https://doi.org/10.1177/0044118X18760647
Youth & Society
1–23
© The Author(s) 2018
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DOI: 10.1177/0044118X18760647
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Article
Adolescent Romantic
Relationship–Oriented
Facebook Behaviors:
Implications for Self-
Esteem
Michael R. Langlais
1
, Gwendolyn Seidman
2
,
and Kyla M. Bruxvoort
1
Abstract
Despite the consistent, high use of Facebook among adolescents, few
studies have examined how adolescents use Facebook when forming and
maintaining romantic relationships. Based on the Internet-enhanced self-
disclosure hypothesis, romantic relationship–oriented Facebook behaviors
are likely to relate to adolescent self-esteem. The goal of this study is to
examine romantic relationship–oriented Facebook behaviors (private
exchanges, monitoring, public displays, and oversharing information)
between adolescents and their romantic partners or crushes, and then
test how these behaviors relate to self-esteem. Data come from an online
survey of adolescents from the Midwestern United States who are current
Facebook users. Results demonstrated that the most common romantic
relationship–oriented Facebook behavior was monitoring. Regression
analyses revealed that monitoring predicted lower adolescent self-esteem.
Relationship satisfaction moderated the association between self-esteem
and both private exchanges and oversharing information. Implications for
adolescent romantic relationship development are discussed.
1
University of Nebraska–Kearney, NE, USA
2
Albright College, Reading, PA, USA
Corresponding Author:
Michael R. Langlais, University of Nebraska–Kearney, NE, Department of Family Studies,
1917 24th Ave., West Center 266W, Kearney, NE 68849, USA.
Email: langlaismr@unk.edu
760647YAS XX X 10.1177/0044118X18760647Youth & SocietyLanglais et al.
research-article 2018