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Semiannual Publication. Scientic Journal of the Psychology Research Centre – CIP – from the Universidade Autónoma
de Lisboa – Luís de Camões.
PSIQUE is a scientic journal in Psychology published by the Psychology Research Centre of the
Universidade Autónoma de Lisboa.
Since 2005, PSIQUE has been publishing original papers in the scientic eld of Psychology, in its
several elds of specialization, in open access and free of charge.
From 2018, it is a semi-annual journal publication from 1st January to 30th June and from 1st July to
31st December.
Aims and Scope
It is particularly aimed at psychology researchers, lecturers and students but also at general readers
who are interested in this eld of science.
Psique publishes advances in basic or applied psychological research of relevance for understanding
and improving the human condition in the world. Contributions from all elds of psychology addressing
new developments with innovative approaches are encouraged. Articles that (a) integrate perspectives
from dierent areas within psychology; (b) study the roles of physical, social and cultural domains in
human psychological processes; or (c) include psychological perspectives from dierent regions in the
world are particularly welcomed.
The journal publishes papers in Portuguese, Spanish, French and English.
Directory: Repositório Cientíco de Acesso Aberto de Portugal (RCAAP).
Databases: Repositório Institucional da Universidade Autónoma de Lisboa (Camões).
Indexed by: Academic Search (EBSCO Publishers)
Fuente Academic (EBSCO Publishers).
PSIQUE | Volume XX | Fascículo 1 | 1 de janeiro – 30 de junho 2024
Publicação semestral. Revista Cientíca do Centro de Investigação em Psicologia – CIP – da Universidade Autónoma
de Lisboa – Luís de Camões.
A Psique é uma revista cientíca em Psicologia, editada pelo Centro de Investigação em Psicologia da
Universidade Autónoma de Lisboa.
Desde 2005 publica artigos originais e comunicações na área cientíca da Psicologia, nos seus vários
domínios de especialização, de acesso livre e gratuito.
É um periódico semestral, a partir de 2018, com data de publicação de 1 de janeiro a 30 de junho e de
1 de julho a 31 de dezembro.
Âmbito e Objetivos
Dirige-se particularmente a investigadores, docentes e estudantes em Psicologia, mas também aos lei-
tores em geral que se interessem pelo conhecimento desta ciência.
A Psique publica avanços na investigação cientíca básica ou aplicada, em Psicologia, com relevância
para compreender e melhorar a condição humana no mundo. A Psique encoraja a submissão de con-
tribuições de todos os campos da Psicologia, produzindo novos desenvolvimentos cientícos, através
de abordagens inovadoras. Particularmente bem-vindos são os artigos que: (a) integram perspetivas de
diferentes áreas da Psicologia; (b) estudam o papel dos domínios físico, social e cultural nos processos
psicológicos humanos; ou (c) integram perspetivas psicológicas de diferentes regiões do mundo.
A revista aceita artigos em Português, Espanhol, Francês e Inglês.
Diretórios: Repositório Cientíco de Acesso Aberto de Portugal (RCAAP).
Base de Dados: Repositório Institucional da Universidade Autónoma de Lisboa (Camões).
Indexação: Academic Search (EBSCO Publishers)
Fuente Academic (EBSCO Publishers).
PSIQUE • e-ISSN 2183-4806 • Volume XX • Issue Fascículo 1 • 1
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PUBLISHING INSTITUTION / INSTITUIÇÃO EDITORA
CIP – Centro de Investigação em Psicologia da Universidade Autónoma de Lisboa (CIP)
Rua de Santa Marta, n.º 47, 3.º, 1169-023 Lisboa
Phone Telefone: +351 213 177 667 | Fax: +351 213 533 702
LEGAL OWNER / PROPRIEDADE
CEU – Cooperativa de Ensino Universitário, C.R.L.
