Relationship of Self-Esteem and Narcissistic Behaviour with Selfie-Posting Behaviour: The Role of Self-Motives and Loneliness

Abstract

The increasing use of smartphones and social networking sites has made taking and sharing selfies a common form of online self-presentation. The present study examined the predictive relationships of self-esteem, narcissism, self-posting motives, and loneliness with selfitis behaviour among adolescents and students. A sample of 468 participants, including 200 males and 268 females, was recruited from colleges and government universities in Faisalabad. Participants ranged in age from 12 to 30 years and completed measures of selfitis behaviour, self-esteem, narcissism, self-posting motives, and loneliness, together with a demographic form. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics and linear regression in SPSS version 21. Self-esteem significantly and negatively predicted self-posting behaviour (R² = .284, β = -.534, p < .001). Self-motives significantly and positively predicted self-injurious behaviour (R² = .215, β = .464, p < .001). Loneliness was also reported as a significant predictor, with a negative standardised coefficient (R² = .221, β = -.470, p < .001). The reported regression output for narcissism showed a strong model and a positive coefficient, although the written interpretation in the source document described the relationship as non-significant; this inconsistency should be checked against the original SPSS output before publication. Overall, the findings suggest that selfitis behaviour is associated with psychological characteristics related to self-evaluation, motivations for online self-presentation, and social experiences.