Abstract

Every day, people are exposed to social stressors and environmental stimuli, both online and offline, that may contribute to psychological distress (PD), a phenomenon that may be further affected by the pervasive diffusion of the Internet and Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs). In keeping with this, the aim of the present study was to investigate the role of mattering and anti-mattering in both offline and online environments, as well as Social Media Capital on Distress Tolerance (DT). Data were collected through the administration of an online and anonymous survey among 252 participants (32.1% cisgender males; 63.1% cisgender females; 4.8% people belonging to the LGBTQIA+ community) aged 18 to 85 years (mean age: 40.5, SD = 17.0253). In line with the objective of the present study, correlation, multiple linear regression, and network analyses (NA) were performed. Overall, the results pointed out that offline mattering and anti-mattering and social media capital were associated with DT. Moreover, the NA suggested that offline relational experiences, particularly offline mattering and anti-mattering, were more consistently connected with DT within the overall network structure than online relational indicators. In conclusion, the study deepened the investigation of DT in relation to potential social antecedents (both offline and online), laying the groundwork for the development of further studies in this area.

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