Rua de Santa Marta, n.º 47
1150-293 Lisboa – Portugal
Phone Telefone: +351 213 177 600/67
Fax: +351 213 533 702
N.I.F.: 501 641 238
DOI: https://doi.org/10.26619/2183-4806.XIX.1
e-ISSN: 2183-4806
Title Título: Psique
Site: https://cip.autonoma.pt/revista-psique/
Registration Status: Under Publishing Situação de Registo: Em Publicação
Format Suporte: Online
Periodicity: Semiannual Periodicidade: Semestral
Editor in Chief Director: Odete Nunes
Inscrição Inscription: 220129
Este trabalho é nanciado por Fundos Nacionais através da FCT – Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia – no âmbito
doprojeto do CIP com a referência UIDB/04345/2020.
This work was funded by national funds through FCT – Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia – as part
the project CIP – Ref.ª: UIDB/04345/2020.
PSIQUE • e-ISSN 2183-4806 • Volume XX • Issue Fascículo 1 • 1
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PSIQUE • e-ISSN 2183-4806 • Volume XX • Issue Fascículo 1 • 1
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EDITOR IN CHIEF DIRECTOR
Odete Nunes Universidade Autónoma de Lisboa, Portugal
ASSOCIATE EDITORS COEDITORES
João Hipólito
José Magalhães
Luísa Ribeiro
Cristina Nunes
Rute Brites
Sandra Figueiredo
Universidade Autónoma de Lisboa, Portugal
Universidade Autónoma de Lisboa, Portugal
Universidade Autónoma de Lisboa, Portugal
Universidade do Algarve, Portugal
Universidade Autónoma de Lisboa, Portugal
Universidade Autónoma de Lisboa, Portugal
EDITORIAL BOARD CONSELHO EDITORIAL
Alexandra Gomes
Ana Antunes
Ana Gomes
Anne-Marie Vonthron
Aristides Ferreira
Carla Moleiro
Célia Oliveira
Daniel Roque Gomes
David Rodrigues
Dulce Pires
Edlia Alves Simões
Filomena Matos
Florence Sordes–Ader
Gina C. Lemos
Inês Ferreira
Isabel Leite
Isabel Mesquita
Isabel Silva
João Viseu
Jorge Gomes
José Eusébio Pacheco
Liliana Faria
Luis Sérgio Vieira
Magda Soa Roberto
Manuel Sommer
Marjorie Poussin
Melanie Vauclair
Miguel Ángel Garcia-Martin
Miguel Pereira Lopes
Monique K. LeBourgeois
Odete Nunes
Patrícia Jardim de Palma
Pedro Armelim Almiro
Pedro Duarte
Ricardo B. Rodrigues
Rosa Novo
Rui Costa Lopes
Saul Neves de Jesus
Sílvia Araújo
Tito Laneiro
Vera Engler Cury
Universidade do Algarve, Portugal
Universidade da Madeira, Portugal
Universidade Autónoma de Lisboa, Portugal
Univerité Paris Ouest-Nanterre, França
ISCTE, Lisboa, Portugal
ISCTE, Lisboa, Portugal
Universidade Lusófona Porto, Portugal
Instituto Politécnico de Coimbra, Portugal
ISCTE, Lisboa, Portugal
I.Criap – Psicologia e Formação Avançada, Portugal
University of Saint Joseph (Macao), Macau
Universidade do Algarve, Portugal
Universidade de Toulouse, França
Instituto Politécnico de Setúbal / Escola Superior de Educação
Universidade Europeia, Portugal
Universidade de Évora, Portugal
Universidade de Évora, Portugal
Universidade de Évora, Portugal
Universidade de Évora, Portugal
ISEG – Universidade Técnica de Lisboa, Portugal
Universidade do Algarve, Portugal
Universidade Europeia, Portugal
Universidade do Algarve, Portugal
Universidade da Beira Interior, Portugal
Universidade Autónoma de Lisboa, Portugal
Universidade de Lyon II, França
Instituto Universitário de Lisboa, Portugal
Universidad de Málaga, Espanha
ISCSP – Universidade de Lisboa, Portugal
University of Colorado Boulder, United States of America
