An Examination of the Relationship Between University Students' Athlete Identity and Social Media Addiction

Kabak & Zengin, 2025. Uluslararası Sağlık, Egzersiz ve Spor Bilimleri Dergisi, (2025) International Journal of Health, Exercise, and Sport Sciences (IJOSS) ISSN: 3023-8382 RESEARCH ARTICLE / Araştırma Makalesi Open Access/Açık Erişim IJOSS © The Author(s), 2024. Open Access. This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, which allows for unrestricted use, sharing, adaptation, distribution, and reproduction in any medium or format, provided proper credit is given to the original author(s) and the source. A link to the Creative Commons license must be included, and any changes made to the original work must be clearly indicated. Unless otherwise specified in a credit line, all images or third-party materials included in this article fall under the article’s Creative Commons license. If any material is not covered by the Creative Commons license and your intended use is not permitted by law or exceeds the permissible scope, you must obtain permission directly from the copyright holder. To view a copy of this license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/. An Examination of the Relationship Between University Students' Athlete Identity and Social Media Addiction Üniversite Öğrencilerinin Sporcu Kimliği Ve Sosyal Medya Bağımlılığı Arasındaki İlişkinin İncelenmesi Serkan Kabak1, Samet Zengin2* Abstract This study was conducted using a descriptive relational survey model to examine the relationship between university students' athlete identity and social media addiction. The sample group comprised 140 athlete students (55 female, 85 male) studying at the Faculty of Sports Sciences of Trabzon University. Data were collected using the 7-item Athlete Identity Scale developed by Brewer and Cornelius (2001) and the 7-item Social Media Addiction Scale developed by Günüç (2009) and validated by Çömlekçi and Başol (2019).The findings revealed that analyses based on variables such as demographic characteristics, years of sports participation, preferred type of sport, and the social media platforms used to follow news indicated positive and significant relationships among the components of athlete identity (social identity, sport-restrictedness, and negative affectivity). However, no overall significant relationship was found between social media addiction and these components. Statistical analyses showed no significant differences according to variables such as gender, academic department, type of sport, and duration of social media use, except for low-level positive relationships in certain subdimensions.In conclusion, while the study presents results that are consistent with the current literature, it also suggests that athlete identity and social media addiction should be considered as separate psychological constructs. This highlights the necessity for further comprehensive research to examine the determinant factors of both constructs and their relationships with demographic variables across different sample groups and cultural contexts. Keywords Athlete Identity, Social Media, Student. Öz Bu çalışma, üniversite öğrencilerinin sporcu kimliği ile sosyal medya bağımlılığı arasındaki ilişkiyi incelemek amacıyla betimsel ilişkisel tarama modeli kullanılarak gerçekleştirilmiştir. Araştırma grubu, Trabzon Üniversitesi Spor Bilimleri Fakültesi’nde eğitim gören 140 sporcu öğrenciden (55 kadın, 85 erkek) oluşmaktadır. Veri toplamada, Brewer ve Cornelius (2001) tarafından geliştirilen 7 maddelik Sporcu Kimliği Ölçeği ile Günüç (2009) tarafından geliştirilen ve Çömlekçi ile Başol (2019) tarafından geçerlik ve güvenilirliği çalışılmış 7 maddelik Sosyal Medya Bağımlılığı Ölçeği kullanılmıştır. Bulgular, katılımcıların demografik özellikleri, spor yapma yılı, tercih ettikleri spor türü ve haberleri takip ettikleri sosyal medya platformları gibi değişkenler üzerinden yapılan analizlerde sporcu kimliği bileşenleri arasında (sosyal kimlik, sporla sınırlanmışlık, olumsuz duyuşsallık) pozitif ve anlamlı ilişkilerin bulunduğunu, ancak sosyal medya bağımlılığı ile bu bileşenler arasında genel olarak anlamlı bir ilişki tespit edilemediğini ortaya koymuştur. İstatistiksel