Online dating apps and the association with emotional reactions: A survey on the motivations, compulsive use, and subjective online success of Chinese young adults in online dating

Dating applications, such as Momo, have become trendy among the young population in China. While there have been some studies on online dating applications, limited research has explored the association between these applications and adolescents’ mental health, and how they are related. This study investigates the motivations behind Chinese youth using online dating applications, the relationship between motivations and compulsive use, and their associations with subjective online success and mental health. Specifically, this study surveyed from February 2022 to March 2022, involving 451 young Chinese adults aged 18 to 35 (mean age = 25.17 years, SD = 4.25, and the biological sex distribution was 49.45% male and 50.55% female). The results indicate that motivations, including social approval, relationship seeking, sexual experiences, and socializing, were associated with adolescents’ compulsive use of online dating apps. The compulsive use of online dating apps was associated with higher reports of feelings such as joviality, sadness, and anxiety. Furthermore, the association between compulsive use and young adults’ mental health appeared to be mediated by subjective online success. The findings of this study provide a better understanding of the behavior and consequences of using online dating apps within the youth population.