Universidade Autónoma de Lisboa, Portugal
ISCSP – Universidade Técnica de Lisboa, Portugal
Universidade Autónoma de Lisboa, Portugal
Universidad Veracruzana, México
Instituto Universitário de Lisboa, Portugal
Universidade de Lisboa, Portugal
ICS – Universidade de Lisboa, Portugal
Universidade do Algarve, Portugal
Universidade do Minho, Portugal
Universidade Autónoma de Lisboa, Portugal
Pontifícia Universidade Católica de Campinas, Brasil
ASSISTANT EDITORS EDITORES ASSISTENTES
Afonso Herédia
Andreia Bandeira
Filipa Inácio
Francisco Castro
Ana Jarmela
Universidade Autónoma de Lisboa, Portugal
Universidade Autónoma de Lisboa, Portugal
Universidade Autónoma de Lisboa, Portugal
Universidade Autónoma de Lisboa, Portugal
Universidade Autónoma de Lisboa, Portugal
TRANSLATION TRADUÇÃO
Carolina Peralta Universidade Autónoma de Lisboa, Portugal
DESIGN COMPOSIÇÃO GRÁFICA
Undo
WEBSITE SITE
Undo
IT DEVELOPMENT DESENVOLVIMENTO INFORMÁTICO
Anselmo Silveira Universidade Autónoma de Lisboa, Portugal
TABLE OF CONTENTS ÍNDICE
Nota Editorial
Cristina Nunes 7
The use of social media: the mediating eect of the number of followers on the relationship between
lifesatisfaction and users’ self-esteem.
Lídia Serra, Mariana Campaniço 8
Figuras parentais (pais) autores de violência sexual contra crianças e adolescentes: características
biosociodemográcas Parental gures (parents) authors of sexual violence against children and
adolescents: biosociodemographic characteristics
Marisa Trindade Pereira, Daniela Castro dos Reis, Simone Souza da Costa Silva,
Lília Ieda Chaves Cavalcante, Laiana Soeiro Ferreira 22
Adaptation and Validation of the Workplace Civility Scale for European Portuguese samples
Tito Laneiro, Luisa Ribeiro, Martina Nitzsche, Tânia Ferraro, Genta Kulari 40
Explorando a Perceção de Risco: O Impacto de Fatores Individuais e a Mediação do Clima
de Segurança Física emTrabalhadores Portugueses Exploring Risk Perception: The Impact
ofIndividualFactors and the Mediation of Physical Safety Climate in Portuguese Workers
Kelly Pinto, Gabriela Gonçalves, Cátia Sousa e António Sousa 60
Author Instructions
Instruções aos Autores 74
Reviewers instructions
Instruções aos Revisores 82
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NOTA EDITORIAL
Este número inclui um conjunto de artigos sobre estudos empíricos desenvolvidos no Brasil
e Portugal, com população adulta. Trata-se de um número não temático e os artigos situam-se em
diferentes áreas da Psicologia Aplicada.
O primeiro artigo de Laneiro e colaboradores apresenta uma validação da Escala de Civi-
lidade no Local de Trabalho com uma amostra de 1375 trabalhadores portugueses de ambos os
sexos, através de uma análise fatorial confirmatória. Trata-se de um relevante trabalho que con-
tribuirá para aprimorar a pesquisa empírica do comportamento civil no trabalho.
O segundo artigo, de Pinto e colaboradores, também no âmbito da Psicologia do Traba-
lho, explora a perceção de risco com 216 trabalhadores portugueses. Através de uma análise
de regressão múltipla e análise de mediação, estuda o papel dos fatores individuais e do clima
de segurança física neste construto. Trata-se de um estudo interessante que discute o papel da
autoeficácia na segurança, do locus de controlo interno, da resiliência mental, neuroticismo e a
procura por sensações a perceção de risco.