analizlerde cinsiyet, bölüm, spor yapma türü ve sosyal medya kullanımı süresi gibi değişkenlere göre anlamlı farklılıklar bulunmamış olup yalnızca belirli alt boyutlarda düşük düzeyde pozitif ilişkiler tespit edilmiştir. Sonuç olarak, çalışma mevcut literatürle uyumlu sonuçlar sunmakla birlikte, sporcu kimliği ve sosyal medya bağımlılığının ayrı psikolojik süreçler olarak değerlendirilmesi gerektiğine işaret etmektedir. Bu durum, her iki yapının belirleyici faktörlerinin ve demografik değişkenlerle ilişkilerinin, farklı örneklem grupları ve kültürel boyutlarda yapılacak daha kapsamlı araştırmalarla daha ayrıntılı incelenmesinin gerekliliğini ortaya koymaktadır. Anahtar Kelimeler Sporcu Kimliği, Sosyal Medya, Öğrenci. https://www.ijoss.org/Archive/issue2-volume3/ijoss-Volume2-issue3-03.pdf *Correspondence: Samet ZENGİN [email protected] Trabzon University, Trabzon, Türkiye Orcid: 0000-0002-5622-3903 1Trabzon University, Trabzon, Türkiye serkankab[email protected] Orcid: 0000-0002-5622-3903 2Trabzon University, Trabzon, Türkiye Orcid: 0000-0002-5370-5878 https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.17424770 Received / Gönderim: 15.07.2025 Accepted / Kabul: 18.09.2025 Published / Yayın: 24.10.2025 Volume 2, Issue 3, October, 2025 Cilt 2, Sayı 3, Ekim, 2025 Kabak & Zengin, 2025. International Journal of Health, Exercise, and Sport Sciences Vol 2, Issue 3, October 2025 Page 27 of 39 Introductıon With the advancement of technology, mass communication tools have also begun to evolve and now appear in many different dimensions (Çakır et al., 2022; Uluca et. al., 2024). When examining the developmental process of the Internet, the Web 1.0 era refers to the period when the Internet first emerged, during which users were passive consumers. In this period, only two roles existed-----content publishers and content readers (Yeşim, 2017, p. 7)-----and all authority resided with the website founder, with users being permitted only to read (Ergenç, 2011). Unlike today’s vibrant Internet, Web 1.0 did not allow users to comment on websites, express their opinions, or engage in information exchange (Horzum, 2010). With the advent of the Web 2.0 era, individuals began to create content, share it with others, and comment on it. Consequently, users started to assume active roles not only as consumers but also as producers. Along with this development, numerous applications-----such as social media tools (Facebook, Twitter, Google, Instagram, Skype, Wikipedia)-----became available (Yeşim, 2017, p. 7). The widespread adoption of the Internet and Web 2.0 technology has made social media the focal point of public interest. Social media platforms have become an indispensable part of modern life by attracting the attention of individuals from all segments, nongovernmental organizations, activists, communication institutions, and state agencies (Shirky, 2011, p. 1; Ceyhan & Çakır, 2021). Although social media and Web 2.0 are sometimes used interchangeably due to their intertwined development, it is more appropriate to refer to Web 2.0 for online technologies and social media for the social aspects of these technologies (Constantinides & Fountain, 2008, p. 232). A new communication network, which we call social media, has emerged. In general, social media is defined as an environment or medium for social interaction. In other words, the concept of social media is described as online tools that enable users to share and interact based on their opinions, information, and interests (Özel, 2011). Social media is characterized as web-based applications where individuals create personal profiles, engage in reciprocal communication and interaction with other social media users, increase their sharing with others who share common interests, and compile lists of friends with whom they wish to communicate (Boyd, 2003; Vural & Bat, 2010). According to Toprak et al. (2009), social sharing platforms serve as mediators that enhance individuals’ status and reputation through self-created profiles, allow users to observe the connections of other users, and facilitate interpersonal communication. Social media platforms provide online applications that offer opportunities for selfpresentation, establishing