Like me (please?): Connecting online self-presentation to pre- and early adolescents’ self-esteem

<jats:p> The aim of the current study was to examine the role of social media in building the self-esteem of younger adolescents. Results from a cross-sectional survey ( N = 725, M<jats:sub>age</jats:sub> = 11.61, SD = 1.01) provided support for a serial mediation between online self-presentation and self-esteem through both perceived online popularity and the need for popularity. Specifically, we found that self-presentation on social media was positively related to pre- and early adolescents’ self-esteem, via their perceived online popularity (e.g. receiving “likes”). However, results also revealed a relationship between online popularity and users’ need for popularity, which was in turn negatively associated with self-esteem. Findings indicate that when pre- and early adolescents engage in online self-presentation, they can generate feedback such as likes on social media. Although such positive appraisals are positively associated with their self-esteem, they also appear to provoke an increased dependence on social approval, which is paradoxically related to decreased self-esteem. </jats:p>