O estudo de Pereira e colaboradores, de natureza descritivo-exploratória analisa os proces-
sos de 283 pais autores de violência sexual presos. O estudo apresenta o perfil sociodemográfico
dos agressores, caracteriza o tipo de agressão sexual e discute aspetos relevantes para futuras
intervenções
O estudo de Serra e colaboradores, aborda um tema bastante atual, sobre o papel do uso das
redes sociais, a satisfação com a vida e autoestima. Trata-se de um estudo com uma amostra de
298 jovens adultos usuários da plataforma Instagram, que com análises de regressão e de media-
ção avaliam e discutem o papel do número de seguidores e da satisfação com a vida na autoes-
tima dos participantes.
Obrigada a todos os autores pelos seus relevantes estudos e terem possibilitado este novo
número da revista. Finalmente um agradecimento especial a todos revisores e editores que dedi-
caram seu tempo e fizeram comentários construtivos.
Cristina Nunes
(Co-editor)
8
THE USE OF SOCIAL MEDIA: THE MEDIATING EFFECT OF THE
NUMBER OF FOLLOWERS ON THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN LIFE
SATISFACTION AND USERS’ SELFESTEEM.
Lídia Serra
1
, Mariana Campaniço
2
PSIQUE • EISSN 21834806 • VOLUME XX • ISSUE FASCÍCULO 1
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.26619/2183-4806.XX.1.1
Submitted on 22/03/2023 Submetido a 22/03/2023
Accepted on 29/12/2023 Aceite a 29/12/2023
Abstract
The utilization of social media has become increasingly prevalent across various generations,
serving as a platform for individuals to exhibit personal content that may influence other users.
However, there is limited understanding of the impact that the number of followers on social
media platforms can have on the relationship between life satisfaction and users’ self-esteem.
Objective: The primary aim of this research is to examine the mediating effect of the number of
followers on the relationship between life satisfaction and self-esteem among Instagram users.
Method: This study included an original sample of 298 participants, as well as two simulated
samples of 2980 and 29800 subjects, all of whom were users of the social media platform Insta-
gram and aged between 18 and 40 years. The research utilized three measurement instruments:
a sociodemographic questionnaire, the Satisfaction with Life Scale, and the Rosenberg Self-Es-
teem Scale. Results: The findings revealed that the number of followers serves as a significant
mediator in the relationship between life satisfaction and self-esteem across all applied models.
Additionally, a positive and significant relationship was observed among all these variables in
the three study samples. Conclusion: The number of followers on social media platforms has
been shown to impact the self-esteem of users and contribute to a better understanding of the
effect of life satisfaction on participants’ self-esteem levels. However, caution is needed regard-
ing the use and content shared, as exposure on social media can have positive and negative
impacts on users and influence them. Therefore, the results of this study may contribute to the
development of awareness programs about the use of social media, as well as increasing the dig-
ital literacy of its users.
Keywords: Self-esteem, number of followers, life satisfaction, social media, technology, usage time
1 Universidade Autónoma de Lisboa. Portugal. E-mail: lmserra@autonoma.pt. ORCID ID: http://orcid.org/0000-0003-2612-3335.
2 Instituto Superior de Estudos Interculturais e Transdisciplinares – IP de Almada. Portugal. E-mail: marianacampanico@
gmail.com.
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Introduction
Nowadays, the utilization of information and communication technologies (ICTs) constitutes
an intrinsic facet of contemporary society, encompassing personal, professional, and recrea-
tional domains. There has been a consistent rise in the adoption of internet services. Accord-
ing to Eurostat (2022), in 2021, approximately 80% of individuals aged 16 to 74 within the Euro-
pean Union engaged with the internet on a daily basis, with notably higher usage rates observed
among younger demographics (16-29 years). These statistics underscore the escalating signifi-
cance of the internet, particularly social media platforms, in individuals’ lives. It has been noted
that the dissemination of personal life on social media is becoming increasingly effortless and
routine (Dias & Nascimento, 2013), often motivated by users’ desires to compare themselves with
others and emulate their daily habits and behaviors.
