Abstract
BACKGROUND: Social media's emotional content has sparked concerns about its psychological impact. While many strategies focus on reducing screen time, this study explores how mindful and intentional technology use can shape users' emotional responses. We propose the "Digital Emotional Regulation Paradox," which refers to the idea that greater emotional exposure does not necessarily harm mental health when users engage with social media mindfully. METHODS: This cross-sectional study was conducted in Indonesia namely Jakarta, Yogyakarta, and Bali among 450 adults aged 18 to 65. Participants completed validated and custom-developed scales assessing emotional content exposure, psychological resilience, mindful technology use, and emotional contagion susceptibility. Data were analyzed using structural equation modeling (SEM) to test moderation hypotheses. RESULTS: Mindful technology use significantly moderated the impact of negative emotional content on resilience (β = 0.32, p < 0.001). Participants with higher mindful use showed stronger resilience even when exposed to negative content. This supports the paradoxical idea that mindful engagement can buffer digital emotional stress. Susceptibility to emotional contagion further shaped this relationship. CONCLUSIONS: The findings challenge the assumption that reducing digital exposure is the best path to mental health. Instead, the way individuals use technology mindfully and reflectively may matter more than how much they use it. However, the cross-sectional design limits causal interpretation, highlighting the need for longitudinal or experimental research to confirm these pathways. These insights offer practical implications for digital mental health programs, user education, and platform policies.