasingly digital environments.
Safdar Bajwa, R. & Ahmed, A. (2026). Relationship between Emotional Regulation and Intimate Relationship: Role of Social Media among Couples. Family, Gender and Society, 1(1), 97–120.
MLA
Safdar Bajwa, R., & Ahmed, A. "Relationship between Emotional Regulation and Intimate Relationship: Role of Social Media among Couples", Family, Gender and Society, 1, 1, 2026, 97–120.
HARVARD
Safdar Bajwa, R., & Ahmed, A. (2026). 'Relationship between Emotional Regulation and Intimate Relationship: Role of Social Media among Couples', Family, Gender and Society, 1(1), pp. 97–120.
CHICAGO
Safdar Bajwa, R. & Ahmed, A., "Relationship between Emotional Regulation and Intimate Relationship: Role of Social Media among Couples." Family, Gender and Society, 1 1 (2026): 97–120,
VANCOUVER
Safdar Bajwa R., Ahmed A. Relationship between Emotional Regulation and Intimate Relationship: Role of Social Media among Couples. FGS. 2026;1(1):97–120.