networks on social platforms, maintaining communication with other user groups (Ellison, Steinfield & Lampe, 2007), sharing content (e.g., photos, videos) (Kim, Jeong & Lee, 2010), creating profiles that include personal information, photos, and videos, and forming new friendships as well as communicating with previously unknown individuals (Wang et al., 2010). Preeti (2009) defines the term ‘‘social network’’ as the formation of online communities that allow people gathered around a common purpose to share their ideas and interact with each other. According to Kietzmann, Hermkens, McCarthy, and Silvestre (2011), the fundamental characteristics of social media can be expressed as identity, conversation, sharing, location, relationships, reputation, and groups. In this context: Identity refers to how and to what extent individuals present themselves on social networking sites, with users sharing details such as name, age, gender, occupation, relevant fields, and preferences in their personal profiles. Conversation denotes the communication established among users within social media applications. Sharing pertains to the dissemination of content such as images, videos, photos, and ideas on social media platforms. Location refers to Kabak & Zengin, 2025. International Journal of Health, Exercise, and Sport Sciences Vol 2, issue 3, October 2025 Page 28 of 39 the practice of social media users sharing their whereabouts with others and accessing location-based services. Relationships represent the forms of connections that users establish with each other on a platform. Reputation reflects the credibility of social media users, often indicated by follower counts or the number of likes, serving as a marker of their social standing. Groups describe the capability of users to form groups or subgroups within their social media networks. Excessive use of these networks can adversely affect users’ daily lives in various ways, potentially leading to behavioral addiction-----a significant long-term consequence. The concept of addiction is described as a pathological behavior that disrupts an individual’s mental, physical, and social well-being, resulting in negative outcomes (Campbell, 2003; Coşkuntürk, et al., 2023). Addiction is a particular state and type of relationship that develops following an interaction with a specific object or situation, encompassing a set of interconnected behaviors. In other words, addiction is characterized by an individual’s reliance on a particular substance, product, or service to achieve a sense of well-being (Babaoğlu, 1997, p. 150). Generally, addiction is understood as a physical attachment to a substance (Holden, 2001). In a broader sense, addiction is the difficulty in controlling one’s impulses to initiate or cease a behavior, stemming from habituation to a substance that triggers emotional, mental, or physiological responses (Byun et al., 2009). Addictions can be broadly classified into substance addictions and behavioral addictions, with technological addictions falling into the latter category (Griffiths, 1995). Symptoms of Internet addiction include excessive and problematic Internet use, spending most of one’s time online, an uncontrollable desire to remain connected, feelings of dissatisfaction when not online, heightened irritability and aggression, and social as well as familial disconnection due to excessive online activity (Arısoy, 2009). Social media addiction, on the other hand, can be defined as a communicative disorder that evolves alongside issues in cognitive, affective, behavioral, and communicative domains, ultimately affecting all aspects of an individual’s life. It leads to communication problems, feelings of loneliness, anti-social behavior, and various behavioral issues (Ünlü, 2018). Social media addiction is the term used when an individual spends an excessively increasing amount of time on social media, to the extent that it negatively impacts other aspects of daily life (Durar, 2018). Another definition posits that social media addiction is ‘‘a psychological problem that develops through cognitive, affective, and behavioral processes, leading to issues such as preoccupation, impaired emotional regulation, repetitive behaviors, and conflicts across personal, work/academic, and social domains’’ (Tutkun-Ünal, 2015, p. 93). According to Savcı and Aysan (2017), social media addiction is defined as ‘‘excessive use, inability to satisfy the desire for use, neglect of other activities due to excessive use, damage to social relationships, use as an escape from negative emotions and life stress, difficulties in reducing or stopping use, becoming tense and irritable when use is not possible, and dishonesty regarding the duration and amount of use.’’ An athlete’s positive sporting life and the support received from other members of their social environment play a crucial role in developing a strong athlete identity. Athlete identity, which affects various socio-psychological behaviors, is a significant cognitive force that guides the individual. Possessing a strong athlete identity has considerable implications for one’s life and profoundly influences the interpretation of psychological, social, and behavioral phenomena as well as value orientations. This study aims to investigate the role of individuals with an athlete identity in examining the relationship between sports activities-----known to help control negative Kabak & Zengin, 2025. International Journal of Health, Exercise, and Sport Sciences Vol 2, issue 3, October 2025 Page 29 of 39 behaviors and foster numerous positive behavioral traits-----and social media addiction. It is anticipated that the findings will offer valuable insights for both individual and public health protection and sustainability, enabling individuals to take precautionary measures against behavioral situations that may lead to adverse psychological and physiological outcomes, such as addiction. Moreover, given that the literature review reveals no prior study addressing athlete identity and social media addiction simultaneously, this research is expected to make a significant contribution to the existing body of knowledge. Materials and Methods Research Model This research is a descriptive study that aims to ascertain the current state. The study was conducted using a quantitative, descriptive relational survey model to examine the relationship between university students' athlete identity and social media addiction. Research Group/Population and Sample The research group comprised 140 athlete students (55 females, 85 males) studying at the Faculty of Sports Sciences of Trabzon University. Among these students, 3 were enrolled in the Department of Coaching Education, 49 in the Department of Physical Education and Sports Teaching, 1 in the Recreation Department, and 87 in the Department of Sports Management. Data Collection Tools: Athlete Identity Scale The original scale was developed by Brewer and Cornelius (2001) to determine individuals’ levels of athleticism and consists of 7 items. The Turkish adaptation of the scale was carried out by Öztürk and Koca (2013). The subdimensions of the scale have internal consistency coefficients ranging from .66 to .88. The scale comprises three subdimensions: Social Identity, Sport-Restrictedness, and Negative Affectivity. The social identity subdimension measures the extent to which an individual perceives themselves in terms of social athlete roles. The sport-restrictedness subdimension aims to assess the level of self-worth that emerges from participation in the athlete role, while the negative affectivity subdimension targets the degree of negative emotions experienced by the individual in undesirable sporting situations. Additionally, the total score obtained from the scale reflects the strength of the athlete identity; higher scores indicate a stronger athlete identity. The scale employs a seven-point Likert format (1 = Strongly Disagree, 7 = Strongly Agree), and participants are asked to evaluate each item accordingly. High scores on the scale indicate a high level of athlete identity. Brewer and Cornelius (2001) reported the original scale’s internal consistency coefficient as .81, a correlation of .96 for the initial 10-item version, and a test-retest reliability coefficient of .89 over a one-week interval. Kabak & Zengin, 2025. International Journal of Health, Exercise, and Sport Sciences Vol 2, issue 