Citation

Petrofes C, Howard K, Mayberry A, Bitney C, Ceballos N. J. Am. Coll. Health 2022; ePub(ePub): ePub.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2022, Informa - Taylor and Francis Group)

DOI

10.1080/07448481.2022.2132110

PMID

36227711

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: We investigated psychological factors that might predispose individuals to sad-fish or exaggerate their emotional state online to generate sympathy. Participants: Participants (N = 347) were collegiate social media users from a large university in the Southcentral United States.

METHODS: Participants completed an anonymous online survey and were categorized as sad-fishers or non-sad-fishers. Groups were compared on attachment style and levels of interpersonal and online social support.

RESULTS: Sad-fishers trended toward anxious attachment. Groups did not differ on perceived interpersonal or online social support. Anxious attachment was significantly negatively associated with interpersonal support.

CONCLUSIONS: Sad-fishing may not be triggered by an acute perceived lack of social support, but rather, may be more strongly related to the persistent trait of anxious attachment. This is a starting-point for understanding the relatively new phenomenon of sad-fishing and may aid in discerning how best to clinically intervene with those who sad-fish.

Language: en

Keywords

social media; social support; Anxious attachment; sad-fishing