Most users believe they are influenced by the posts shared on social media platforms such
as Instagram (Almeida et al., 2018), while simultaneously aiming to expand their network con-
nections within these platforms. Social media platforms are recognized as virtual connections
among groups of individuals united by professional objectives, associations, friendships, among
others, through which they can share and disseminate information (Silvério, 2012). Often, such
sharing occurs without consideration for aspects related to their privacy, security (Borges, 2016),
or how they present their bodies, which has become a concerning issue (Barry et al., 2017).
Among online tools (e.g., social networks, video conferencing platforms, email services,
image and video editors, etc.) social media platforms are especially popular among young peo-
ple, with consumption rates four times higher compared to older age groups (Eurostat, 2022).
These platforms enable virtual communication with other users, facilitating the sharing of writ-
ten information, photographs, music, or videos (Mehdizadeh, 2010; Monteiro et al., 2020). Social
media users aim for their content to be appreciated, gain online followers, and expand their
reach to more people (Chou & Edge, 2012). The number of likes received on posts may depend on
the content of the photographs used and can influence user’s behavior (Drake et al., 2017).
However, influencers strive to cultivate a greater sense of trust with their followers, aiming
for their content to be increasingly appreciated, practiced, or disseminated (Borges, 2016). Insta-
gram serves as a prime example of a social media platform where users engage in self-promotion
through photographic material or videos, typically accentuating their positive aspects, while
anticipating appreciation and validation from their audience (Monteiro et al., 2020; Moon et al.,
2016).
Individuals with low self-esteem tend to exhibit greater feelings of hopelessness (Çakar, 2014)
and are inclined to conceal their limitations or flaws from others (Kuster et al., 2012), including
within the realm of social media. Self-esteem is defined as an individual’s capacity for self-value
and positive self-regard (Batista et al., 2015). This subjective assessment of one’s own worth can
be reinforced or influenced by the consumption of content on Instagram.
In the study by Rodríguez-Suárez et al. (2022) with 321 users, it was found that when exposed
to photographs of people with perfect bodies and ideal beauty, participants showed lower lev-
els of self-esteem and anxiety compared to the control group. This need for human comparison
has been advocated for a long time. For instance, Festinger’s (1954) Theory of Social Comparison
Processes posited that individuals tend to compare themselves with others in various personal
characteristics. The search for similar or different attributes in others is crucial to the process of
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self-evaluation. Such situations can heighten concerns that users have about their own appear-
ance when comparing themselves with other social media users (Fardouly et al., 2015).
The presence of low self-esteem leads users to engage in more self-promotion, increased
usage (Mehdizadeh, 2010), or a higher frequency of posting photographs on social media plat-
forms, driven by a growing desire for recognition (March & McBean, 2018). The study by Pop et
al. (2022) identified a positive association between Snapchat usage and users’ self-esteem, but a
negative relationship between users’ weight and TikTok usage. Additionally, Barry et al. (2017)
did not find a significant correlation between self-esteem and the posting of selfies on social
media platforms.
The fact that a user receives likes influences their brain activity and behavior (Sherman et
al., 2018), highlighting brain areas associated with reward (Sherman et al., 2016). Being valued
and recognized leaves a person satisfied. Life satisfaction is considered a positive evaluation that
individuals make of their lives and overall well-being, taking into account personal, relational,
professional, and other aspects (Diener et al., 1985). The Compensation Model underlying life
satisfaction posits that when individuals are dissatisfied in a particular area of their lives, they
tend to seek satisfaction and compensation in other domains or contexts (Nielsen et al., 2011).
This can help explain why many individuals seek refuge in social media when they are feeling
unwell (Vidal et al., 2020). On the other hand, Zhan et al. (2006) identified that social media usage
is associated with higher life satisfaction.
The study by Reina et al. (2010) revealed a noteworthy and positive correlation between
life satisfaction and self-esteem among young individuals, suggesting that contentment with
one’s life is linked to self-acceptance and a favorable assessment of life events (Batista et al.,
2015). However, using social media can be negatively associated with individuals’ life satisfac-
tion (Akin & Akin, 2015) and, consequently, their self-esteem. As demonstrated in the study
by Bakioğlu et al. (2022), the presence of fear of missing out online, which includes the need
to belong, the need for popularity, anxiety, and addiction, has a negative impact on the life
satisfaction of social media users. This suggests that the effects of social media usage vary and
have different impacts on the lives of its users (Bakioğlu et al., 2022; Carrotte et al., 2017; March
& McBean, 2018).