3, October 2025 Page 30 of 39 Social Media Addiction Scale The Social Media Addiction Scale, developed by Günüç (2009) and subsequently subjected to validity and reliability studies by Çömlekçi and Başol (2019), consists of 7 items. The items on the scale are evaluated using a five-point Likert scale (1 = Never; 5 = Always). For the evaluation of the scale, the mean of the item scores is calculated, with higher average scores representing higher levels of social media addiction. The reliability coefficient (Cronbach’s Alpha) of the scale was found to be 0.781. During the data collection process, prior to using the scales related to the variables of interest in the study, necessary permissions were obtained via email from the researchers who developed or adapted the scales through the communication addresses provided on TOAD. FINDINGS Table 1. Correlation Analysis Examining the Relationship between Participants’ Ages and the Athlete Identity Scale and Social Media Addiction Scale Variable n r p Social Identity 140 - 0.041 0.630 Sport - Restrictedness 140 0.045 0.600 Negative Affectivity 140 - 0.178* 0.036 Athlete Identity Scale 140 - 0.062 0.465 Social Media Addiction Scale 140 0.206* 0.015 * (p < 0.05). There was no significant relationship between participants' age and social identity (p > .05), sport-restrictedness (p > .05), or the overall athlete identity scale (p > .05). However, a low-level negative relationship was found with negative affectivity (p < .05, r = -0.178*) and a low-level positive relationship with the social media addiction scale (p < .05, r = 0.206*). Table 2. Mann-Whitney U Test Results of Athlete Identity Scale Scores According to Participants' Gender Subdimension Group n Mean Rank Rank Sum U p Social Identity Women 55 68.16 3749.00 2209.000 0.581 Men 85 72.01 6121.00 Sport - Restrictedness Women 55 64.37 3540.50 2000.500 0.146 Men 85 74.46 6329.50 Negative Affectivity Women 55 64.72 3559.50 2019.500 0.167 Men 85 74.24 6310.50 Overall Athlete Identity Women 55 66.27 3465.00 2105.000 0.320 Men 85 73.24 6225.00 * (p < 0.05). Based on Table 2, no statistically significant differences were observed in the subdimensions of social identity (U = 2209.000), sport-restrictedness (U = 2000.500), and negative affectivity (U = 2019.500), nor in the overall athlete identity scale (U = 2105.000) (p > .05). Table 3. T-Test Results of Social Media Addiction Scale Scores According to Participants’ Gender Measure Gender n Mean SD t df p Social Media Addiction Scale Women 55 13.03 5.29 1.221 138 0.149 Men 85 12.00 4.63 Total 140 Kabak & Zengin, 2025. International Journal of Health, Exercise, and Sport Sciences Vol 2, issue 3, October 2025 Page 31 of 39 * (p < 0.05). Based on Table 3, the analysis revealed that there was no statistically significant difference in Social Media Addiction Scale scores between genders (p > .05). Table 4. Mann-Whitney U Test Results of Sport Identity Scale Scores by Type of Sport Participation Subdimension Group n Mean Rank Sum of Ranks U p Social Identity Individual Sport 52 72.74 3782.50 2171.50 0.613 Team Sport 88 69.18 6087.50 – – Total 140 – – – – Sport - Related Restriction Individual Sport 52 73.08 3800.00 2154.00 0.559 Team Sport 88 68.98 6070.00 – – Total 140 – – – – Negative Affectivity Individual Sport 52 64.50 3354.00 1976.00 0.170 Team Sport 88 74.05 6516.00 – – Total 140 – – – – Athlete Identity Scale Individual Sport 52 72.48 3769.00 2185.00 0.656 Team Sport 88 69.33 6101.00 – – Total 140 – – – – * (p < 0.05). Upon examination of Table 4, no statistically significant differences were observed in the subdimensions of Social Identity (U = 2171.500), Sport-Related Restriction (U = 2154.000), and Negative Affectivity (U = 1976.000), as well as in the overall Athlete Identity Scale score (U = 2185.000) (p > 0.05). Table 5. T-test Results of Social Media Addiction Scale Scores by Type of Sport Participation Scale Group n Mean Standard Deviation t df p Social Media Addiction Scale Individual Sport 52 12.51 4.79 0.207 138 0.395 Team Sport 88 12.34 5.00 Total 140 – – * (p < 0.05). Upon examination of the analysis results, no statistically significant differences were found (p > 0.05). Table 6. Correlation Analysis Examining the