Self-Esteem and Self-Disclosure Among Urban Early Adult Dating App Users
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.37278/jipsi.v8i1.1543Keywords:
Self-esteem, Self-disclosure, Dating apps, Early adulthood, Urban SocietyAbstract
The increasing use of dating apps has transformed how early adults initiate interpersonal and romantic relationships in urban society. In these digital interactions, self-disclosure is important because users share personal information to build trust and relational closeness. However, the role of self-esteem in explaining self-disclosure within dating apps remains unclear. This study aimed to examine the relationship between self-esteem and self-disclosure among early adult dating app users in urban society. This research used a quantitative correlational design involving 149 early adults aged 20–30 years who had used or were currently using dating apps and lived in urban areas. Self-esteem was measured using the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, while self-disclosure was measured using the Revised Self-Disclosure Scale adapted to the dating app context. Data were analyzed using Spearman’s rho correlation because one variable did not meet the normality assumption. The results showed no significant relationship between self-esteem and self-disclosure, rₛ = -0.069, p = 0.400, rₛ² ≈ 0.005. This very small effect size indicates that the two variables shared less than 1% of rank-order variation, suggesting that self-esteem was not a dominant factor in explaining self-disclosure in this sample. Theoretically, self-disclosure in dating apps may be better understood through contextual and interpersonal mechanisms, such as trust, perceived safety, online disinhibition, comfort, authenticity, and interaction quality. Practically, the findings highlight the importance of mindful, gradual, and authentic self-disclosure for users, as well as platform features that support privacy, safety, trust, and controlled information sharing.
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