Being satisfied with life also entails feeling accepted by peers and feeling liked by others
through the number and type of interpersonal relationships they establish (Harter, 1999), which
increasingly occurs within online contexts, influencing individuals’ self-esteem and well-being
(Valkenburg et al., 2006). Although various studies present different impacts and relationships
among life satisfaction, self-esteem, and the number of followers on social media platforms, the
relationship between these three variables in Instagram users is not yet fully understood. This
leads us to establish hypotheses that life satisfaction and number of followers are positively cor-
related with self-esteem.
Furthermore, scientific studies have revealed that Instagram is being used by users to share
health-related issues (e.g., miscarriage) and seek emotional support through information sharing
(Mercier et al., 2020), identify markers of depression (Reece et al., 2017), raise awareness about
injury prevention through seatbelt use (Drake et al., 2017), and highlight the importance of an
active lifestyle (Carrotte et al., 2017), but the mediating effect of the number of followers in the
relationship between life satisfaction and self-esteem of Instagram users is not yet known.
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Valkenburg et al. (2006) identified that when social media users receive positive feedback
on their online profiles, their well-being and self-esteem improve. If we consider that this pos-
itive feedback may be reinforced by the number of followers on the social media platform, we
hypothesize that the number of followers may help mediate the effect of life satisfaction on the
self-esteem of Instagram users.
The main objective of this study is to verify whether the number of followers acts as a
mediator in the relationship between life satisfaction and self-esteem. Similarly, it is impor-
tant to explore the presence of significant relationships among life satisfaction, the number
of followers with self-esteem, both within the original sample and in simulated samples of
Instagram users.
Method
Participants
In this study, 298 Portuguese subjects of both genders participated. As inclusion criteria for
the sample, only participants of Portuguese nationality, aged 18 years or older, and daily users of
the Instagram social network were considered.
All participants responded to the study protocol (100%), with 55.7% being female and 44.3%
being male. The participants had a mean age of 25.61 years (±5.62). The majority of participants
reported being in the 22 to 25 age range (36.2%), followed by the age range of 18-21 years (22.8%),
and the age range of 26-29 years (20.8%). Regarding the daily number of hours of Instagram usage,
54.4% used less than 3 hours per day, 33.2% used between 3 and 7 hours, 8.1% used between 7
and 12 hours, and only 4.4% used Instagram for more than 12 hours per day. Lastly, concerning
the number of followers, 8.7% had fewer than 100 followers, 27.2% had between 101 and 500 fol-
lowers, 21.1% had between 501 and 1000 followers, 32.9% had between 1001 and 5000 followers,
and 10.1% had more than 5000 followers on the Instagram social network.
Measures
For this study, a sociodemographic questionnaire was employed to collect information from
participants [e.g., age, gender, number of hours spent using Instagram, number of followers (the
mediating variable)], along with the Satisfaction with Life Scale and the Rosenberg Self-Esteem
Scale.
The Satisfaction with Life Scale (original version by Diener et al., 1985; Portuguese version
by Simões, 1992) was utilized to assess individuals’ level of life satisfaction and was employed
as the independent variable in the current study. This scale is administered using a five-point
Likert scale (ranging from 1 to 5 points), with scores ranging from a minimum of 5 to a maximum
of 25 points. A higher score indicates greater life satisfaction. The scale demonstrates good psy-
chometric properties, with a Cronbach’s alpha of .77. For the present study, a Cronbach’s alpha
of .85 was obtained.
The Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (original version by Rosenberg, 1965; Portuguese version by
Santos & Maia, 2003) was employed to assess participants’ self-esteem, considered the dependent
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between life satisfaction and users’ self-esteem.
variable in this study. This instrument consists of 10 items that are rated on a 4-point Likert scale.
