Selfie-taking behavior: Personality factors, self-esteem, and interpersonal closeness in college-going students in a Metropolitan City

Background: Taking selfies is an emerging trend. It is common in college-going adolescents and young adults. It has been proposed to be an addiction or obsession. Researchers have linked it with personality and self-esteem. It has also been thought of as a way of filling gaps in relationship. Few studies have looked at selfie-taking behavior and factors mediating it; hence, this study was planned. Objectives: This study aimed to understand selfie-taking behavior, its prevalence and association with personality factors, self-esteem, and interpersonal closeness in college-going students. Materials and Methods: Students 18-25 years old, studying in graduation, able to understand English, and willing to give informed consent were included in this cross-sectional study. Seven hundred and three students from four colleges participated in the study. Participants were assessed using a self-designed face validated questionnaire to assess selfie-taking behavior, Ten-Item Personality Inventory, Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, and Perceived Interpersonal Closeness Scale. Selfie-taking behavior was defined as taking two or more selfies in a day. Descriptive statistics, Chi-square test, and independent t-test were used for the statistical analysis. Results: The prevalence of selfie-taking behavior was 28.7%. Students having selfie-taking behavior tended to be extroverts. There was no significant difference on other domains. Selfie-taking behavior had interfered with social and academic performance of students. Conclusion: Taking selfies may become a cause of concern when a person is unable to control it and the associated negative consequences. This study sensitizes people to be vigilant about it and also invites the attention of researchers to explore it further.