Relationship Between Years of Sport Participation and the Athlete Identity Scale and Social Media Addiction Scale Variable n r p Social Identity 140 0.213* 0.011 Sport-Related Restriction 140 0.233** 0.006 Negative Affectivity 140 0.072 0.399 Athlete Identity Scale 140 0.210* 0.013 Social Media Addiction Scale 140 -0.115 0.671 * (p < 0.05). According to the analysis, there is no significant relationship between years of sport participation and Negative Affectivity (p > .05) or Social Media Addiction Scale scores (p > .05). Conversely, a low-level positive relationship was observed between years of sport participation and Social Identity (p < .05, r = 0.213*), Sport-Related Restriction (p < .05, r = 0.233**), and overall Athlete Identity Scale scores (p < .05, r = 0.210*). Kabak & Zengin, 2025. International Journal of Health, Exercise, and Sport Sciences Vol 2, issue 3, October 2025 Page 32 of 39 Table 7. Kruskal-Wallis H Test Results of Athlete Identity Scale Scores by the Social Media Platform Used for Following News Subdimension Groups n Mean Rank SD X² p Social Identity Instagram 92 71.89 3 3.150 0.369 Twitter 40 71.72 – Facebook 3 62.67 – News Websites 5 39.90 – Total 140 – – Sport-Related Restriction Instagram 92 71.27 3 4.142 0.247 Twitter 40 73.69 – Facebook 3 29.33 – News Websites 5 55.60 – Total 140 – – Negative Affectivity Instagram 92 68.78 3 4.036 0.258 Twitter 40 78.11 – Facebook 3 67.67 – News Websites 5 43.00 – Total 140 – – Athlete Identity Scale Instagram 92 70.96 3 4.037 0.257 Twitter 40 74.70 – Facebook 3 52.67 – News Websites 5 39.10 – Total 140 – – * (p < 0.05). Based on Table 7, no statistically significant differences were observed across the subdimensions or the overall scale (p > .05). Table 8. One-Way ANOVA Test Results of Social Media Addiction Scale Scores by the Social Media Platform Used for Following News News-Followed Social Media n Mean SD F p Instagram 92 12.79 5.17 1.449 0.21 Twitter 40 11.37 3.92 Facebook 3 10.00 3.60 News Websites 5 15.00 6.67 Total 140 12.40 4.91 * (p < 0.05). Based on Table 8, no statistically significant differences were found in the Social Media Addiction Scale scores with respect to the section variable [F(3, 136) = 1.449, p > .05]. Table 9. Correlation Analysis Examining the Relationship Between Time Spent on Social Media and the Athlete Identity Scale and Social Media Addiction Scale Variable n r p Social Identity 140 -0.092 0.278 Sport-Related Restriction 140 -0.053 0.535 Negative Affectivity 140 0.102 0.232 Athlete Identity Scale 140 -0.028 0.739 Social Media Addiction Scale 140 0.204* 0.016 * (p < 0.05). It was determined that there is no significant relationship between the time spent on social media and Social Identity (p > .05), Sport-Related Restriction (p > .05), Negative Kabak & Zengin, 2025. International Journal of Health, Exercise, and Sport Sciences Vol 2, issue 3, October 2025 Page 33 of 39 Affectivity (p > .05), or overall Athlete Identity Scale scores. However, a low-level positive relationship was found between the time spent on social media and Social Media Addiction Scale scores (p < .05, r = 0.204*). Table 10. Kruskal–Wallis H Test Results of Athlete Identity Scale Scores by Preferred Social Media Platform Subdimension Group n Mean Rank SD X² p Social Identity Instagram 107 70.35 4 1.098 0.895 Twitter 20 69.90 – Facebook 1 48.50 – Youtube 9 80.17 – Other 3 59.33 – Total 140 – – Sport - Related Restriction Instagram 107 70.67 4 3.018 0.555 Twitter 20 72.08 – Facebook 1 24.50 – Youtube 9 78.83 – Other 3 44.33 – Total 140 – – Negative Affectivity Instagram 107 70.59 4 1.136 0.889 Twitter 20 73.80 – Facebook 1 39.00 – Youtube 9 70.22 – Other 3 56.50 – Total 140 – – Athlete Identity Scale Instagram 107 70.93 4 1.193 0.879 Twitter 20 71.80 – Facebook 1 37.50 – Youtube 9 71.56 – Other 3 54.17 – Total 140 – – * (p < 0.05). Based on Table 10, no statistically significant differences were observed across the subdimensions or the overall scale (p > .05). Table 11. One-Way ANOVA Test Results of Social Media Addiction Scale Scores by Preferred Social Media Platform Preferred Social Media n Mean SD F p Instagram 107 12.63 5.09 0.535 0.71 Twitter 20 11.75 4.29 – – Facebook 1 14.00 – – – Youtube 9 12.11 