Health Psychology Research / HPR / Online First / DOI: 10.14440/hpr.0109
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RESEARCH ARTICLE

Emerging Addictions and Psychological-Clinical Interventions: A Scoping Review on the Existence of Instagram Addiction

Noemi Maria Vitale1 ,  Abdulnaser Fakhrou2 ,  Grazia Petralia1 ,  Pasquale Caponnetto1,3*
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1 Department of Educational Sciences, Section of Psychology, University of Catania, Catania 95121, Sicily, Italy
2 Department of Psychological Sciences, College of Education University, AlQiteefiya, Doha 00000, Qatar
3 Center of Excellence for the Acceleration of Harm Reduction (COEHAR), University of Catania, Catania 95121, Sicily, Italy
HPR, e81240020 https://doi.org/10.14440/hpr.0109
Submitted: 25 April 2025 | Revised: 27 July 2025 | Accepted: 30 July 2025 | Published: 8 October 2025
© 2025 by the Author(s). This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution -Noncommercial 4.0 International License (CC-by the license) ( https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ )
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Abstract

Background

The pervasive use of social media, particularly Instagram, has raised growing concerns about its potential to foster behavioral addictions that impair psychological well-being and social functioning.

Objective

This study aims to investigate and synthesize recent research on Instagram addiction within the domains of clinical psychology, diagnosis, psychotherapy, and treatment, with the goal of contributing both theoretical and practical advancements to the existing literature.

Methods

A scoping review was conducted from May 10, 2023, to October 10, 2023, to identify current diagnostic paradigms associated with Instagram addiction, investigate underexamined aspects of the phenomenon, examine correlations with related theoretical constructs and comorbidities, assess the evaluation scales currently in use, and develop a conceptual framework to navigate recent scientific discoveries. Relevant studies were retrieved from PubMed, PsycINFO, MDPI, APA, ScienceDirect, ResearchGate, and Scopus.

Results

A total of 170 non-duplicate records were identified. Among these, 50 full-text articles were assessed for eligibility, and five met the eligibility criteria and were included in the final review.

Conclusion

The findings highlight the association between Instagram addiction and negative psychological outcomes such as depression, social anxiety, loneliness, academic underperformance, and body dissatisfaction. The evidence supports classifying Instagram addiction as a behavioral addiction, underscoring the need for dedicated diagnostic criteria and appropriate treatment strategies.

Keywords
Instagram
Addiction
Social media
New addiction
Smartphone addiction
Fear of missing out
Funding
None.
Conflict of interest
The authors declare they have no competing interests.
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Health Psychology Research, Electronic ISSN: 2420-8124 Published by Health Psychology Research
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