This study examines the relationship between parasocial interactions and social media addiction, as well as the moderating effect of death anxiety and the mediating role of interpersonal emotion regulation. A sample of 400 university students who use Facebook, Instagram, and/or Twitter participated in this study. Data analysis software (SPSS 25.0, R-4.1.3, G*Power 3.1) was used to process all data. Social media addiction is significantly influenced by parasocial interactions, and interpersonal emotion regulation has a substantial impact on social media addiction. Through interpersonal emotion regulation, the indirect effect of parasocial interaction on social media addiction was found to be significant. Furthermore, when death anxiety is strong, the impact of parasocial interaction on social media addiction is reduced.

Keywords: Anxiety, death anxiety, emotion regulation, parasocial, social media