5.03 – – Other 3 9.00 1.00 – – Total 140 12.40 4.91 – – * (p < 0.05). Based on Table 11, no statistically significant difference was found in the Social Media Addiction Scale scores with respect to the preferred social media platform [F(4, 135) = 0.535, p > .05]. Table 12. Examination of the Relationship Between the Athlete Identity Scale and the Social Media Scale Social Identity Sport-Related Restriction Negative Affectivity Athlete Identity Scale (AIS) Social Media Addiction Scale (SMAS) Social Identity 1 0.710** 0.532** 0.909** 0.036 Sport-Related Restriction 0.710** 1 0.477** 0.863** 0.064 Kabak & Zengin, 2025. International Journal of Health, Exercise, and Sport Sciences Vol 2, issue 3, October 2025 Page 34 of 39 Social Identity Sport-Related Restriction Negative Affectivity Athlete Identity Scale (AIS) Social Media Addiction Scale (SMAS) Negative Affectivity 0.532** 0.477** 1 0.761** -0.067 Athlete Identity Scale (AIS) 0.909** 0.863** 0.761** 1 -0.012 Social Media Addiction Scale (SMAS) 0.036 0.064 -0.067 -0.012 1 The correlation analyses conducted in the study revealed the following results: A strong, positive, and significant relationship was found between Social Identity and Sport-Related Restriction (r = 0.710, p < 0.01). Similarly, Social Identity was positively and significantly correlated with Negative Affectivity (r = 0.532, p < 0.01). Social Identity exhibited a very strong positive relationship with the Athlete Identity Scale (AIS) (r = 0.909, p < 0.01), whereas no significant relationship was detected between Social Identity and the Social Media Addiction Scale (SMAS) (r = 0.036, p > 0.05), indicating that these two variables are not related. Additionally, a positive and significant relationship was observed between SportRelated Restriction and Negative Affectivity (r = 0.477, p < 0.01), along with a very strong positive correlation between Sport-Related Restriction and AIS (r = 0.863, p < 0.01). However, no significant relationship was reported between Sport-Related Restriction and SMAS (r = 0.064, p > 0.05). Moreover, Negative Affectivity was positively and significantly correlated with AIS (r = 0.761, p < 0.01), while it exhibited a negative but non-significant relationship with SMAS (r = -0.067, p > 0.05). Lastly, no significant relationship was found between AIS and SMAS (r = -0.012, p > 0.05). In summary, while the components of athlete identity (i.e., Social Identity, SportRelated Restriction, and Negative Affectivity) generally show positive and significant interrelationships, no significant associations were identified between these components and the Social Media Addiction Scale. In conclusion, the findings of the study revealed that analyses conducted on variables such as participants’ demographic characteristics, years of sports participation, preferred sports types, and the social media platforms through which they follow news showed positive and significant relationships among the components of athlete identity (social identity, sport-limitedness, and negative affectivity). However, in general, no significant relationship was detected between these components and social media addiction. The statistical analyses did not reveal significant differences based on variables such as gender, department, type of sports participation, and duration of social media use, with only low-level positive relationships observed in certain sub-dimensions. Overall, while the study’s findings are consistent with the existing literature, they indicate that athlete identity and social media addiction should be considered as separate psychological processes. Discussion According to the findings of the study, it was determined that there is no significant relationship between age and athlete identity or social media addiction. This suggests that these variables do not appear to be related to the participants’ age, implying that both athlete identity and social media use may develop independently of age. However, a low-level positive relationship (r = .206) was found between negative affectivity and social media addiction, which can be interpreted as indicating that individuals experiencing negative emotional states may tend to use social media more frequently. In