The scale is scored by summing the items, yielding values ranging from 0 to 30 points. A higher
score on this scale indicates a higher level of self-esteem. The scale demonstrates strong psy-
chometric properties, with a Cronbach’s alpha value of .86 in the Portuguese version, and in the
current study, the Cronbach’s alpha was .88.
Procedure
The study protocol was administered online to users of the Instagram social network. The
data collection period took place during the academic year 2021 and 2022. Participants volun-
tarily and without any personal interest took part in the study after being informed of its objec-
tives and providing signed informed consent. The informed consent was formalized through
an online form that participants responded to before starting the protocol response. With this
prior authorization, the researchers ensured that the participant read, understood, and agreed to
all information regarding the research procedure, including data confidentiality. The disclosure
and distribution of the study protocol access link were made only on the Instagram social net-
work, and recording the participant’s name was not considered in order to guarantee anonymity.
For data administration and collection, the Google Forms platform was used, with an estimated
response time of approximately 10 minutes. This study received approval from the scientific
council of ISEIT – IP de Almada, and ethical and deontological responsibilities inherent in the
research were ensured.
Data analysis
For this study, the R programming language and the RStudio integrated development envi-
ronment were used. Data analysis included descriptive statistics of the participants’ characteris-
tics in the original sample (298 subjects). Mean and standard deviation were used for numerical
variables, and frequencies and percentages were used for nominal variables. The Pearson corre-
lation coefficient was employed to study correlations between variables, following verification
of their statistical assumptions. Simulated samples were considered in the study to obtain a better
understanding of the behavior of variables in various analysis scenarios, as well as to help iden-
tify the statistical power of the study (Vasishth & Broe, 2011). Data were estimated through sim-
ulation from the original sample, generating 10 and 100 times more data points, 2980 and 29800,
respectively. The MedGraph-PC program was employed for the mediation analysis, following the
guidelines of Baron and Kenny (1986). To estimate whether the indirect effect is significant, the
Sobel test was applied. Finally, the analysis of variance (ANOVA) test was used to verify if there
are significant differences between the applied mediation models. The significance level used
was a p-value < .05.
13
PSIQUE • e-ISSN 2183-4806 • Volume XX • Issue Fascículo 1 • 1
st
january janeiro-30
th
june junho 2024 • pp. 8-21
Lídia Serra, Mariana Campaniço
Results
Correlations between self-esteem, the number of followers, and life satisfaction
In the following table (Table 1), the correlation values found between self-esteem, the number
of followers, and life satisfaction, are presented for the original sample and the two simulated
samples.
TABLE1.
Correlations between self-esteem, the number of followers and life satisfaction.
Self-esteem
298 subjects (original sample)
r p
Number of followers
.311
≈ .001*
Life satisfaction
.509
≈ .001*
2980 subjects (simulated sample)
Number of followers
.337 ≈ .001*
Life satisfaction
.545 ≈ .001*
29800 subjects (simulated sample)
Number of followers
.314 ≈ .001*
Life satisfaction
.546 ≈ .001*
Note: *Significant correlation for p-value = .01; r= Pearson’s correlation; p= p-value
Mediation of the number of followers in the relationship
between life satisfaction and self-esteem
Mediation Model 1
Through the mediation model in the original sample, it was observed how the effect of the
predictor (life satisfaction) influenced the outcome variable (self-esteem) through a mediating
variable (number of followers) which served as an intervening variable to explain this effect.
The level of the effect of the predictor variable passing through the mediator variable caused
an indirect effect on the outcome variable of c’= .478. Additionally, it was found that the effect
of life satisfaction on the number of followers was a=.120 and the effect of the number of fol-
lowers on self-esteem was b=.254. The following figure (Figure 1) illustrates the significant
mediating effect of the number of followers on the relationship between life satisfaction and
self-esteem of users in the original sample. Through the Sobel test, it was found to be a signif-
icant model (p≈.000).